Page 248 - Manual for Activities directed at the Underwater Cultural Heritage
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During dive operations, the status of the equipment should be recorded (for example, if repairs and/or replacements have been made). Documentation also includes the records kept in real time of the daily dive operations (kept by the dive supervisor and if present, timekeeper) and the changes made to any procedures. It is also strongly encouraged that divers complete their own log books for their personal documentation. Moreover, it is strongly recommended that divers fill out individual reports after each dive to describe the task that took place. This record not only helps in reconstructing the course of any mishap or miscommunication, and to gauge the project’s progress, it will also support and reinforce the archaeological documentation considerably. Records also need to be kept by the dive supervisor of any injuries or illnesses that occur during a project.
Applicable legislation
The legislation and codes of practice that regulate diving operations differ in each country. The relevant legislation should be understood by the dive supervisor and be available to all project participants. Legislation does not only influence diving as such, it also qualifies responsibilities, liabilities and the way in which insurance can or should be organized. Archaeological operations are more than just diving. Liability waivers that are sometimes used in outdoor sports, including diving, are often illegal as soon as specific tasks are assigned. If there is no applicable legislation in the country of operation, the dive supervisor should select a set of regulations to follow, and agree upon it with the project director, prior to the project’s commencement.
Examples of some of the most widely-used regulations include the British Health and Safety and Diving at Work Regulations issued by HSE (Health, Safety and Environment), the Norwegian Diving Regulations, and the Australian Occupational Health & Safety Regulation. For diving at work in a commercial or professional setting, these outline the legal responsibilities, minimum number of participants on a dive team, the health requirements of crew
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Safety
