The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has published the ‘International Code of Practice for Offshore Diving’ (IMCA D 014), one of the key guidance documents for contractors and clients.
It provides advice on ways in which offshore diving operations can be carried out safely and efficiently, and references other IMCA diving guidance documents extensively.
An industry-wide consultation has led to this invaluable document being expanded and refreshed with better layout to ensure greater clarity. It offers examples of good practice and includes personnel, equipment a systems guidelines for surface supplied diving using air, nitrox, and mixed gas; closed bell diving; and saturation diving. In order to provide a level playing field for diving contractors, the code of practice seeks to lay down minimum requirements with which all IMCA members world-wide should comply.
“IMCA D 014 is one of the cornerstones of our work in ensuring safe and efficient diving operations, and many clients around the world regard compliance with the guide as essential when selecting a diving contractor,” explains IMCA’s Technical Director, Jane Bugler.
“The guidance was originally published in 1998 and updated in 2007; then in 2012 we set up a workgroup to review and update it. This was largely to reflect changes in IMCA documentation since it was last revised, but also to include information received as a result of our industry-wide consultation, and more references to diving management, including clarification on minimum team sizes, maximum air bottom time limitation and hyperbaric evacuation.”
The 80-page document covers duties, roles and responsibilities, equipment, personnel, medical and health, operational planning, hyperbaric evacuation of saturation divers emergency response and contingency plans, documentation, audits and includes a bibliography reference section, country-specific appendices and appendices covering diving management system (DMS) and maximum bottom time limitation.