Commercial diving/Buddy diving in low visibility
Buddy diving in low visibility (Scuba procedure):
Know your buddy
[edit | edit source]- Be absolutely certain before the dive who your buddy is for that dive. Be sure that the supervisor knows this too.
- Know what your buddy is wearing so you can visually identify him/her from any angle: Know the type and colour of fins, shape and colour of mask, colour of suit, how to ditch weights and find knife.
- Have some way to identify your buddy by feel. (masks and fins are often good for this)
- Have some way of identifying yourself to your buddy by feel ( a signal, piece of equipment or other pre-arranged method)
Stay with your buddy
[edit | edit source]Unless you are carrying bailout gas or the dive is shallow, your buddy is your bailout air supply. If you are separated YOU HAVE NO BAILOUT AIR! This is an unacceptable hazard.
If the visibility is poor it may be necessary to use a buddy line. This will depend on the HIRA. Some environments are not suitable for buddy lines. If a buddy line is used, ensure that both divers can quickly release it when under high tension, but that it will not release itself under moderate tension. Do not dive with a buddy line which cannot be quickly released. Cutting with a knife is not quick release. Your life may depend on this.
1. If separated and one diver has a SMB the diver without the SMB is LOST.
- The lost diver must start ascent within 1 minute of identifying the separation. Do not do safety stops. Surface and notify the supervisor if reasonably possible. Go to the SMB and signal your buddy that you are coming down or for your buddy to surface if you can’t go down.
| SIGNALS | (surface buddy) | REPLY | (submerged buddy) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 pull | Are you OK | 1 pull | I am OK |
| 2 pulls | NO | 2 pulls | NO |
| 3 pulls | I am coming down | 3 pulls | Come down |
| 4 pulls | Come up | 4 pulls | I am coming up |
| 5 or more pulls | Emergency | 5 or more pulls | Emergency |
2. If your buddy does not rejoin or signal you (diver with SMB) within 3 minutes, start ascent. Ascend at standard rate and do any required decompression. Do not do safety stop. Surface and immediately notify supervisor.
- If buddy is missing at end of dive, or gas is running low, do not wait, start ascent immediately.
3. If called away from the worksite by another diver make sure your buddy is informed and comes with you UNLESS the diver informs you that your buddy has already surfaced.
Hand Signals
[edit | edit source]| Meaning | Signal set |
|---|---|
| Buddy sign | Forefingers of both hands together parallel |
| Don’t know / interrogative | Turn both hands palm up in front of yourself |
| Gone away | Wide "don’t know" signal |
| Where is your buddy? | Point to diver, buddy sign, don’t know |
| Where is my buddy? | Point to self, buddy sign, don’t know |
| Your buddy is missing | Point to diver, buddy sign, gone away |
| I don’t know where my buddy is | Point to self, buddy sign, gone away |
| You are my buddy | Point to diver, point to self, buddy sign |
| Are you my buddy? | Point to diver, point to self, don’t know |
| Your buddy has surfaced | Point to diver, buddy sign, point to surface |
| My buddy has surfaced | Point to self, buddy sign, point to surface |
| You and your buddy go that way | Point to diver, buddy sign, point in direction with both hands (Thumbs up for ascent) |