(a) General. Employers engaged in SCUBA diving shall comply with the following requirements, unless otherwise specified.
(b) Limits. SCUBA diving shall not be conducted:
(1) At depths deeper than 130 fsw;
(2) At depths deeper than 100 fsw or outside the no-decompression limits unless a decompression chamber is ready for use;
(3) Against currents exceeding one (1) knot unless line-tended; or
(4) In enclosed or physically confining spaces unless line-tended.
(c) Procedures. (1) A standby diver shall be available while a diver is in the water.
(2) A diver shall be line-tended from the surface, or accompanied by another diver in the water in continuous visual contact during the diving operations.
(3) A diver shall be stationed at the underwater point of entry when diving is conducted in enclosed or physically confining spaces.
(4) A diver-carried reserve breathing gas supply shall be provided for each diver consisting of:
(i) A manual reserve (J valve); or
(ii) An independent reserve cylinder with a separate regulator or connected to the underwater breathing apparatus.
(5) The valve of the reserve breathing gas supply shall be in the closed position prior to the dive.
authority: 33 U.S.C. 941;
29 U.S.C. 653,
655,
657; Secretary of Labor's Order No. 12-71 (36 FR 8754); 8-76 (41 FR 25059), 9-83 (48 FR 35736), 1-90 (55 FR 9033), 6-96 (62 FR 111), 3-2000 (65 FR 50017), 5-2002 (67 FR 65008), 5-2007 (72 FR 31160), 4-2010 (75 FR 55355), 1-2012 (77 FR 3912), or 08-2020 (85 FR 58393);
29 CFR part 1911; and
5 U.S.C. 553,
as
source: 39 FR 23502, June 27, 1974, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 29 CFR 1910.424