International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) is consulting widely, & globally, on new guidance on hyperbaric evacuation systems for safety of saturation divers.
“In 2011 we set up an industry-wide workgroup to develop the hyperbaric evacuation guidance,” explains IMCA’s Technical Director, Jane Bugler. “The work was split into five main topic areas – risk assessment, technical, operations, medical and standards. The document, which runs to over 70 pages, is a substantial piece of work, and should make a significant contribution in helping to improve the evacuation arrangements available to saturation divers world-wide.
“We are distributing the draft guidance document widely for comment and inviting feedback by 8 February 2013, after which we will update the guidance with the aim of finalising the document for publication by the end of the first quarter of 2013. Those eager to comment can obtain a copy of the document by emailing www.imca-int.com .”
IMCA gave a presentation on the draft document at its recent annual seminar held in November in Amsterdam. IMCA has kept the industry involved in the development of this document and has made a number of presentations to the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (OGP) Diving Industry Workgroup , most recently at its last meeting held in Anchorage, Alaska in July 2012. The new document will be supported by two additional IMCA guidance documents.
IMCA is an international association with well over 850 members in 60 countries, as at September 2011, representing offshore, marine and underwater engineering companies.