United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Hazardous Waste Engineering
Research Laboratory
Cincinnati OH 45268
Research and Development
EPA/600/S2-85/130 Aug. 1986
v>EPA Project Summary
Interim Protocol for Diving
Operations in Contaminated
Water
Richard P. Traver
An interim protocol for diving opera-
tions in chemically or biologically con-
taminated water was developed to pro-
tect divers and surface support
personnel exposed to such environ-
ments. The protocol is based on prelim-
inary field evaluations of diving equip-
ment under controlled, chemical,
underwater environments. Following a
peer review of the protocol document
by prospective users, the methods, pro-
cedures, equipment, and training will
be tested further at a number of spill
sites. The information from those tests
will be used to prepare a manual of
practice (MOP) on underwater opera-
tion in contaminated waters. The final
MOP is scheduled for publication in De-
cember 1985.
This Project Summary was devel-
oped by EPA's Hazardous Waste Engi-
neering Research Laboratory, Cincin-
nati, OH, to announce key findings of
the research project that is fully docu-
mented in a separate report of the same
title (see Project Report ordering infor-
mation at back).
Introduction
Divers at times are required to enter
contaminated waters to assess damage
from leaking vessels and/or pipelines,
locate underwater sources of contami-
nation, contain and/or cleanup sunken
pollutants, assess and evaluate cleanup
operations, recover containers or their
contents, conduct research studies, and
repair or maintain underwater equip-
ment and structures to prevent dis-
charges. At present, a very limited capa-
bility exists for safe entry into such
environments. Entry has often resulted
in injuries, primarily chemical burns, to
divers and surface support personnel
handling contaminated equipment.
Information on low-level chemical ex-
posure of diving personnel is sparse
since generally only acute or immediate
effects are reported. Only recently, gov-
ernment agencies have begun to ad-
dress chronic long-term toxicity. The
final manual of practice (MOP) will
present a complete review of the cur-
rent requirements of civilian, govern-
ment, and military agencies: the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), the National Oceanographic At-
mospheric Administration (NOAA), the
U.S. Navy (USN), the U.S. Coast Guard
(USCG). Data collected to date clearly
indicate a need to improve these Agen-
cies' ability to respond safely to sites of
underwater chemical release.
Equipment problems in chemically
contaminated water environments are
caused primarily by petroleum prod-
ucts. Divers entering such environ-
ments often experience equipment fail-
ure and deterioration which are
responsible for many incidents of diver
exposure to contaminants.
Very little information is available on
the use of remotely operated vehicles
(ROV's) to respond to chemical release
situations. ROV's may contribute signif-
icantly to safety by performing certain
underwater activities; ROV's can also
indicate whether a diver must respond.
When a diver must respond, ROV's can
increase the diver's safety and effective-
ness. The two most serious drawbacks
to effective use of these vehicles are
underwater visibility and entanglement.
As ROV technology develops, more
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varied and reliable uses of these vehi-
cles should be developed for hazardous
spill-response situations.
Because divers must continue to work
in chemically contaminated waters until
more appropriate procedures and
equipment are available to safeguard
their health and welfare, they should be
warned against diving into waters con-
taining particularly toxic substances. In
response to these safety concerns, EPA
and NOAA have entered into an Intera-
gency Agreement (IAG) to improve and
update safety capabilities. Work under
the IAG started in August 1981 and en-
compasses the assessment, testing,
evaluation, and demonstration of com-
mercial underwater protective suits,
clothing, support equipment, and
breathing apparatus. The full interim re-
port and the final MOP will discuss all
aspects of the work performed under
the IAG, including a 1983 workshop and
seminar on diver protection,
"Protection of Divers in Waterways Re-
ceiving Hazardous Chemical, Patho-
genic and Radioactive Substances Dis-
charges," UMS Pub. No. CR60 (CW)
2-1-83. Undersea Medical Society,
Bethesda, Maryland. The unanimous
conclusions of this seminar were that
(a) currently, no acceptable alternative
can replace divers, and (b) research and
development are needed to modify
commercially available diving dress
and helmet assemblies for protecting
divers from contaminated environ-
ments.
