Any person taking part in a diving operation must have the necessary competence and training prior to engaging in diving work and be fully conversant with the machinery, tools and equipment used during the diving project.

Before the dive commences, the standby diver must:

Tenders must have the following competencies in order to assist the divers:

The surface crew must possess the following competencies:

All personnel required for the diving operation must be ready and available before the dive commences.  This includes personnel who may be on call and available telephonically.

Only personnel that are in-date may take part in diving operations.

Personnel are considered to be in-date when they have a valid medical certificate of fitness and medical certificate of fitness to dive as required in the Regulations.

The Designated Medical Practitioner must scrutinize all medical examinations conducted outside South Africa and perform any additional examinations that are required in terms of local conditions, regulations and specific workplace risks.

All designated medical practitioners performing medical examinations should forward the following information regarding examination to the Southern African Underwater and Hyperbaric Medical Association (SAUHMA):

This applies to examinations for all persons covered by the commercial diving regulations.

Any occupational diseases should be reported in accordance with the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act.  The diagnosis of an occupational disease also requires a workplace investigation, update of the HIRA and implementation of specific risk mitigation strategies.

Although a diver may be certified as fit to dive for a period of up to twelve months, there are a number of conditions that may render a person temporarily unfit for work on a given day or for a specific period.

Divers suffering decompression illness that manifest as: limb pain only (with no motor system involvement); cutaneous (skin rash with itching, but excluding marbling of the skin); lymphatic or non-specific (persistent headache, excessive fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, etc.):

Neurological decompression illness involving sensation in the limbs only (excluding any spinal involvement) and with definite exclusion of motor involvement, the diver may be assessed after 7 days following maximum recovery.

Decompression illness manifesting with cardio-respiratory symptoms (commonly known as the "chokes") or with pulmonary barotrauma, the diver may be assessed after 28 days following maximum recovery.

Decompression illness manifesting with serious neurological signs (motor involvement, inner ear involvement, etc), the diver may be assessed after 28 days following maximum recovery.  Specialist consultation is advised.

The supervisor should screen all divers after a dive and specifically enquire about any abnormal sensations or any other symptoms that may suggest decompression sickness or other injury or disease sustained during the dive.  The presence or absence thereof should be clearly noted in the daily diving log.  Any abnormalities should be reported to the Designated Medical Practitioner without delay.

A medical alert tag or bracelet, to indicate the possibility of decompression sickness or other diving illness, is recommended to be worn by each diver for at least 24 h after completing each dive.  The tag should include the following statement: "This individual is a commercial diver and may need recompression therapy in a decompression chamber."  The number for the employer should be displayed.

The dive plan must specify that supervisors must be able to monitor divers' breathing patterns and receive verbal reports from the divers of their condition. Seismic  Operations  and Sonar  Transmissions

There are inherent problems for divers who are close to seismic operations or sonar transmissions. If there is any possibility of sonar activity or seismic activity in the vicinity of a diving project, the dive plan must include parameters for the safety of the diver.

Divers are at risk of decompression illness (DCI) after diving. It is difficult to treat decompression illness if recompression facilities are not immediately available. The dive plan must specify that divers remain close to suitable recompression facilities for a set time following a dive.

The dive plan should state that flying is avoided for a specified time following a dive because of the decrease in pressure on the diver's body caused by increased altitude and the resultant increased risk for decompression sickness.

If transportation is required (e.g. for medical evacuation), the altitude and in-flight conditions shall be recommended by the Designated Medical Practitioner. The cabin pressure of the aircraft shall not be less than the equivalent of an altitude of 300m (approximately 1000ft} above the dive site.

The dive plan should specify ways in which divers can be maintained in thermal balance because excessive heat or cold can affect their health, safety and efficiency. For example, divers may be provided with suitable passive or active heating, such as thermal undergarments and a well-fitting "dry" diving suit, or a hot-water suit. Conversely in very warm waters nothing more than cotton overalls may be required.