Dive Team Safety
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EPA National Diving Safety Policy
EPA dive operations fall under the OSHA scientific diving exemption. This document prescribes the administration and safety rules for EPA's Underwater Diving Safety Management Program. This directive sets forth EPA's policy for minimizing its worker's occupational hazards to the polluted water diving environment.
- EPA Diving Safety Manual (PDF) (219 pp, 2.5MB) - September 2010 (v1.2)
- EPA National Dive Program 2012 Annual Report (PDF) (20 pp, 531K)
- EPA National Dive Program 2011 Annual Report (PDF) (20 pp, 602K)
- EPA National Dive Program 2010 Annual Report (PDF) (22 pp, 641K)
- EPA National Dive Program 2009 Annual Report (PDF) (19 pp, 205K)
- EPA National Dive Program 2008 Annual Report (PDF) (19 pp, 177K)
- EPA National Dive Program 1981 Annual Report (PDF) (2 pp, 116K)
- OSHA scientific diving exemption 1910 Subpart T, Appendix B
- OSHA commercial diving regulations, 1910 Subpart T
- USCG Commerical Diving Regulations, 46 CFR Part 197
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Dive Industry Standards
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EPA Region 10 Dive Safety Policy
This plan establishes general guidelines and procedures for safe and efficient diving for the EPA Region 10 Unit Team for all diving operations. The intent is to provide guidance beyond that in the national Diving Safety Policy that specifically addresses important regional and task specific safety issues.
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EPA Region 10 Boat Handling Plan for Diving Operations
This plan establishes general guidelines and procedures for the safe and efficient use of small boats used to support scientific diving operations.
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Standard Operating Procedures and Guidelines
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Decon Protocol / Polluted Water Protocol Documents
- Diver Exposure Scenario for the Portland Harbor Risk Assessment. Proceeding of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences 28th Symposium (PDF) (17 pp, 585K)
- Microbial Hazards of Diving in Polluted Waters, A Proceedings by Maryland Sea Grant (PDF) (74 pp, 4MB)
- Survey of Best Practices for Diving in Polluted Water, US Navy, 2002 (PDF) (18 pp, 624K) - July 2002
- OSHA Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response 29 CFR 1910.120
- EPA Region 10 Viking Dive Suit Decontamination Study (PDF) (67 pp. 594K) - March 3, 2009
- Protection of Divers in Waters that are Contaminated with Chemicals or Pathogens, 1991 (PDF) (7 pp. 63K)
- US Navy Guidance for Diving in Contaminated Waters, 2008 (PDF) (36 pp. 301KB)
- EPA Region 10 Polluted Water Decontamination Procedures for Portland Harbor (PDF) (19K)
- Interim Protocol for Diving Operations in Contaminated Water, EPA/600/2-85/130 (PDF), Nov 1985 (1.2 MB)
- EPA Region 10 Protocol for Cleaning AGA Full-Face Masks (PDF) (160K)
- EPA Protocol for Biohazard Diving (PDF) (Appendix L of the Diving Safety Manual, 1 MB)
- NOAA Polluted Water Diving Resources
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Vessel Safety
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