The full interim report described by
this summary presents a protocol based
on preliminary field evaluations of div-
ing dress and equipment in controlled,
chemically contaminated underwater
environments. Briefly, the interim pro-
tocol provides information on
(a) evaluating the hazardous nature of
substances present, identifying go/no-
go situations and the need for a diver;
(b) when and how a diver's safety can
be assured in hazardous environments;
(c) medical and physiological implica-
tions of a diver's exposure; (d) state-of-
the-art protection for diving and surface
support personnel when performing
underwater tasks in contaminated
waters; and (e) decontamination opera-
tions for diving personnel and equip-
ment.
Subsequent to a peer review and field
evaluation of the interim protocol, and
after demonstration of modified equip-
ment and response procedures, a man-
ual of practice (MOP) will be developed
for agencies that use divers in waters of
questionable environmental quality.
Both the interim protocol and the MOP
are intended only as guides.
Diving Modes and Equipment
Diving Modes
Two basic diving modes exist:
(Done-atmosphere diving and
(2) ambient diving. In one-atmosphere
diving, the diver is encased in a rigid
suit that contains air at the surface pres-
sure of 14.7 psi. Most development was
done on such suits in the 1930's. Re-
cently, development work has focussed
on the titanium JIM Suit, which allows a
diver to work in a one-atmosphere envi-
ronment at depths exceeding 1,000 ft.
In ambient diving, the diver is sub-
jected to the ambient pressure of the
water at the depth to which he is diving.
Ambient diving comprises two major
subgroups: surface-supplied diving and
self-contained diving. Surface-supplied
diving is the mode generally used in
commercial diving activities. Self-
contained diving uses some form of
self-contained, underwater breathing
apparatus (SCUBA). SCUBA diving is
widely used in the scientific community
for data collection and research sup-
port.
Surface-supplied diving is the direct
descendant of the rigid or Siebe diving
dress. Modern hard-hat rigs are similar
in appearance to the original Siebe unit.
Basically, they consist of a rigid helmet
(made of anything from brass to fiber-
glass) attached to a waterproof suit. The
original Navy MK-5 hard hat rig used for
decades has been upgraded by the re-
cently developed Navy MK-12 deep
diving-system. The MK-12 suit is pro-
tected by appropriate one-way valving
and is weighted to maintain neutral
buoyancy when submerged. Air and
communications are brought to the
diver through an umbilical line. When
diving in a hard-hat rig, the diver origi-
nally was considered to be isolated
from his environment except for the ef-
fects of ambient pressure. These
dresses do not provide adequate chem-
ical protection because they cannot to-
tally isolate the diver from the aquatic
environment.
In self-contained apparatus, the di-
ver's air is supplied through a regulator
mouthpiece clenched between his
teeth. This diver's mouth is constantly
exposed to the water. The limitations of
standard SCUBA in contaminated
waters are obvious. Even with a con-
certed effort to preclude water entry
into the mouth, inhalation creates a
slight negative pressure that makes it
nearly impossible to keep water out. In
addition, the only way a SCUBA diver
can clear condensation from inside the
mask is to flood it with surrounding
water. Consequently, the nose and eyes
are also exposed to contamination. The
standard SCUBA rig is simply inade-
quate for protecting the diver from con-
taminated water.
Modified Surface-Supported
Diving Systems
Numerous commercial diving suits
and helmets were reviewed for chemi-
cal exclusion and material compatibil-
ity. Five specific diving helmets and six
dresses were modified and functionally
evaluated at the Naval Underseas
Weapons Tower in White Oak, Mary-
land. Also, a testing and evaluation pro-
gram was initiated at the existing EPA
Oil and Hazardous Materials Simulated
Environmental Test Tank (OHMSETT) in
Leonardo, New Jersey.
