UnderWater Magazine

As with many other civilian training programs, the forerunner of organized diver training for civilians was the military. Because Navy divers performed hazardous missions, including clearing obstacles, destroying anchored ships, and other covert missions where diving was only the required form of transportation, the military's selection of diver training candidates had two primary objectives: (1) To select capable individuals with extraordinary stamina who were most apt to complete the training course, and (2) to find individuals with a high degree of self-reliance who could carry out potentially dangerous missions. It is not surprising, therefore, that the training developed for Navy personnel was, and is, very demanding because of its life-or-death nature.

These same demanding goals were quite applicable to the first commercial divers as well because their mission was to perform potentially dangerous underwater work tasks in support of the development of various industries. Consequently, the goal of early commercial diver training was to make the diver effective and productive. Thus, former military divers were among the first commercial divers, and the inaugural commercial diver training programs adopted many of the military diving standards and procedures. The importance of safe and competent commercial diving technicians and support personnel was an ingredient added by the diving schools.

In the early days of commercial diving, military training standards were well-suited to commercial diving, but commercial diving was quite different than it is today. The diving equipment, tools, and procedures used by early commercial divers were not sophisticated. They could not be compared with today's high standards and sophisticated tools and equipment. It took many years to develop the equipment and procedures used today which are designed for ease of use and enhancement of the individual's safe performance in accomplishing an underwater task.

Over the years, commercial diving gradually became more and more technical with increases in depth, bottom time and work tasks. To keep pace with these advances in commercial diving and to ensure diver safety, the early pioneers of commercial diver training crafted the Association of Commercial Diving Educators (ACDE). The purpose of this organization was to design and develop standardized training that would meet industry needs. The efforts of the association and its individual member schools helped change the industry perception of safe diving practices as they developed courses and practical training tasks. From the beginning ACDE worked closely with the Association of Diving Contractors (ADC) in the development of training programs. For the most part, it has been the Safety, Medical, and Educational Committee of ADC that has interfaced with and assisted diving schools in the development of positive, workable minimum training standards.

In the U.S. diver training schools, the development of training materials was never passive or stagnant. As the commercial diving industry expanded and changed, so did the training standards, programs and the philosophy of American diver training sties. Courses of 180 hours grew to exceed more than 1,000. The birth of these new and intensive training courses far exceeded any training programs offered by international diver training programs. At the same time, the philosophy of American schools was taking a different route than that of international training.

The diver training courses of U.S. schools began to include 3 to 5 times as many hours in "dry" training while maintaining the same amout of water time as foreign schools. Theoretical training and top side responsibilities took on a more important role, and U.S. schools elected to train in different depths of water. As a result of this increased, higher quality diver training, the fatality rate of divers over the years has decreased dramatically.

The process of constantly reviewing and updating diver training by both ADC and ACDE is continual. For the new diver, the number of organizations involved in the review and approval of diver training curriculums may seem confusing and superfluous, but in reality, they should add a measure of confidence in the diver training offered in the U.S. There is a genuine interest in making certain that every new diver is well trained and has the skills to work comfortably and safely as a commercial diver.

Sometimes individuals are surprised that the government does not regulate an industry that is as potentially dangerous as commercial diving. It is primarily because of the efforts of the ACDE and ADC, and many individuals, in cooperation with OSHA and the U.S. Coast Guard, that there are no governmental intrusions or impending legislation to regulate the classification or qualification of commercial divers. It is for these reasons that the government does not regulate what should be taught in U.S. diver training institutions.

Actually, there are several important reasons why the government has not found it necessary to regulate commercial diving or commercial diver training. First, since the late 1970's, it has been the responsibility of OSHA and the U.S. Coast Guard to regulate commercial diving operations to the extent necessary to insure an acceptable level of personal safety and health. In many areas, both agencies have imposed exacting laws and regulations to regulate all working conditions and work places under their jurisdiction because working conditions have been determined to be hazardous to employees. The rules and regulations imposed by OSHA and/or the Coast Guard help to make the working conditions safer and reduce hazardous conditions. They did not find it necessary to regulate the training programs for commercial divers or to develop guidelines for qualifications, excluding medical requirements, for dive team members because the diving industry had developed its own systems of appropriate regulation.

Most recently, both the U.S. Coast Guard and OSHA have voiced a strong position for less regulation by the government and more self-regulation by the industries. Therefore, it appears certain that commercial diver trainers and contractors will be expected to continue their own self-regulation. This means that ACDE diver training schools, in cooperation with the Association of Diving Contractors, will continue to set their own high standards of training, change their curriculum to meet growth and changes in the commercial diving industry, and regulate the quality of education among the association members.

Who sets the diver training standards for commercial divers in the U.S.? The diving contractors and individual schools (those who are members of ACDE must meet a minimum standard set by the association). In addition, each school meets the national standards set forth by the Coast Guard and OSHA. In meeting these standards, each school develops its own teaching methods, specific depth on each subject to be covered, necessary proficiency skills, evaluation exams, and the number of dives and courses required to complete a specific level of training. Each school selects the standards for its instructors, but must adhere to a minimum national standard for new diver instructors.

Regardless of which U.S. diver training institution a prospective diver selects, the minimum training requirements will be the same. These standards are based on years of experience and genuine concern for the safety of the new diver at the training site, the industry, and the government agencies which oversee commercial diving. If the diver training site selected is a member of ACDE, the student is assured that the instruction far exceeds minimum standards and will give the student the knowledge a qualified professional diver needs, from basic through specialized training.

As noted, training and its curriculum are constantly evolving and improving to meet current and impending needs. From the early days when commercial diver training was patterned after military dive training, the course work and practical training have changed dramatically. In the 1990's they will be far more advanced than the training of the 1970's and 1980's. In addition to meeting the minimum standards of ADC and ACDE, today's commercial divers are also trained to meet the requirements of the American Welding Society, and the American Society of Nondestructive Testing.

Adhering to all standards of these various organizations and societies ensures legitimate control of diver training institutions and helps to keep unqualified individuals from doing underwater work that has the potential of being life-threatening. In today's commercial diving environment, only skilled and trained technicians have the qualifications to perform highly technical tasks underwater. Based on the benchmark of numbers of diving accidents and fatalities, it seems apparent that today's commercial divers are being adequately served by the current standards and controls which impact commercial diver training.

ACDE accredited schools are more than meeting their obligation to expand their courses as technology, tools, dive procedures, and industry policies change and become more sophisticated. The credit for training more efficient, safe, and effective divers over the years must go to the diver training schools and the related associations and agencies. Better training has resulted in improved quality of work done by professional divers and better safety practices and records.

In summary, schools are setting the standards for commercial diver training, but their decisions are based on a cooperative working arrangement with ADC and other professional associations and societies. The professionalism of the U.S. diving industry is indicative of the hard work and cooperation between education and the diving industry over the past 35 years. It is a fact that the minimum standards developed have been highly successful and continue to be appropriate for today's commercial entry-level diver.

Jim Joiner is an ADC Board Member, president of the Association of Commercial Diving Educators, President Emeritus of College of Oceaneering, and President of Best Publishing Company.

Entire contents ©1997 Doyle Publishing Company. Reproduction in whole or in part without express written permission is prohibited.

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