The dangerous profession of commercial diving is one that encompasses marine research and construction, among many others. One particular discipline of diving, offshore diving, is used for exploration and production in the oil and gas industry. Although divers receive specialized training in the Gulf of Mexico, offshore diving has proven to be one of the most hazardous and dangers occupations in the professional and commercial diving industry.
Diving inherently comes with many risks, and commercial diving is no exception. Commercial diving accidents can encompass:
- Drowning
- Hypothermia
- Circulatory Issues
- Respiratory Problems
- Burn Injuries related to construction
- Crush Injuries related to construction
REGULATIONS FOR COMMERCIAL DIVING
OSHA’s extensive rules for commercial diving help to secure individuals from injuries and fatalities, and employers and companies are expected to follow these guidelines to keep as many people as safe as possible. Adequate experience is one of the many guidelines expected to be followed, such as ensuring the proper knowledge is assimilated for using a tool when on a diving expedition. Other guidelines include hyperbaric conditions and diving related physiology.
Other regulations involve standards that must be adhered to before, during and after a dive. For instance, before a dive, emergency aid, hospital, Coast Guard rescue and available transportation contact info must be made readily available for those involved in the commercial dive.
HEALTH CONCERNS
Among the multitude of risks that can cause commercial diving accidents, dysbarism is one of the most common. Many symptoms can come from dysbarism, one of the most common being decompression sickness. When a commercial diver is working on an underwater site, they can oftentimes be a hundred or more feet under the surface.
The pressure placed on the body is one of the many reasons adequate training is necessary for this profession. Without that training, a diver may not know that coming up to the surface too fast from such depths can cause decompression sickness, resulting in the commonly known bends (bubbles forming in joints), and the less known staggers (bubbles in the spine or head) and chokes (bubbles in the chest). Most of these symptoms can be handled onsite, but have been known to be severe enough to be life threatening.
Dysbarism is a medical condition that results in a diver being exposed to rapid changes in ambient pressure. If you or a loved one have suffered injury from a commercial diving accident, call an experienced offshore personal injury lawyer at the Kolodny Law Firm for a free case evaluation.