Page 46 - AlertDiver_Spring2013

Marine Mammal Training
One of the most sought-after careers in animal care is marine-mammal
training. As a marine-mammal trainer, your focus is on behavior.
Dolphins, whales, sea lions and walruses can create a variety of safety
concerns for the working diver. Working with these animals requires the
right knowledge and experience; educated observation of their behavior
makes for safer diving.
Just like any other animal, marine mammals may act aggressively at
times. Because water is their natural environment and not ours, divers
must always respect these animals. Divers should know their own
limits and the proper responses to aggressive behavior. This may mean
leaving the environment if a precursor to aggression is noted. When
nets are used as training tools to teach animals to move from one pool
to another, divers must know how to properly deploy, operate and avoid
entanglement in them.
Underwater interactions between marine mammals and guests have
become popular, so animal-trainer divers may also find themselves
working as safety divers. For these roles, advanced training in dive
safety or dive-emergency management (e.g., rescue diver or lifeguard
certification, first aid, CPR or oxygen administration) may be required.
Life-Support and Water-Quality Diving
Life-support diving and water-quality diving feature one overarching
goal: keeping the environment clean and operating. It can get messy.
Pool scrubbing, vacuuming, pressure washing and window buffing make
up most of the workload. Other aspects of the job include diving in
submerged confined spaces such as ozone towers, sand filters, pump
vaults and water basins. The hazards associated with this type of diving
include bounce diving (frequent ascending and descending), inhalation
of toxic gases such as ozone or chlorine, dark environments with limited
visibility and movement in proximity to sensitive equipment. Because
of these risks, OSHA requires additional training for this type of diving.
In addition to first aid, CPR and oxygen administration, this training
usually consists of confined-space entry, fall protection, lockout/tagout
and personal protective equipment.
These dives are not generally suitable for inexperienced divers; they
require a greater level of experience in water and a high degree of
comfort in the water. Though these dives can be hazardous, they can
also be exciting, offering a type of dive that combines elements of night
diving, drift diving and wreck or cavern diving.
Although these three types of dive jobs are the most prevalent at
animal-husbandry facilities, divers may also be required to conduct
inspections, testing, training or skill review. But no matter the purpose
of the dive, safe practices are always at the forefront of diving operations.
As recreational divers use the buddy system, divers in aquariums always
work in teams consisting of other divers and/or surface tenders.
Although diving is only one small part of this business, it’s an
essential part, and regulations, standards, safety training and vigilance
are mandatory elements. As all members of a diving program maintain
their skills and meet the industry’s (and the facility’s) established
standards of safe diving, all can enjoy future dive adventures inside and
outside of aquariums. AD
44 | SPRING 2013
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Alert_Diver_FIJI1.pdf 1 11-Mar-13 4:51:32 PM