Table of Contents
Abstract
Specifies requirements for personnel, equipment and procedures used in occupational underwater operations in up to 50 m depth of water using compressed air or similar oxygen-nitrogen mixtures as the breathing medium. Also gives details on compression chamber support, accident reporting and medical requirements for occupational diving operations. Appendices include a suggested content of an employer's diving operations manual, metric and imperial decompression tables (with procedures for their use), guidance on the treatment of decompression illness and guidance for medical practitioners conducting diving medicals.
Scope
This Standard specifies requirements for the personnel, equipment and procedures used in occupational underwater operations in up to 50 m (165 ft) depth of water, where compressed breathing gas is supplied either through surface-supplied breathing apparatus (SSBA) or self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA).
Application
This Standard applies to persons directly involved in occupational diving operations and industries either employing those persons or supplying equipment for use in connection with occupational diving operations. This Standard has been developed for diving activity using air or oxygen-nitrogen mixtures where the oxygen concentration is in the range of 20% to 22%. Although this Standard may be used for guidance for diving activities using oxygen-nitrogen mixtures with higher or lower concentrations, additional training and procedures will be necessary. Similarly, this Standard may be used for guidance for diving activities in liquids other than water and for breathing apparatus such as hookah or rebreather units with the appropriate additional training and procedures. The Standard does not apply to the following:
(a) Recreational diving.
(b) Diving beyond 50 m.
(c) Diving covered by Commonwealth or State Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Acts.
NOTES:
1 Specialized gas mixing, filling, analysis, labelling and diving procedures are necessary for safe diving using breathing gases other than air. In particular, special equipment selection and cleaning procedures are needed for diving using oxygen enriched gas mixtures. This Standard does not provide adequate guidance on these procedures.
2 For the types of diving in Items (a), (b) and (c) above, the relevant regulatory authority should be consulted. A list of some of those authorities is given in Appendix A.
3 It is not necessary that a person comes into direct body contact with the water or other liquid as there are many situations where individuals are subject to pressure equivalent to the water pressure experienced at a particular depth. Such situations occurring in connection with diving operations are covered by this Standard. Work in pressurized atmospheres in tunnels or caissons or in hyperbaric treatment facilities in hospitals are not covered by this Standard.
History
First published in Australia in part as AS Z26-1965.
AS CZ18 first published 1972.
AS Z26-1965 revised and redesignated AS Z67-1972.
AS CZ18-1972 and AS Z67-1972 revised, amalgamated and redesignated AS 2299-1979.
Second edition 1990.
Third edition 1992.
Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 2299.1:1999.