Scripps Institution of Oceanography

1
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Scientific Diving

• Scripps Institution of Oceanography
• University of California, San Diego
• La Jolla, California

2

Scientific Diving

Scientific diving is diving performed solely as
a necessary part of a scientific, research, or
educational activity by employees whose sole
purpose for diving is to perform scientific
research tasks.
As defined by OSHA regulations (29 CFR 1910.402)
3

Scientific Diving

• The purpose of the project using scientific
• diving is the advancement of science. The
• tasks of a scientific diver are those of an
• observer and data gatherer.
• Scientific divers, based on the nature of their
  
• activities, must use scientific expertise in
• studying the underwater environment, and,
• therefore are scientists, or scientists-in-
• training.

4

Diving as a Research Tool

• Scientific divers must be trained to use this
• tool to a level of proficiency that allows
  them
• to focus on the research task.
• Most scientific institutions and universities
• require extensive training and specialized
• experience before authorizing their
  scientists
• and research support staff to conduct
• underwater research using scuba, hookah and
• surface supplied diving.

5

The Pursuit of Science

• Scientific diving differs from recreational
  diving
• and commercial diving in many ways. The
• advancement of science is the single goal.
• For many recreational divers, the thrill of
  breathing
• on scuba and enjoying the panoramic view of
  life
• beneath the sea is in itself the end goal of
  learning
• to dive.
• Commercial divers are underwater construction
• workers, builders and trouble shooters.

6

Scientific Diver Population

• 4,000 individuals in the U.S.
• majority of long-term, career scientific divers
  (e.g.
• federal employees, university professors) in
  the
• 35 average age category
• high turnover of scientific divers at the
  university
• student level (1834 age category)
• no upper age limit for certification, the lower
  limit
• is generally 18 years of age

7

Locations

• subtropical seas
• temperate waters
• freshwater rivers and lakes
• karst formations
• polar environments
• blue water (open ocean)
• submarine canyons
• estuaries
• offshore platforms

Heine, J.N. 1999. Scientific Diving Techniques
A Practical Guide for the Research Diver. Best
Publishing, Flagstaff. 225 p.
8

Early Scientific Diving

• The first recorded scientific dives were made by
  Henri Milne-Edward (Sicily) circa 1844 in a
  commercial diving suit to a depth of 25 ft.

9

• C.K. Tseng
• 1944
• Chinese biologist
• working at SIO
• during WWII
• Used Surface-Supplied
• Japanese Heavy Gear to
• study marine algae in
• San Diego Bay
• Frank Haymaker
• 1947
• Observation of Scripps Canyon using Hard Hat
  equipment for SIO
• researcher, Dr. Francis Shepard

10

Conrad Limbaugh
Andreas Rechnitzer
SCUBA comes to Scripps
11

Diving at Scripps

• Scripps was a branch of UCLA
• Limbaugh convinced advisor that new Aqualung
  would be a
• valuable tool.
• Initially purchased 1 from Renes Sporting
  Goods and taught each
• other how to dive.

DONT HOLD YOUR BREATHE!

• In 1950, with a second set in tow, arrived at
  SIO thus initiating
• Scripps diving.

12

Dive Training at Scripps

• Initially pretty informal
• The training consisted more of a demonstration
  than training.
• 1951, first official training course developed
  out of necessity
• A diver at another UC campus died in a diving
  accident
• Revelle, President of the UC, mandated more
  formalized
• training.
• Many of divings fundamental principles Swim
  Tests, the
• Buddy System, Buddy Breathing, and the Ditch
  and Don
• were developed in this process.
• 1952 first organized written syllabus was
  developed.

13

Scripps and LA County

• In 1953, Al Tillman, Bev Morgan, and Ramsey
  Parks from LA
• County Parks and Recreation participated in
  one of the early
• courses.
• Developed the first formal diving instruction
  and certification
• program available to the public.
• The LA County program became the basis for all
  future
• recreational diving programs.
• Limbaugh, Jim Stewart, and Wheeler North
  assisted the first LA
• County Instructor courses.

