SCUBA Diving Techniques on Different Tasks

Techniques Used In Underwater Diving Tasks

Fast Water Search Task

• Drift Search. (Up to 2 knots). This search should be adopted in conditions where the visibility is
  adequate for the diver to see the target and any obstructions. In currents over 2 knots, it becomes impossible for the diver to swim away from danger.

• Single Line Jackstay. (Up to 2 knots). The single-line jackstay is an effective search method when visibility is poor. Due to the additional risks of entanglement, and the diver’s ability to manage his float line, this search technique is not to be used in currents greater than 1 m/s (2 knots).

• Improvised Drift Search. (Up to 1.5ms (3.2 knots)). This search technique is an effective method of controlling a diver’s speed whilst on the seabed.

Free Swimming Task

• Before free-swimming operations, the diver(s) are to be briefed fully on the conduct of the dive.
  Specifically:

• All watches should be synchronized and the divers given a mission abort time detailing when they should surface. The Diving Team Leader may wish to brief an additional ‘Kill Time’ (usually 10 minutes after the mission abort) at which time the divers will be assumed lost and a full emergency instigated. This will be defined in another article (Lost Diver procedure) and should be instigated at any time after mission abort time at the Diving Team Leader’s decision and at all times after the kill time is surpassed.

• The maximum depth of the dive and the direction they are to swim (if appropriate). All divers’ depth gauges should be checked on completion of a dive to ascertain whether they have surpassed their maximum depth.

• Swimmers are to be given specific instructions on depth, direction and time to be spent underwater. Diving Team Leaders are to prompt their emergency recall plan if a diver fails to surface on time.

• Free Swimming Solo is only to be conducted when there is a justified operational necessity or when a risk assessment shows that other means of diving pose a greater risk.

• In addition in Free Swimming, each diver or pair is to have a suitable method of navigation, a means of indicating the max depth and time of the dive, and a right method of indicating their position on the surface in an emergency by day or by night.

• Diving Team Leaders are to position themselves so they can safely oversee the dive and control the supporting surface vessels to ensure the safety of both the divers and support boat crew.

• Diving Team Leaders s are to take all reasonable steps to satisfy themselves that they have a suitable safety organization to ensure the safety of all divers.

• Divers not joined by a buddy line may dive as a pair provided they are in direct contact with each other and capable of 2-way communications at all times.

• Effective control of divers who are conducting free swimming operations is difficult and the Diving Team Leader should ensure that they initiate satisfactory control measures to minimize
  the risk to the divers. The Diving Team Leader must consider all factors in their risk assessment for free swimming and consider that usual conditions may be a limiting factor in the safe conduct of the free swimming operations.

• When operating over an extended area or away from the immediate vicinity of the safety boat or ship the Diving Team Leader should consider deploying multiple boats to monitor swimmers’ progress.

• A Diver Distress Lamp and an emergency flare (which will be described in equipment later) can be used to indicate the diver’s position in an emergency as appropriate to the dive site and task.

A diver’s indicating light should be used at night by divers when they wish to be picked up.

• When required by the type of tasks or operation, the diver/ Diving Team Leader should be equipped with a suitable in-service locating device such as a Search and Rescue Beacon (will
  be described in equipment later).

Conclusion: