Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (SOR/86-304)

18.7 (1) Every employer shall ensure that an employee required to dive has

• (a) received a medical examination within the last two years; and

• (b) been declared fit to dive, or fit to dive with specified restrictions, by the examining physician.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), the examining physician shall use as a guideline the factors and tests listed in Appendices A and B of CSA Standard CAN/CSA-Z275.2-92, Occupational Safety Code for Diving Operations, published in English in April 1992 and in French in February 1994, as amended from time to time.

(3) Where the physician examining the employee pursuant to subsection (1) declares the employee fit to dive with specified restrictions, the employer shall not permit the employee to dive otherwise than in accordance with the specified restrictions.

(4) Every employer shall ensure that a diver who has been treated for a pressure-related injury or illness does not dive unless written clearance for further diving is given by a physician.

18.8 (1) If a diver considers himself or herself unfit to dive owing to illness, fatigue or any other cause, the diver shall inform the employer of that fact.

(2) An employer who has been notified pursuant to subsection (1) shall not permit the employee to dive.

18.9 (1) Every employer shall ensure that, for each dive, the dive team develops a dive plan that identifies the surface and underwater conditions and hazards likely to be encountered, including those arising from contaminated environments and underwater pressure differentials, and that specifies

• (a) the duties of each dive team member;

• (b) the diving equipment to be used;

• (c) the breathing supply requirements, including the reserve supply;

• (d) the thermal protection to be used;

• (e) the repetitive dive factor;

• (f) the no-decompression limit;

• (g) the emergency procedures to be followed;

• (h) the communication methods to be used;

• (i) for a type 1 dive that is a scuba dive, whether there is a need for a diver’s tender;

• (j) the circumstances in which the dive must be terminated;

• (k) the procedures to be followed to ensure that machinery, equipment or devices that could create a hazard have been locked out; and

• (l) whether lifelines must be used.

(2) In the case of a type 1 dive, the dive plan referred to in subsection (1) shall also specify whether there is a need for a standby diver.

(3) In the case of a type 2 dive that requires decompression, the dive plan referred to in subsection (1) shall also specify the decompression schedule to be used.