14

Jim Stewart

• Stewart was an accomplished free-
• diver and member of the
• Bottomscratchers.
• In 1952 , Stewart became a volunteer
• at SIO helping Limbaugh with diver
• training.
• In 1955, Stewart was hired part-time
• to assist Dr. Wheeler North with kelp
• forest research.
• Participated in the first science
• diving research cruise as well as
• multiple expeditions to Enewitok and
• Bikini (atomic tests)

15

Transition

• In 1960, Limbaugh was killed in a cave diving
  accident
• in Cassis, France.
• Stewart named to replace Connie as the
  Principle Health and
• Safety Technologist.
• Changed position title to Diving Safety
  Officer.
• As scientific diving became more prominent,
  Stewart was
• fundamental in the formalization and
  perpetuation of scientific
• diver training and operational standards

University Guide for Diving Safety
16

Scientific Diving Safety Programs

• Diving Safety Programs serve a two-fold purpose
• a research support function that assists the
• diving scientist with specialized underwater
• equipment, advice, and diver support.
• a risk management function that protects the
• safety and health of the individual
  scientist, and
• the employing organization from excess
  liability
• exposure.

17

Scientific Diving Entities

• research institutions.
• public and private universities, museums and
• aquaria (predominantly research, education,
  and
• teaching roles).
• consulting companies (predominantly contractual
  
• environmental, geological, and archaeological
• investigations.

18

OSHA Scientific Diving

• 1975 - The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and
  
• Joiners of America, supported by the AFL-CIO,
  
• petitioned the Federal Government urging a
• standard be issued with respect to all
  professional
• diving operations.
• The permanent standard for Commercial Diving
• became effective October 20, 1977.
• The OSHA Commercial Diving Standard if applied
• to Scientific Diving Operations would present
  a
• significant impediment.

19

The AAUS

• Organized in 1977, AAUS was incorporated in the
  
• State of California in 1983.
• The Academy submitted arguments to OSHA on
• October 15, 1979 citing
• Self regulation and consensual standards for
  over 20
• years.
• And an accident/incidence rate lower than the
• Commercial Diving Industry.
• After extensive negotiation and Congressional
  
• Hearings, the scientific diving exemption to
• commercial diving standards was issued,
  effective
• November 28, 1982.

20

The Exemption
29 CFR Ch. XVII Subpart T 1910.401 Labor (OSHA)

• Defined as scientific diving and which is under
  the
• direction and control of a diving program
  containing at least the following elements
• A. Diving Safety Manual
• B. Diving Control Board

21

The Exemption
Appendix B to Subpart T - Guidelines for
Scientific Diving

• 1. diving control board majority are active
  scientific divers - autonomous and absolute
  authority over program operations
• 2. purpose of diving is advancement of science
• 3. scientific diver is observer and data
  gatherer and,
• 4. scientific divers use scientific expertise
  under water.

22

The AAUS

• AAUS is an organization of Organizations
• AAUS certifies Scientific Diving Programs
• NOT individual divers
• The strength of the Academy is this
• Organizational Membership (OM)

23

Scientific Diving Standards

• The American Academy of Underwater Sciences
  (AAUS) publishes standards
• for scientific diving certification and
  operation of scientific diving programs
• University National Oceanographic Laboratory
  System (UNOLS) research
• vessel diving safety standards amplify the
  AAUS standards for diving from a
• research vessel platform
• The UNOLS standards for scientific diving are
  based on the AAUS Scientific
• Diving standards
• National Science Foundation (NSF) standards
  for Ice diving
• The NSF standards for scientific diving are
  based on the AAUS Scientific Diving
• standards
• Other Scientific Diving Standards
• NOAA Diving Program (Dept. of Commerce)
• EPA
• United States Geological Survey (Dept. of the
  Interior)
• National Park Service
• CMAS

24

Diving Safety

• The ultimate responsibility for safety rests
  with the
• individual diver...
• Safety is the judgment of acceptability of
  risk. Risk is a
• compound measure of probability and severity
  of harm to
• human health. There are degrees of risk,
  therefore, degrees
• of safety.
• estimating risk is a scientific event (an
  objective and
• probabilistic pursuit)
• accepting risk is a political activity (a
  personal or social
• judgment)
• nothing is absolutely free of risk
• Adapted from Lowrance, W.L. 1976