Occupational Safety and Health Standards: Commercial Diving Operations, Definitions.

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As used in this standard, the listed terms are defined as follows:

Acfm: Actual cubic feet per minute.

ASME Code or equivalent: ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII, or an equivalent code which the employer can demonstrate to be equally effective.

ATA: Atmosphere absolute.

Bell: An enclosed compartment, pressurized (closed bell) or unpressurized (open bell), which allows the diver to be transported to and from the underwater work area and which may be used as a temporary refuge during diving operations.

Bottom time: The total elapsed time measured in minutes from the time when the diver leaves the surface in descent to the time that the diver begins ascent.

Bursting pressure: The pressure at which a pressure containment device would fail structurally.

Cylinder: A pressure vessel for the storage of gases.

Decompression chamber: A pressure vessel for human occupancy such as a surface decompression chamber, closed bell, or deep diving system used to decompress divers and to treat decompression sickness.

Decompression sickness: A condition with a variety of symptoms which may result from gas or bubbles in the tissues of divers after pressure reduction.

Decompression table: A profile or set of profiles of depth-time relationships for ascent rates and breathing mixtures to be followed after a specific depth-time exposure or exposures.

Dive-guiding operations means leading groups of sports divers, who use an open-circuit, semi-closed-circuit, or closed-circuit self-contained underwater breathing apparatus, to local undersea diving locations for recreational purposes.

Dive location: A surface or vessel from which a diving operation is conducted.

Dive-location reserve breathing gas: A supply system of air or mixed-gas (as appropriate) at the dive location which is independent of the primary supply system and sufficient to support divers during the planned decompression.

Dive team: Divers and support employees involved in a diving operation, including the designated person-in-charge.

Diver: An employee working in water using underwater apparatus which supplies compressed breathing gas at the ambient pressure.

Diver-carried reserve breathing gas: A diver-carried supply of air or mixed gas (as appropriate) sufficient under standard operating conditions to allow the diver to reach the surface, or another source of breathing gas, or to be reached by a standby diver.

Diving mode: A type of diving requiring specific equipment, procedures and techniques (SCUBA, surface-supplied air, or mixed gas).

Fsw: Feet of seawater (or equivalent static pressure head).

Heavy gear: Diver-worn deep-sea dress including helmet, breastplate, dry suit, and weighted shoes.

Hyperbaric conditions: Pressure conditions in excess of surface pressure.

Inwater stage: A suspended underwater platform which supports a diver in the water.

Liveboating: The practice of supporting a surfaced-supplied air or mixed gas diver from a vessel which is underway.

Mixed-gas diving: A diving mode in which the diver is supplied in the water with a breathing gas other than air.

No-decompression limits: The depth-time limits of the "no-decompression limits and repetitive dive group designation table for no-decompression air dives", U.S. Navy Diving Manual or equivalent limits which the employer can demonstrate to be equally effective.

Psi(g): Pounds per square inch (gauge).

Recreational diving instruction means training diving students in the use of recreational diving procedures and the safe operation of diving equipment, including an open-circuit, semi-closed-circuit, or closed-circuit self-contained underwater breathing apparatus, during dives.

Scientific diving means 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. Scientific diving does not include performing any tasks usually associated with commercial diving such as: Placing or removing heavy objects underwater; inspection of pipelines and similar objects; construction; demolition; cutting or welding; or the use of explosives.

SCUBA diving: A diving mode independent of surface supply in which the diver uses open circuit self-contained underwater breathing apparatus.

Standby diver: A diver at the dive location available to assist a diver in the water.

Surface-supplied air diving: A diving mode in which the diver in the water is supplied from the dive location with compressed air for breathing.

Treatment table: A depth-time and breathing gas profile designed to treat decompression sickness.

Umbilical: The composite hose bundle between a dive location and a diver or bell, or between a diver and a bell, which supplies the diver or bell with breathing gas, communications, power, or heat as appropriate to the diving mode or conditions, and includes a safety line between the diver and the dive location.

Volume tank: A pressure vessel connected to the outlet of a compressor and used as an air reservoir.

Working pressure: The maximum pressure to which a pressure containment device may be exposed under standard operating conditions.

[42 FR 37668, July 22, 1977, as amended at 47 FR 53365, Nov. 26, 1982; 69 FR 7363, Feb. 17, 2004]

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see also:

Post-dive procedures FREE construction accidents OSHA information: Post-dive procedures.
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Authority for 1910 Subpart T FREE construction accidents OSHA information: Authority for 1910 Subpart T
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