Field Safety 2015

RC lab safety dance
Spring 2015
“YOUR SAFETY GEARS, ARE BETWEEN YOUR
E A R S ” – 8 TH G R A D E G Y M T E A C H E R
OVERVIEW
 Safety systems
 Emergency procedures
 Diving Safety
 Boating Safety
 SMURFing safety
 ADCP dives
Our Safety Systems
General operational guidelines – NOAA marine fx:
• Wind not more than 25 kts (sustained)
• Wind waves not greater than 4 ft
• Swell not greater than 12 ft (but really, > 8 ft is going
to be pretty uncomfortable!)
• Exceptions if staying along Cannery Row (Lovers Pt. to Del
Monte Beach) or in Carmel Bay (Pescadero Pt. to Carmel Pt.)
Float plans
• Provide Dave and Steve with a clear indication that we
are out in the field
• Provide a shore contact (you should always let your
shore contact know in the morning!)
Diving/boating proposals – have emergency plans
O2/ AED on board at all times
Emergency Procedures
If we are in Monterey:
• Coast guard is right there, and 911 response is
fast
• CHOMP is the nearest hospital
If we are in Carmel:
• May be fastest to call 911 and land at Stillwater
cove to meet EMS
• CHOMP is nearest hospital (only 3.5 miles from
SWC)
The type of response depends on the nature
and severity of the emergency – use your
common sense!
Operation area in
Monterey
Breakwater
(launch site) and
USCG station
CHOMP
Stillwater cove
landing/launch site
Operation area in
Carmel Bay
Emergency Procedures
If someone is injured, even if it’s not serious,
get in touch with Emily immediately!
Dive-related injuries, call Clabuesch and DAN
(Diver’s Alert Network) right away and follow
their instructions!
If medical attention is needed, go to CHOMP,
do NOT come back to Santa Cruz, first.
Use your best judgement about the correct
order in which to notify people vs. providing
hands-on assistance.
OVERVIEW
 Safety systems
 Emergency procedures
 Diving Safety
 Boating Safety
 SMURFing safety
 ADCP dives
Diving Safety Review
Emergency Response Plan
• Review emergency procedures before you start diving.
• Discuss how to remove a non-responsive diver from the
water.
• Discuss the most effective way to transport an injured
diver to the nearest medical facility.
Treatment for potential diving-related injuries
• Contact Emily, Steve, Dave, and DAN as soon as feasible
• Begin oxygen therapy – even if you are not sure WHAT is
going on, oxygen can only HELP!
• If you are in Monterey, stay in Monterey for treatment
• On board dive logs are your friend in these situations!
• Remember: denial = delay = diminished recovery
potential
Diving Safety Review
Buddy Distance, Separation, Lost Diver
• As buddy distances increase, let supervisor know if
you become uncomfortable with this
• At depth look around (backtrack, look up) for 1
minute, safely surface and wait 5 minutes, if no sign
of diver contact USCG or 911. Note time, depth,
bottom time, underwater heading and position (use
ranges if necessary) upon surfacing.
Past Common Diving Errors
• failure to monitor and manage gas use
• buddy separation
• exceeding certification depth
• exceeding no deco limits – usually related to failure to
set dive computer to correct mix
Diving Safety Review
Lessons Learned from Recent Incidents
• DCS self-diagnosis leads to delayed treatment
• Failure to monitor air leads to fatalities
• Don’t put the dive mission ahead of diver safety
• Taste & smell your air before entering the water –
when in doubt ask or don’t use
• Always communicate with your team if ANYTHING
feels “off”. Many incidents can be prevented with
good communication.
Diving Safety Review
Safe Diving Practices
• Be rested, healthy and hydrated
• Use proper lifting techniques and get help with heavy
loads.
• Plan appropriate bottom times based on depth,
authorization level and SAC and then stick to plan – if
you deviate from plan, stop and re-evaluate.
• Nitrox divers should verify computer O2 percentages
with their buddy during the pre-dive check.
• Each team should discuss an air sharing and buddy
separation protocol during the pre-dive check.
• Ensure you are entering the water with an amount of
gas that is appropriate for the task as well as a sharing
air contingency.
Diving Safety Review
Safe Diving Practices … continued
• Each dive plan should, at a minimum, include at least
one air check between buddy team members during
the first half of the planned dive.