Because of the various complexities
of body movements during strenuous
diving operations, seals and straps can
fail, permitting leakage of contaminants
into the diving system. Test equipment
modifications were evaluated in actual
dive operations.
The five helmets evaluated for chemi-
cal exclusion were the Draeger Helmet
System, the Desco Pot Diving Hat, the
Diving Systems International Superlite-
17 Helmet, the Morse Engineering MK-
12 Navy Deep Water Helmet System,
and the Safety Sea Systems Helmax
Helmet. Evaluated with the helmets
were six different suit configurations.
One diving dress was from Draeger, and
the remaining five were supplied by
Viking Technical Rubber. The interim
protocol in the fuH report describes the
detailed modifications made to each
diving helmet and dress. Highlights of
some of the modifications are described
in the following sections.
Draeger Constant Volume Suit
The Draeger Constant Volume Suit, in
combination with an undersuit,
emerged as a likely candidate for
providing adequate protection in pol-
luted water. The standard, off-the-shelf,
smooth, neoprene Draeger suit surface
can be decontaminated more readily
than other foam-type dry suits. The
hood which fully encloses the diver's
head, has a built-in demand regulator
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and faceplate that seals to the suit at the
neck in a simple, reliable fashion with-
out the need for a watertight zipper.
Dry suits containing air have signifi-
cant internal/external pressure differen-
tials, depending on the position of the
diver in the water. Since both a pressure
differential and a hole are required for
entry of water into a dry suit, elimina-
tion of one of these factors will preclude
entry of outside water. If the inside of a
dry suit is filled with water, the internal/
external pressure differential can be re-
duced or eliminated. The same water
can be used for thermoregulation of the
diver.
Accordingly, a major modification to
the standard Draeger system included a
suit-under-suit (SUS) diving dress. A
tight-fitting foam neoprene undersuit
with attached feet and neck entry makes
up the innermost portion of this system.
The neck of the undersuit seals to the
neck ring of the Draeger suit. A neck
dam provides a seal between the neck
ring and the diver's neck. The Draeger
suit and hood seal is then worn in a nor-
mal fashion over the SUS and neck
dam. Clean water is pumped into the
area between the SUS and the Draeger
suit by means of an umbilical line from
the surface; it exits through the exhaust
valves near the ankle of the Draeger
suit. The neck dam prevents entry of
this water into the hood.
The modified suit is filled with water
while the diver is at the water surface
with his feet in an elevated position to
allow the escape of air through the ex-
haust valves. The diver must exit from
the water slowly at the end of the dive to
allow adequate time for water to drain
from the suit. A two-way valve is pro-
vided to allow the diver to control the
rate of flow through the suit, and to pro-
vide rapid discharge of pumped water
through the hose. The latter is some-
times necessary to maintain proper
water temperature.
Test dives with this system proved to
be significantly more comfortable for
the diver than an air-filled dry suit. No
pressure differentials exist, so suit
squeeze is eliminated. Buoyancy
changes resulting from compression
and expansion of air and air shifting
within the suit are also eliminated.
Morse Engineering MK-12
Surface-Supplied Diving
System
The Morse Engineering MK-12
Surface-Supplied Diving System
(SSDS) consists of four major units: the
helmet-assembly, the recircular assem-
bly, the dress assembly, and the sup-
port equipment. The helmet may be
used with air or mixed gas as the
breathing medium.
The standard swimming dress con-
sists of either a wet suit or swim trunks
with jocking harness, fins, scuba weight
belt or outer garment, weights and
neck-dam with exhaust valve in the am-
bient configuration.
For on-the-bottom operations, the
standard diving dress consists of a
crushed foam neoprene nylon drysuit,
outer chafing garment, jocking harness,
lightweight diving boots, and gloves.
Lead weights (2-, 4-, and 5-lb., to a max-
imum of 60 Ib.) fit into the calf, thigh,
and hip pockets of the outer garment.
