Page 243 - Manual for Activities directed at the Underwater Cultural Heritage

the type of breathing gas: air or a specific mixture, diving with dry suits, diving with full-face masks or helmets, diver-to-surface communication, etc.
The choice of an appropriate diving system depends on environmental conditions, accessibility and size of the diving platform and ultimately the type of work to be undertaken. The experience and qualifications of the team should be in accordance with the chosen system.
Increasingly more complex diving systems are becoming popular in recreational diving, particularly enriched air (nitrox), trimix and rebreathers. While for some projects the use of such tech-diving equipment can be appropriate, one must be aware that a diving system which requires the diver’s constant attention just to stay safe is not acceptable if any work is to be done. An acceptably safe and sound back-up is hard to organize and if the project involves extensive operations at great depth it is more appropriate to choose a diving system that is well-proven in the offshore industry.
The dive tables that are being followed for the project should be listed here and included in the documentation. The tables most commonly referred to are those formulated by the US Navy, and updated versions of these are available on the internet (as part of the US Navy Diving Manual). Depending on the country of operation or applicable legislation, however, other tables might be required or preferred
© MMARP. Dr. Athena Trakadas recording in real-time the diving operations in Bar, Montenegro.
Diving and safety are subject to regulations that may vary from country to country and from organization to organization.
The safety instruction for each project should include a risk assessment, a statement of the rules that apply and a definition of roles as well as responsibilities, such as dive-supervisor, time- keeper, standby-diver, tender etc. Safety instructions for mixed teams of professionals and avocationals are a particular challenge. In view of liability
and insurance, all qualifications and medical certificates should be documented in the project archive before starting.
During the Montenegrin Maritime Archaeology Research Project (MMARP) in August 2010, diving operations were recorded in real-time by both the project Dive Super visor, Dr. Athena Trakadas (shown here), and
the time keeper.Time keeping was a task that was rotated amongst student participants. The diving for the project took place from Downunder, a 25 m dive boat operated by a local recreational dive shop based in Bar, Montenegro.
242 (see Applicable Legislation, below). As a general
Safety