Following is a letter that I posted on the Offshore Diver Web sight. Any Comments?
John,
Here is the notice that I received from the ADCI. I am just expressing my personal feelings about this, I don't want to get into a p*****g contest with anyone but I would like to hear some feedback, good or bad. I am 100% for safety but this has got to be one of the stupidest ideas that the ADC has come up with yet. Who did they consult with before they came up with this idea?
I think someone at the ADC has got himself a sewing machine and he is going to cut a fat hog making these things. Each one would have to be custom made and I imagine the cost would be anywhere between $500 to $1000.00. The contractor is not going to pay for it so that is another item that is going to have to be paid by the diver. No harness no worky.. This Informational announcement failed to list any emergency procedures so I just added a little addendum to it.

The following items of information are provided to bring your attention to recent industry developments, initiatives, or safety notices.

DETAILS
ADCI Informational Announcement 2012 - 1

The following reminder is being issued for all ADDICT General Members and Associate Member Schools:

Implementation of Certification and Equipment Requirements for the ADDICT Consensus Standards (6th edition)
For those Items that were annotated with a superscript "1", please note that the requirements will take effect on 8 February 2012.

We are drawing very close to the 12 month anniversary of the distribution date of the Consensus Standards (6th edition). Those items that were annotated with a superscript "2" will take effect 8 July 2012.

• 6.3.4 HARNESSES²

A working diver shall be equipped with a full body diving harness that:
a. Is designed to:
I. Provide a method to securely attach the umbilical to the diver.
II. Lift an unconscious or injured diver and his or her equipment from the water in an emergency.
III. Be utilized for underwater use.
b. Has an overall breaking strength of no less than 2,000 pounds.
c. Is equipped with a positive buckling device (i.e., designed to prevent strap pull-through and accidental release by the diver). It shall not be possible to release the harness by a single action.
d. Is equipped with at least one attachment point for the umbilical that is rated to at least the same breaking strength as the lifeline or strength member in the umbilical bundle. If the harness has multiple attachment points of different strengths, those suitable for umbilical attachments are to be clearly identified.
e. Is equipped with adjustable leg straps.
f. Is fitted with at least one lifting (recovery) ring, accessible when the diver is fully dressed, suitable for recovery of the diver from the water in an emergency using a hoisting device or other suitable means.
g. Is designed to maintain the diver in a heads-up position during recovery (using the lifting ring) from the water in an emergency.
h. Allows for easy disconnect of the main umbilical and weights, without removal of the main bail-out harness. This may be achieved by use of a separate/independent outer harness or jacket for the bailout system and diver’s weights, or similar systems.
i. Is to be visually inspected prior to use for any signs of deterioration or damage. Any harness whose material condition is in doubt shall not be used until a determination is made by the diving supervisor.
j. Is to be regularly maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
k. Is certified by the manufacturer as detailed below.
Certification and Testing of Diving Harnesses
A new diving harness shall be certified by the manufacturer or supplier to confirm that:
a. Each securing point intended for attaching an umbilical or lifting a diver out of the water in an emergency shall withstand a tensile of at least 2,000 pounds for five minutes without sustaining damage that would render it inoperable or unsafe to use.
b. Each complete full-body harness, including adjustment systems, buckles, etc., shall withstand a tensile load of at least 2,000 pounds for five minutes, applied in the direction of lift, without sustaining damage that would render it inoperable or unsafe to use.
c. Each harness is clearly marked in a durable manner with the following minimum information:
• Manufacturer’s name and country of origin.
• Product model and number.
• Month and year of manufacture.
• Unique serial number for that harness.
• Breaking strength.
635 HARNESS EMERGENCY PROCEDURES.
A. This procedure to be used only if dedicated crane or operator are not available.
1. Back company pickup to bulkhead.
2. Take dedicated rope and hook down ladder and attach to divers harness.
3. Remove slack from dedicated rope.
4. Attach dedicated rope to Pickup bumper.
5. Put tender in truck.
6. Tell tender to go like hell.
B. This procedure is going to put the diver or what is left of him on the deck
1, This procedure should not render the harness, inoperable or unsafe to use because it has
a unique serial number and it can withstand a 1 ton test for 5 minutes.

After more the 40 years in the business it is good to know that things are getting better. Unless OSHA regulations have recently changed a crane operator cannot pick a man out of the water or anyplace else for that matter unless he has a certified and dedicated man basket. Maybe these regs. are going to change and we will get to have a dedicated crane and operator on each job. I am sure the client will be overjoyed about that.
I started in this business in 1969 and I have worked the East Coast, The Midwest, the Gulf, West Coast and Alaska and a number of other places and I can honestly say that I have never been on a job that has required the use of something like this. I like to attribute this to good dive safety and planning but it has probably just been blind dumb luck. I have never had to haul a diver out of the water but I am sure that some of you have. If I had to I would damn sure find a way to do it without an uncomfortable 1 ton harness. The ADC has brought many changes to the business, some good and some not so good but I think that this is the worst pile of crap they have tried to push on us so far. I would like to hear other comments, good or bad.