Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (SOR/86-304)

Regulations are current to 2013-05-20 and last amended on 2012-12-07. Previous Versions

Dive Team

  • 18.10 (1) Subject to subsections (3) and (4) and Division II, every employer shall ensure that a dive team consisting of at least two divers is present at every dive site.

  • (2) One member of the dive team referred to in subsection (1) shall be designated as the dive supervisor.

  • (3) A diver’s tender shall be present at any surface supply dive.

  • (4) A dive boat operator shall be present at any dive carried out from a boat or vessel.

  • SOR/98-456, s. 1.

18.11 Every employer shall ensure that, for the duration of a surface supply dive, the diver’s tender devotes his or her entire time and attention to the work of a diver’s tender.

  • SOR/98-456, s. 1.

18.12 Every employer shall ensure that, for the duration of a type 2 dive carried out from a boat or vessel, the dive boat operator devotes his or her entire time and attention to the work as a dive boat operator.

  • SOR/98-456, s. 1.

18.13 A standby diver shall be present at all times when type 2 dives are in progress.

  • SOR/98-456, s. 1.

18.14 Where a standby diver is needed pursuant to subsection 18.9(2) or section 18.13, the standby diver shall

  • (a) be trained and equipped to operate at the depth at which and in the circumstances in which a submerged diver is operating;

  • (b) be readily available to assist the submerged diver in the event of an emergency; and

  • (c) not dive or be required to dive except in an emergency.

  • SOR/98-456, s. 1.

Emergency Assistance

18.15 Every employer shall, for the purposes of paragraph 18.9(1)(g), arrange for

  • (a) assistance in the event of an emergency;

  • (b) medical support on a 24-hour-a-day basis and a suitable means of communication between the dive site and that medical support; and

  • (c) evacuation of a diver to a hyperbaric chamber if necessary.

  • SOR/98-456, s. 1.

Pressure-related Injury

18.16 Every employer shall ensure that, when a diver shows any indication of a pressure-related injury or requires therapeutic recompression,

  • (a) the necessary first-aid treatment is initiated; and

  • (b) the medical support referred to in paragraph 18.15(b) is notified immediately.

  • SOR/98-456, s. 1.

Decompression

18.17 Diving operations, repetitive dives and the treatment of divers shall be carried out in accordance with generally accepted decompression tables and procedures.

  • SOR/98-456, s. 1.