Technical Manual: Conduits through Embankment Dams (FEMA 484)

Conduits through Embankment DamsSome important considerations for any dive inspection are (Dulin and Crofton,2004):• Certification.—All divers and personnel associated with dive inspection should becertified commercial divers trained to meet the minimum requirements ofADCI’s Consensus Standards for Commercial Diving and Underwater Operations (2004)through the training standard of an accredited Association of CommercialDiving Schools program. They should be compliant with all commercial divingtraining standards, have onsite documentation of first aid training,cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and meet other standards as applicable incompliance with OSHA and ADCI standards.• Dive team.—The dive team should include the diving supervisor, a lead diver,and a backup diver for relief or emergencies. The diving team should have aDive Master, whose primary talents are coordination of his crew and a solidunderstanding of what needs to be accomplished. Another member of the diveteam should have a good understanding of mechanical equipment, whatfunctions have to be maintained, and what has little importance to theequipment. Another member of the dive team should have solid experiencewith electronic equipment, such as ultrasonic thickness gauges, underwater stillcameras, and communication equipment. All divers on the team should havethe strength to accomplish the physically demanding tasks involved with theinspection.• Communication.—Communication with a diver underwater is difficult. Everyoneinvolved with the project needs to know the chain of command and what roleeach individual plays. The means of contact, both primary and secondary,should be fully understood by all parties who may be involved with any portionof the diving inspection.• Safety.—A specific job hazard analysis should be performed to address allaspects of the diving operation. All parties who may be involved with anyportion of the diving inspection should hold a kickoff meeting. Discussionshould include the lockout tag-out (LOTO) procedure. A draft copy of theprocedure should be provided to all attendees. The procedure should befinalized prior to commencement of any diving. No diving activity should startuntil the LOTO is finalized and accepted by all parties involved.Diving in an environment where the diver does not have a direct route to the surfaceis a very specialized area of diving. No clear-cut criteria exist for defining conduitsthat can or cannot reasonably be inspected by divers. Many conduits that are largeenough for a diver to enter may have factors that preclude them from beinginspected. Certain factors must be weighed against one another and a judgment214