Commercial diving contractors know the immense dangers their divers face on a regular basis. Crew expose themselves to extreme temperatures, currents, underwater pressure and the hazards of dangerous environments like industrial plants. Although these hazards become evident when a diver is working, they can stem from a lack of compliance with Safety and Environmental Management Systems (SEMS).
"Compliance emphasizes on following the mandates of an operations manual."
Recently, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has made efforts to enforce safety through audits and citations. What does this mean for salvage divers, and how can they adhere closer to SEMS guidelines?
A key component to compliance is the emphasis on following the mandates of an operations manual. Such regulations include verification of the health of the diver, as well as their active status and the viability of necessary diving equipment. Companies need to meet not just the BSEE's standards but those of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), with which they overlap.
In preparation of increased attention from this organization divers can take it upon themselves to make their workplaces safer. Some ways they might do so are by the following:
- Educating employees: Better understanding of what constitutes a violation may make workers more vigilant, keeping the company on its guard.
- Identifying tough infrastructure: Some sites are deliberately difficult to traverse without extra assistance, through an ROV or some other tool.
- Reporting violations: The BSEE maintains a hotline for citing unsafe conditions open to any employee or contractor.
Interested in learning more? Fisk Marine Insurance International LLC will appear at a panel discussing BSEE policy and best SEMS practices on February 23. This will run parallel to the first day of Underwater Intervention: visit this blog for more information.