The outer nylon chafing garment pro-
tects the drysuit against snagging, tear-
ing, and abrasion; it also restrains infla-
tion to prevent inadvertent blow-up, has
pockets for installing diver weights, and
helps keep the jocking harness in place
for helmet stability.
Because the standard MK-12 SSDS
diving dress is virtually impossible to
decontaminate and does not provide a
dry suit/glove interface, Viking Techni-
cal Rubber produced two variations of
the dress for use in contaminated water
operations. One model was a smooth
dress with no weight pockets or com-
pressive straps, and it required use of
the standard outer chafing garment.
Both variations of the Viking suit are
made of very heavy weight, 1.1-mm-
thick natural rubber bonded onto
polyester tricot fabric. The rubber pro-
vides waterproofing but no insulation.
The diver must wear clothing or insu-
lated underwear for warmth. The wrists
of the suite are sealed by stretchy latex
cuffs cemented to the suit's arms and
then covered with rubber tape. These
cuffs can easily be removed if damaged,
however, cuff rings made of rigid PVC
plastic pipe material can be slipped in-
side the sleeve of each arm, allowing for
a multiple gloving system. A chemical-
resistant latex glove is worn in combi-
nation with a cotton work glove to de-
tect leakage from the outer glove and to
provide warmth. Over the cotton glove
can be added a heavy neoprene rubber
glove covered by another outer cotton
chafing glove for abrasion resistance.
This constitutes a 4-glove system. A thin
surgical glove can also be added to pro-
vide protection.
Superlite-17 Commercial
Diver's Helmet
The Superlite-17 Commercial Diver's
Helmet manufactured by Diving Sys-
tems International is constructed of
molded fiberglass and its dry weight is
approximately 24 Ibs. Modifications to
the Superlite-17 included the use of an
exhaust system in which gases exit
from the helmet through two in-line ex-
haust valves. This system prevents
small amounts of water from back-
flushing into the helmet before either
exhaust valve closes completely. Isola-
tion of the second-stage diaphragm
with a brass cap also protects the di-
aphragm from potential contamination.
Ambient pressure reference is achieved
with a tube running from the brass cap
to the inside of the helmet through ex-
isting openings previously used for
communications.
Helmax SS-20 Model B Helmet
The Helmax SS-20 Model B Helmet,
manufactured by Safety Sea Systems,
Inc., resembles a clam shell mask with a
hinged head protection. It is equipped
with locking levers that seal a 0.5 in.-
thick stainless steel hood ring between
the hull section and the head protector
when in the closed and locked position.
The mechanical arrangement allows
very quick donning and removal of the
helmet in either a standing or sitting po-
sition. The hull is manufactured from
stainless steel, as is the head protector
frame. The view port is 3/8"-thick-tuffak
(polycarbonate) coated with a perma-
nent anti-fog compound: The system is
intended for use with an umbilical line
that will supply the breathable gas and
communication cable.
The Helmax helmet was tested with a
specially modified, heavy-duty com-
mercial dry suit by Viking. The attached
hood of the Viking received the Helmax
helmet ring allowing for a totally dry
seal.
Desco Diving Hat
The Desco diving hat is an all-metal
simple, rugged device. The hat rests on
and turns with the diver's head, it has
approximately neutral buoyancy under
water, and its low center of gravity and
excellent fore-and-aft balance hold it
comfortably and securely on the diver's
head in all working positions.
The neck ring seal is of a new and
unique design, providing two independ-
ent and complementary waterproof
seals. The seal is designed so that the
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diver can put the hat on or take it off
quickly in close quarters without assis-
tance from a tender, even while wearing
heavy gloves.
Unlike the Superlite-17, which is a de-
mand air-supply system, the Desco div-
ing hat is a free air-flow system. Air is
continuously introduced into the helmet
to maintain a.positive pressure. The
only modification made to this system
was the addition of a series of exhaust
valves similar to those used in the
Superlite-17.
