Safety Flash
Diving fatality
Diving fatality
- IMCA
- Safety Flash
- IMCA SF 01/01
- Competence and TrainingDivingEmergency Response
- Drowning
- Diving operations
- Breathing apparatusValve
- Competence and trainingEmergency responseOperational supervision
- Subsea
Summary
A surface-supplied diver undertaking hook-up work at 8 metres drowned after vomiting blocked his air demand valve and he removed his helmet. The flash examines apparent confusion between bailout and free-flow valves, missing evidence of diving experience, and lessons on competence, breathing-pattern monitoring and responding to illness underwater.
Classifications: Drowning; man overboard; person overboard.
Classifications: Diving operations; diving; commercial diving.
Classifications: Breathing apparatus; SCBA; self-contained breathing apparatus.
Classifications: Valve; valves.
Classifications: Competence and training; competency assurance; safety training.
Classifications: Emergency response; emergency preparedness.
Classifications: Operational supervision.
Classifications: Subsea; underwater worksite.
Summary
A diver drowned after vomiting inside his helmet and removing it, with inadequate experience and incorrect emergency response contributing.
IMCA SF 01/01. Themes: competence and training, diving, emergency response.