Penn State Scientific Diving

A brief description of each one is listed below. 

Dive Project: A Dive Project establishes the location, objective and considerations of the project, as well as the Principal Investigators and divers who will be diving under the research project.  Scientific Divers no longer need to create their own Dive Project before creating a Dive Plan. Instead, a generalized program-wide Dive Project has been created for all divers to use. The name of the program-wide Dive Project is called “Research Dives.” This project should be selected for your research dives whereas the “Proficiency and Training Dives” Dive Project can be selected for dives that are completed for training purposes only.  

Dive Plan: The Dive Plan, on the other hand, captures information that describe the activity, anticipated hazards, emergency action plan, etc. of the planned dive.  

The Dive Safety Officer (DSO) is responsible for reviewing Dive Plans. There are some occasions when the DSO may ask the Diving Control Board (DCB) to review a Dive Plan as well. Examples include, but are not limited to, requests that are outside of the Standards for Scientific Diving Manual. 

A Dive Plan should be submitted a minimum of two weeks prior to the date that the first dive is scheduled. This allows time for the DSO to review the Dive Plan and ask questions before it is submitted.  

Examples of Dive Plans that would require DCB approval may include but are not limited to the following.

• A Dive Plan that includes non-Penn State divers who are certified by an organization other than AAUS. 
• Requests that deviate from the minimal safety standards for scientific diving, which are outlined in the Standards for Scientific Diving Manual. 
• Requests for a diver who returned to a Diver in Training Status but was unable to meet all of the requirements to return back to a Scientific Diver (due to non-compliance or otherwise). 

Bloop requires certain fields to be completed before you can submit a Dive Plan. All of the information that demonstrates you will be complying with the requirements as stated in the Standards for Scientific Diving Manual needs to be provided upfront.   

As outlined in Univeristy Policy RP09 Scientific Diving at Penn State:  “Scientific Diving” is diving performed solely as a necessary part of a scientific, research, or educational activity by employees and students whose sole purpose for diving is to perform scientific research, scientific teaching and training, and/or scientific outreach tasks.  See Title 29 CFR 1910 Subpart T, Appendix B, “Guidelines for Scientific Diving,” Occupational Safety and Health Standards, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA).

This would be considered on a case-by-case basis. At minimum a dive plan should be submitted importantly including that emergency oxygen will be onsite.

The request to dive with a non-Penn State diver can be made under the Activity Description of your Dive Plan in Bloop. There is a “Documents” section where the supporting information can be uploaded.

The information needed may vary on a case-by-case basis. However, the information below provides a few examples of what a non-Penn State diver would need to provide for you to submit with your Dive Plan:

• Evidence of certification – SCUBA and highest level of SCUBA certification
• Evidence of current first aid/CPR training.  
• Evidence of a medical evaluation of fitness for diving.  
• A letter from the diver’s supervisor stating that they will be diving under the auspices of their institution. 
• Documentation that their equipment has been maintained to manufacturer’s recommendations. 

No, they must be done in open water.

Instructions can be found on the Scientific Diving website. 

The Manual refresher slides can be found in Bloop and in Canvas. Access to the location In Canvas can be requested by emailing orp-scidive@psu.edu. In Bloop, the slides can be found under the “Courses” tab.