A specially modified Viking heavy
dUty commercial suit was used with the
Desco hat. The lower breach ring of the
helmet provides for a totally dry seal
with the Viking suit.
Chemical tank testing of all diving
ensembles described here included lab-
oratory analyses of inner suits and hel-
mets for both ammonia and flourescein
dye tracer. The modified Desco Pot,
Superlite-17, MK-12, Hdmax SS-20 (all
with Viking heavy-weight dry suits), and
the Draeger SUS dress successfully iso-
lated the diver from the chemical trac-
ers.
Hazard Evaluation
The final MOP will discuss all aspects
of diving operations in hazardous situa-
tions. Some of these hazardous aspects
are summarized below.
From 1977 to 1981, 64,609 hazardous
spills were reported to the U.S. Coast
Guard Office of Marine Environment
and Systems. This represents a total of
75.6 x 106 gal. of material released into
navigable waterways alone. From 1974
to 1981, 454 large spill or release inci-
dents were reported involving a total of
20.9 x 106 Ibs. of dry hazardous and
other substances.
Slightly soluble and insoluble sinking
compounds can accumulate in pockets
or bottom depressions under low cur-
rent conditions. A complete list of such
chemicals is presented in the final MOP.
Diver response in the presence of such
chemicals requires extra precaution be-
cause of the possibility of encountering
the pure product under water.
Special precautions should also be
exercised by personnel operating in
polluted waterways that receive treated
and untreated municipal and industrial
waste. Hydrogen sulfide, a byproduct of
decomposing bottom sediment, is a
slightly soluble sinking compound that
accumulates in bottom depressions. A
diver can easily enter such an area with-
out warning. The material exhibits a
very high skin penetration and poses an
extreme systemic hazard. Full encapus-
lation of the diver and the most limited
exposure possible is required in such an
area.
A diver could also come into contact
with insoluble or slightly soluble float*
ing compounds. These substances
would be at the water surface and could
coat the diver upon entry and exit from
the operation site. The use of a firehose
on the chemical slick is often enough to
disperse the contaminant and enable
the diver to enter and exit from the
water safely. A complete list of such
compounds is presented in the final MOP.
The properties of commonly spilled
hazardous chemicals were reviewed in
preparing the interim protocol. Based
on their behavior in water, these haz-
ardous chemicals were grouped in the
following categories:
a. Highly soluble or miscible com-
pounds
b. Slightly soluble slowly dissolving
floating compounds
c. Slightly soluble slowly dissolving
sinking compounds
d. Insoluble floating compounds
e. Insoluble sinking compounds
f. Compounds that could react vio-
lently with water
This grouping is meant to guide the
decisionmaker on when and how to use
divers or ROV's to respond to a situa-
tion. The final MOP lists commonly
spilled chemicals considered to be of
high priority by various government
agencies.
Umbilical-supported encapsulated
diver exposure to the following chemi-
cals should be of the shortest duration
possible and should be used only to
protect the public health (e.g., to rescue
personnel or to prevent massive envi-
ronmental damage):
Cresol
Naphthalene
Methylene chlo-
ride
Dichloropropane
Trichloroethylene
Methyl methacry-
late
Toluene
Carbon tetrachlo-
ride
Hydrogen sulfide
Perchloroethylene
Polychlorinated
biphenyls
Benzene
Styrene
Ethyl benzene
Xylene
Examples of insoluble chemical sub-
stances in which a diver should never
be allowed to operate are as follows:
Acetic anhydride Acrylonitrile
Bromine Epichlorohydrin
Methyl parathion Chlordane
These lists are by no means complete.
Classification is based on material solu-
bility in water and allowable concentra-
tions found in the EPA Oil and Haz-
ardous Materials Technical Assistance
Data System (OHMTADS). Chemicals
encountered in the field should be eval-
uated on the same basis. In addition, the
potential impact of the chemical on div-
ing dress materials is currently being
evaluated by the U.S. Navy.
