A Significant Casualty, a divers story

The United States Coast Guard began a proposed rulemaking into the need to reform and rewrite the woefully and ineffective  regulations pertaining to commercial diving in 1998 and that process is still underway today. A year ago the public comment period into the proposed rulemaking was closed. Closed to all accept an industry group promising to  present a standard that Industry would be willing to support. That changed last month when, with the assistance of Congressman Jim McDermott, the USCG announced they will hold an open public forum where concerned citizen will have the opportunity, the right, to review and comment before the new regulations are enacted.

These regulations are for the benefit and safety of the divers and should not be allowed to only be a vehicle behind which industry can hide. They should not be allowed to provide the legal looph***s that pass the responsibility only to supervisors. Filled with looph***s that cast a shadow on the men working at the end of the hose rather than the man behind the desk. The American public has grown tired of bankers that establish their own regulation,  mine owners and oil companies that have done the same. Regulators will be forced to comply and regulations will be enforced.  If ever there was a time where reason could prevail over the financial interest of a few that time it is now.

With a properly crafted  set of regulations based on not only accepted practice but common sense everyone wins. There will be more jobs for those willing to follow the rules, no place for those that do not.  There will be a new professionalism and those willing to participate in that new professionalism properly compensated. We are assembling a group of men with the skills, knowledge and ability to review the new standards, make the changes required and move the diving industry into the 21st century. If you would like to participate let us know. As always we can be reached at Divesafe@msn.com.

In 1999 there was a formal investigation into the events aboard the Cliffs12. A report was issued by the United States Coast Guard in 2001 including the finding of facts and the recommendations the USCG was suggesting for inclusion in the new regulations. That report and the findings are included in their entirety in the book "A Significant Casualty" released today. In addition the entire story leading up to the investigation is chronicled along with the story of one man, one diver. Read the story it could happen again, it has happened again.  

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