Moving further afield, archaeology
has a strong presence underwater,
both for shipwreck and submerged
terrestrial site studies. Speleology
and hydrology incorporate a great
deal of diving for the study of
caves and water. Many other sci-
entific fields also have a presence.
Scientific diving is conducted
both shallow and deep, under ice,
and far back in caves, in pretty
much any situation in which water
can be accessed by creative sci-
entists. What is interesting given
this remarkable range is the strong
record of scientific diving safety. A
recent review of 10 years of scien-
tific diving conducted by organi-
zational members of the American
Academy of Underwater Sciences
(AAUS), a US-based associa-
tion with membership primarily
comprised of institutions with
scientific diving programs, cap-
tured over one million dives with
a very small number of accidents.
1
The sample included 33 cases of
decompression illness (DCI) — the
collective term for decompression
sickness (DCS) and arterial gas
embolism — for a DCI incidence
rate of 0.324 per 10,000 person-
dives. While the data for other
forms of diving are incomplete,
DCS estimates range from 0.9
to 35.3 per 10,000 person-dives.
There are likely a number of rea-
sons for the relatively good safety
record of scientific diving. Most
of the standards followed have
evolved from years of thought-
ful experience in a community,
the choice of dive sites is usually
retained by the scientist-diver, and
it is relatively rare for dives to be
necessary in conditions that offer
a less-than-comfortable margin
beyond acceptable. This reality
is far different from that of some
commercial and military opera-
tions. The oversight of scientific
diving operations also provides a
safety net not matched in most
recreational diving activities.
LEADERSHIP
Many scientists come to diving
primarily as a means to advance
their science. Some continue to
use it as simply another tool to
facilitate their work. Others may
more fully embrace the diving,
and even gravitate to a greater
focus on the diving and diving
safety than the science. The latter
group may provide the best pool
of potential diving officers, the
individuals responsible for the
day-to-day administration of all
divers and projects in the scientific
diving program. The experience of
appreciating the scientific approach,
knowing how scientists think, what
they need to achieve their ends,
and, often most importantly, how to
reconcile the scientific motivation
with training and safety needs, is a
powerful capability. Should mission
creep ever lead scientific divers
toward questionable decisions, the
diving officer (who often trains and
certainly monitors and periodically
evaluates the program’s divers)
stands by as a conscience to remind
everyone of the priority of safety.
Diving officers generally work
under the oversight of a diving
control board (DCB), a panel
normally made up of senior
diving scientists and institutional
representatives such as a medical
officer. While the DCB can direct
events, it is typically the diving
officer who has the greatest impact
on the character and operation of
the program. An individual with
the right combination of expertise,
leadership, teaching ability and
motivation can navigate the
challenges to ensure that divers are
appropriately trained, making good
decisions, submitting necessary
documentation and retaining their
currency — all to meet standards
|
47
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