DIRECTIVE NUMBER: CPL 02-00-151 EFFECTIVE DATE ... - OSHA

line-tended from the surface when in the water or that the SCUBA diver be
accompanied by, and in continuous visual contact with, another diver during
the diving operation.
NOTE: While line-tending the SCUBA diver from the dive location is
considered preferable to “buddy diving,” it is recognized that “buddy
diving” is an accepted practice. The safety advantage of having two divers
in the water tending each other (“buddy diving”) is lost if they cannot
maintain continuous visual contact; without visibility, divers cannot tend
each other adequately.
c. 29 CFR 1910.424(c)(3). When diving is conducted in an enclosed or
physically confining space, a diver shall be stationed at the underwater point
of entry to assist in tending the diver in the space.
NOTE: The diver stationed at the underwater point of entry is required in
addition to any standby diver at the dive location.
d. 29 CFR 1910.424(c)(4) and (c)(5). Each SCUBA diver is required to have:
(1) a diver-carried reserve breathing-gas supply that consists of a manual
reserve (J-valve), or (2) an independent reserve cylinder that has a separate
regulator or that is connected to the underwater breathing apparatus (see 29
CFR 1910.424(c)(4)). The valve of the reserve breathing-gas supply must
be in the closed position prior to the dive (see 29 CFR 1910.424(c)(5)) to
ensure that the air reserve will not be depleted inadvertently during the dive.
NOTE: A Spare Air ® bottle, or equivalent device, that is attached positively
to the diver by a suitable line (so that the bottle is not lost if dropped) is
sufficient as an independent reserve cylinder, provided that it meets the
emergency air volume requirements for the dive profile. Spare Air ® is the
trade name for a small, high-pressure air bottle with an attached breathing
regulator that is designed for use as an emergency-air source.
3. Commercial SCUBA air diving with one diver in the water requires a minimum
of three dive-team members: a designated person-in-charge (DPIC) (see 29
CFR 1910.410(c)), a standby diver (see 29 CFR 1910.424(c)(1)), and a linetended
diver (see 29 CFR 1910.424(c)(2)). Commercial SCUBA diving with
two divers in the water requires a minimum of four dive-team members: a
DPIC (see 29 CFR 1910.410(c)), a standby diver (see 29 CFR 1910.424(c)(1)),
and two divers (see 29 CFR 1910.424(c)(2)).
NOTE: Additional guidance regarding minimum dive-team requirements is
provided in Appendix A, Questions #2 and #3, of this instruction.
NOTE: In establishing the number of dive-team members required for a dive,
proper consideration must be given to 29 CFR 1910.421(d) Planning and
assessment, 29 CFR 1910.421(e) Hazardous activities, and 29 CFR
1910.422(b)(3). This latter provision requires employers to provide a means to
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