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Subchapter 7. General Industry Safety Orders
Group 26. DIVING AND PRESSURIZED WORKSITE OPERATIONS
ARTICLE 154. PRESSURIZED WORKSITE OPERATIONS
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§6085. Decompression of Employees.
(a) Decompression tables. Decompression shall be in accordance with the following specified decompression tables contained in Volume 2, Chapter 9 of the U.S. Navy Diving Manual, Revision 6, April 15, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
(1) No-Decompression Limits and Repetitive Group Designation Table for No-Decompression Air Dives - Table 9-7. This table shall be used to determine the
no-decompression limits and the repetitive group designators for work in a compressed air environment that does not require decompression.
(2) Air Decompression Table - Table 9-9. This table shall be used to determine the decompression schedules and repetitive group designators for work in a compressed air environment that requires decompression.
(3) Residual Nitrogen Timetable for Repetitive Air Dives - Table 9-8. This table shall be used to determine the Residual Nitrogen Time when an employee who has some residual nitrogen in his/her system begins work in a compressed air environment.
(4) Sea Level Equivalent Depth - Table 9-4. This table shall be used to correct the sea level decompression tables for use at altitudes of 1,000 feet above sea level and higher.
(5) Repetitive Groups Associated with Initial Ascent to Altitude - Table 9-5. This table shall be used to adjust decompression schedules when an employee who is not fully equilibrated at altitude begins work in a compressed air environment.
(6) Required Surface Interval Before Ascent to Altitude After Diving - Table 9- 6. This table shall be used to determine when it is safe for an employee to fly or ascend to higher altitude after performing work in a compressed air environment.
(b) Use of decompression tables. The following provisions apply to the use of the U. S. Navy decompression tables referenced in subsection (a):
(1) General. The decompression tables shall be used in accordance with the applicable rules, instructions, and examples provided in Chapter 9 of the referenced U.S. Navy Diving Manual. The terms, definitions and units of measure used in the referenced Diving Manual that normally refer to diving work, such as standard feet of water, diver, descent time, bottom time, dive, depth, and surface, shall apply to work in compressed air environments in a manner that is consistent with applicable scientific principles. When converting "Feet of Sea Water" (FSW) to pounds per square inch (gauge) (psi(g)), a conversion factor of 0.4454 psi(g) per 1.0 FSW shall be used.
(C) A gas mix of air and oxygen (AIR/O2) shall be used for decompression when the table indicates a gas mix of air (AIR) is permitted but AIR/O2 is recommended.
(E) The table shall not be used for a bottom time and pressure that is designated an Exceptional Exposure in the table.
Exception: The provisions of subsections (a) and (b)(2) do not apply in an emergency provided that employees are decompressed in accordance with decompression tables and procedures recommended by the supervising physician.
HISTORY
2. Amendment of section heading and section filed 3-10-2010; operative 4-9-
2010 (Register 2010, No. 11).
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