Surface units pros and cons and advice please

[Mystical Dragon]

Hello everyone,

First off lets please keep this on topic which is the pros and cons of various surface units especially hookah units. It is NOT about whats legal etc. We are already looking at that and its not a topic for this thread please as I would like to keep it on topic.

Sorry if this is in the wrong area as I couldn't really find a good section for it.

I work with a non profit group that clears hazards from area waterways. We often are only in water 5-20 feet deep. We often have to hike or kayak into job sites as they tend to be remote.

While working to remove some rebar from a white water feature in Dayton, we realized that if we had needed to cut it out, that we would have needed an air source as it was below snorkel depth. This lead to us discussing getting scuba certified. My OW class starts on the 8th. I will likely follow that with additional training and personal rec diving.

While doing our research, I came across surface units. This looks like an interesting solution and would likely work for our needs since it alleviates the need to carry multiple heavy tanks to remote sites. I'm mainly looking at the battery powered versions like the blu3 nomad.

I would love to hear feedback and experience with them. I'm certainly not looking at the cheap pool toy versions seen on amazon. My local shops havent had any experience with them sadly.

 

[rongoodman]

Newly certified divers working in moving water with entanglement hazards seems like a catastrophe waiting to happen. I would think very carefully about this before proceeding.

 

[high_order1]

I have researched this a ton.

There are three types. Supplied, SNUBA, and hookah.
Supplied is the professional way. Like fresh air for SCBA.
SNUBA is a trademark, but i take it to mean a tank(s) that float above you.
hookah is a compressor that is above the water line.

Advantage is that you have air that is only limited by your source.
Since you are already on one hose, it is easy to add a wire or two to send communications and potentially video topside to your safety people.

Disadvantage is that you can only go as far as your tether. Also, if you are using a raft style, and it is unmonitored, it gets flipped by wake or wave, or the raft is poked...

Wash is tangling hazard. If the environment is going to snag, it can get the hoses on your scuba setup just like the tether/umbilical.


I know that you know what you are doing is exceptionally hazardous as-is. And you know that submerging to clear garbage is some of the most dangerous marine/shore operations you can do, so I won't beat you up over that, except to say to do it the way they would want here you'd need multiple, multiple certs. (Open water won't even begin cut it, to pardon the pun). That would be borderline commercial hardhat work. (Read about people dying just cleaning silt out of drainage pipes with a vacuum, for instance)

The real question would be, what does your organizations' insurance cover? Would it be a workmans' comp issue when you get injured doing this?

Far as rendering an opinion on the units you mentioned, none are designed for strenuous exertion, which is a real issue with underwater operations. Neither are for commercial operation, but borderline pool noodling and having fun in clear water. You outbreathing their capacity trying to yank stuck stuff out of the muck is a clear possibility.

You would still need some sort of rescue (what sport divers call a bailout) bottle setup in case you are entangled and lose your tether. Or have to cut your tether away.

Is there a local salvage company that can sherpa you guys a little?

Thanks for helping your local environment. Don't get deaded doing it though! The surface may only be three inches away, but if you can't get there before you run out of air...

 

[lowwall]

While working to remove some rebar from a white water feature in Dayton, we realized that if we had needed to cut it out, that we would have needed an air source as it was below snorkel depth.

Please don't try this.

OW certification is fine for picking up light trash in benign conditions. Anything beyond that requires progressively more advanced training and equipment.

White water and rebar may be beyond anyone's training. You have high pressures, low visibility, entanglement and puncture hazards, a dynamic worksite, terrible footing on the approaches, a need to wield sharp and bulky tools, and difficult material removal. Doing this safely likely means temporarily diverting the water from the work area so you can do it dry.

 

[Doctorfish]

Don't do it. Stupid idea.

 

[BoltSnap]

Don't do it!!!!!!!

BTW, if anything goes wrong and somebody gets hurts, OSHA will most likely get involved with heavy fines, jail times, etc.

 

[lowwall]

Don't do it!!!!!!!

BTW, if anything goes wrong and somebody gets hurts, OSHA will most likely get involved with heavy fines, jail times, etc.

Depends on how they are organized. OSHA probably wouldn't have jurisdiction. But the courts do and you would expect lawsuit hell, the end of the organization, and possible financial ruin for some of the people involved.

 

[high_order1]

OSHA probably wouldn't have jurisdiction.

It would be... messy. If they are employed by the 501c3, probably. Volly?

I know the volly rescue and fire guys in my state don't get to sweep much under the rug. An actual fatality...

Back to the only question OP wanted to hear,

I know some people that backpack scuba. I live in the mountains and they do... uh, reclamation (?) work (forgive me, I don't know the correct term for storm and general cleanup). (I am also relatively near an olympic whitewater site).

None of them use a hookah. I don't think they divert much, either (a lot of co-ordination with fed/state/locals). I'm not certain of their protocols for submerging to remove garbage and obstacles, either.

How would you keep those from flying down the rapids?

Do you guys have people that safety watch while you are wet?

 

[DiveLikeAMuppet]

Have a look at HSE in the UK. You can’t be in an “at work” situation without complying with all the rules. Medicals, training, surface support etc. It might not apply to your legal situation but it’s a good starting point to show you all the things you might be missing.

 

[Mystical Dragon]

Newly certified divers working in moving water with entanglement hazards seems like a catastrophe waiting to happen. I would think very carefully about this before proceeding.

While i appreciate your concern and I might be a new diver, I work daily in moving water, often with tethers, equipment like chainsaws including underwater saws, winch lines etc. So yes we have thought very carefully about this and understand the hazards. We will of course continue taking our safety precautions that we do and add more as needed. However it will still be very viable with the work we do and we can so so safely.