Hey Bridgediver,
Yes I did get the email, and I'm sorry that I forgot to communicate with you, my very bad. I agree with you that some properly trained line tenders can do a great job at supervising a dive but I believe you would be going over the line in regards to CSA, not just bending the rules. Problem here is that these bloody regulations do not take into account the "rescue" aspect of our jobs. Yes, in a recovery there is no excuse to bypass the regulations. You have time to set things up and hand pick your crew but in a rescue you may have to do what needs to be done...but at what cost? Are these decisions that can have severe negative results should things go bad? I simply don't know and I can't get a straight answer from anyone. Seems like these regulations can morph into some grey areas...at least until something happens. Have you ever communicated with OH & S on this? All they care about is dive teams following CSA, but who in CSA can answer these types of questions? If you know, I would like to get a contact. Here's an example:
CSA states that a diver must first have completed a basic SCUBA course with minimum bottom times and dives before being trained occupationnaly. We don't take guys with basic courses, we train them ourselves. The hours it takes to get them to an open water card are then credited towards there necessary hours to become occupational divers. Is this OK? I'm told by my superior that it is, but is it? I don't see any written documents to this fact. When it comes to site supervisors, we credit the guys for the hours they have been diving since they started their open water cert. Yet the standard says that it is 50 dives AFTER initial occupational certification. Therefore our guys are available to become site supervisors after less than 1 year of even blowing their first bubble, is this acceptable? Again, according to my superior, CSA says yes, since the guys have been training in the environment that they will operate in since the beginning (which isn't exactly true). But again, where is the written proof to this. Bet your bottom dollar that if an incident occurs OH & S will simply make sure that CSA documents were followed, where they?
Do you have the same issues and concerns.? Do you feel you guys are CSA compliant?
Sorry it took so long, I don't check email everyday.
Sincere regards....Duckman