Medical Monitoring
Hazardous incidence response per-
sonnel, including divers and surface
support personnel, can be exposed to
conditions atypical of normal occupa-
tional conditions. Special care should
be taken when developing medical
surveillance programs for these person-
nel, who can be exposed to thousands
of toxic chemicals that may or may not
be identifiable at the time of response.
Even if the substances are identified,
potential health effects from exposure
may not be known. The interim protocol
recommends specific medical examina-
tions for these individuals.
Protection of Surface Support
Personnel
A major area often overlooked during
contaminated-water diving operations
is the protection of surface tenders and
support personnel. Previous commer-
cial operations have shown that the re-
covery of sunken chemical drums and
containers can lead to some degree of
contamination of the ship's deck and
surrounding equipment. Umbilical and
line tenders handling divers' support
hoses will inevitably come into contact
with contaminated water. Appropriate
levels of personnel protection must be
defined for these special situations.
Clean locations must be designated for
suiting up divers, and procedures must
be developed for moving divers and
their gear back to decontamination sta-
tions. Specific procedures are also re-
quired for umbilical, helmet, and diver
dress decontamination operations.
Sources of Information and Re-
sponse Assistance
In a hazardous spill situation, the on-
scene coordinator or the Marine safety
officer must quickly assess conditions
to determine whether or not to deploy
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diving personnel in contaminated
waters. Hazards to surface response
workers should also be evaluated.
Information such as topography, me-
teorology, physical and chemical prop-
erties of the spilled material, applicable
treatment methods, and available
cleanup resources can be provided by
various agencies, maps, reference
books, and manuals. Data should be se-
cured from at least two sources, and the
latest edition of any reference should be
used, especially when searching for hy-
gienic standards or toxicological data.
Access to on-line computer files may
be possible at a site if a telephone,
portable terminal, and 120-volt outlet
are available. Aerial photographs can
also provide useful information when
properly interpreted.
NOAA's Hazardous Materials Re-
sponse Project (HAZMAT) belongs to a
group of special forces available to on-
scene coordinators on request for re-
sponse to actual or potential releases of
pollutants and for contingency
planning.
The interim protocol lists basic refer-
ences, on-line computer systems, (re-
mote sensing and map interpretation
information), and technical assistance
organizations.
Conclusions
The information presented here high-
lights some of the considerations for
underwater operations involving haz-
ardous chemicals. The interim protocol
and final MOP address these and other
areas in much more detail.
The interim procedures document
needed to be issued before completion
of the final field evaluation and demon-
stration to serve as a reference guide for
safer underwater operations. Field eval-
uation and shakedown of the proce-
dures, techniques, and equipment sum-
marized here are required before the
final MOP can be published.
The final MOP will cover general pro-
cedures related to hazard evaluation,
diver deployment and recovery, surface
tending operations, and equipment de-
contamination.
Safety is the prime concern in any
underwater operation, be it deep satu-
ration diving on exotic gases or the
need to effect a chemical drum recovery
operation. With the help of the scientific
community, military organizations, and
commercial industry, the justifiable de-
ployment of diving personnel in waters
heavily polluted with chemicals can be
safely and effectively accomplished.
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The EPA author, Richard P. Traver (also the EPA Project Officer, see below), is
with Hazardous Waste Engineering Research Laboratory-Cincinnati, Edison,
NJ 08837.
The complete report, entitled "Interim Protocol for Diving Operations in
Contaminated Water," (Order No. PB 86-128 022; Cost: $40.95, subject to
change) will be available only from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield. VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
Hazardous Waste Engineering Research Laboratory-Cincinnati
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Edison, NJ 08837
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Cincinnati OH 45268
j u ,
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300
EPA/600/S2-85/130
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U S ENVIR PROTECTION AGENCY
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230 S OEflRSORN STR^FT
CHICAGO IL 60604
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