ADCI Informational Announcement 2012 - 1

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The following reminder is being issued for all ADCI General Members and Associate Member Schools:

Implementation of Certification and Equipment Requirements for the ADCI Consensus Standards (6th edition)

For those Items that were annotated with a superscript "1", please note that the requirements will take effect on 8 February 2012.

• All ADCI general member company diving personnel need to hold a current ADCI certification card reflective of the assigned tasks to be performed. This certification card needs to be obtained within 90 days of employment with a general member company.¹


We are drawing very close to the 12 month anniversary of the distribution date of the Consensus Standards (6th edition). Those items that were annotated with a superscript "2" will take effect 8 July 2012.

• All graduates of ADCI member schools who complete a commercial diver training-program consisting of a minimum of 625² hours of formal instruction in accordance with the provisions of the ADCI International Consensus Standards for Commercial Diving and Underwater Operations, including reference to the American National Standard for Divers (ANSI) Secretariat of the Association of Commercial Diving Educators (ACDE), are eligible.

This card will be issued to all graduates of recognized commercial diver training-programs consisting of 625² hours. Non-members of ADCI may apply to receive this type of certification card by presenting evidence that they have attended a recognized course of formal instruction consistent with the provisions of the ADCI International Consensus Standards for Commercial Diving and Underwater Operations.

• 6.3.4 HARNESSES²

A working diver shall be equipped with a full body diving harness that:

a. Is designed to:

I. Provide a method to securely attach the umbilical to the diver.
II. Lift an unconscious or injured diver and his or her equipment from the water in an emergency.
III. Be utilized for underwater use.

b. Has an overall breaking strength of no less than 2,000 pounds.

c. Is equipped with a positive buckling device (i.e., designed to prevent strap pull-through and accidental release by the diver). It shall not be possible to release the harness by a single action.

d. Is equipped with at least one attachment point for the umbilical that is rated to at least the same breaking strength as the lifeline or strength member in the umbilical bundle. If the harness has multiple attachment points of different strengths, those suitable for umbilical attachments are to be clearly identified.

e. Is equipped with adjustable leg straps.

f. Is fitted with at least one lifting (recovery) ring, accessible when the diver is fully dressed, suitable for recovery of the diver from the water in an emergency using a hoisting device or other suitable means.

g. Is designed to maintain the diver in a heads-up position during recovery (using the lifting ring) from the water in an emergency.

h. Allows for easy disconnect of the main umbilical and weights, without removal of the main bail-out harness. This may be achieved by use of a separate/independent outer harness or jacket for the bailout system and diver’s weights, or similar systems.

i. Is to be visually inspected prior to use for any signs of deterioration or damage. Any harness whose material condition is in doubt shall not be used until a determination is made by the diving supervisor.

j. Is to be regularly maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

k. Is certified by the manufacturer as detailed below.

Certification and Testing of Diving Harnesses

A new diving harness shall be certified by the manufacturer or supplier to confirm that:

a. Each securing point intended for attaching an umbilical or lifting a diver out of the water in an emergency shall withstand a tensile of at least 2,000 pounds for five minutes without sustaining damage that would render it inoperable or unsafe to use.

b. Each complete full-body harness, including adjustment systems, buckles, etc., shall withstand a tensile load of at least 2,000 punds for five minutes, applied in the direction of lift, without sustaining damage that would render it inoperable or unsafe to use.

c. Each harness is clearly marked in a durable manner with the following minimum information:

• Manufacturer’s name and country of origin.
• Product model and number.
• Month and year of manufacture.
• Unique serial number for that harness.
• Breaking strength.