• Manage air and decompression conservatively - on the
surface with no less than 500psi after each dive, never
allow your dive computer NDL at depth to be less than
10 minutes - especially critical on repetitive dives.
• Slow ascents (30'/minute), deep stop if needed (1/2
deepest depth for 1 minute for dives below 60’),
safety stop at 15' for 3 minutes at least, longer if cold
or strenuous dive.
• Plan for 1 hour SIT, check computer planning mode to
make sure this is sufficient, hydrate and keep warm
during the SIT.
Diving Safety Review
Safe Diving Practices … continued
• Do not dive if too cold, exhausted or conditions are
beyond your abilities.
• ALWAYS Record dives in on-board dive log!
• Log your dives in webdiver weekly in order to retain
their accuracy.
• Any incidents contact Emily, Steve, Dave, DAN as soon
as possible.
OVERVIEW
 Safety systems
 Emergency procedures
 Diving Safety
 Boating Safety
 SMURFing safety
 ADCP dives
BOATING SAFETY
 Who can do what:
 Anyone can do anything with supervision and approval
of leader. Don’t do anything that you are uncomfortable
with or don’t know how to do.
 Only people who’ve taken MOTC and been checked out
can trailer without supervision.
 Always observe the trailer speed limit (55 MPH
maximum!) and leave AMPLE stopping space between
you and the next car
 Only people who are checked out on a particular boat
can operate independently, but others can drive with
supervision at the discretion of the team leader.
OUR BOATS
from smallest to largest
R/V Minigon, 12 ft Achilles inflatable
Can be beach
launched from
Stillwater or
Whaler’s coves
Best load: 3-4
passengers OR
2 divers
25 hp 4-stroke
engine
OUR BOATS
from smallest to largest
R/V Terrace Pt. and R/V Velella, 17 ft
Boston Whalers
Best load 4-5
passengers or 2-4
divers (gets cramped!)
Not good to take
“around the corner”
Terrace Pt.
• Lives at Hopkins in
the summer
• 90 HP 4-stroke
engine
Velella
• Lives at Stillwater
in the summer
• 70 HP 2-stroke
engine
OUR BOATS
from smallest to largest
R/V Lucy M, 20 ft Boston Whaler
Best load 4-6
passengers or 3-4
divers (gets cramped!)
150 HP 4-stroke engine
Lots of plugs to
remember
Not used very
frequently, but can be
taken “around the
corner”
OUR BOATS
from smallest to largest
R/V Sebastes, 22 ft Anderson
Best load 6
passengers or 4-5
divers (can get slow
with heavy loads)
150 HP 4-stroke
engine
Great for dive days
and longer runs!
Wet rides home are
common
OUR BOATS
from smallest to largest
R/V Soquel Pt, 22 ft Radon
Best load 6
passengers or 4-5
divers
Twin 130 HP 4-stroke
engines
Great for dive days
and longer runs!
Has a davit for
hoisting things
BOAT ANATOMY
ANCHOR WELL
ENGINE
BOATING ANATOMY
 All 4 stroke engines…with the obvious Velella 2-
stroke exception
4 stroke:
1. Relatively clean burning
2. Oil and fuel separate
2 stroke:
1. Fuel & oil mix
2. …just stay upwind
 Regardless of the vessel, if you are prone to
seasickness, avoid breathing in the exhaust.
BOAT ANATOMY
BASIC BOATING SAFETY
 Basic boating safety:
 The person driving the boat is in charge – don’t do
ANYTHING with the boat without instructions or
permission from him/her
 Never get tender body parts between the boat and the
dock, between 2 boats, etc. This is how you lose those
parts!
 Be careful with lines on deck
 Always try to keep the boat deck tidy
 Always stay away from a moving propeller!
 ALWAYS ASK IF YOU ARE UNCERTAIN
BASIC BOATING SAFETY
• DIVE FLAG
• Always up when divers are down
• ANCHOR
• Straddle anchor-well
• Hand-over-hand with chain
• Check for entanglement
• Release the anchor, and get out of the way!
• Watch for drifting, captain will give final OK
KNOTS
 Basic knots you should know if you want a career in
marine biology:

Bowline, clove hitch, slipknot/ trucker’s hitch
OVERVIEW
 Safety systems
 Emergency procedures
 Diving Safety
 Boating Safety
 SMURFing safety
 ADCP dives
SMURFING SAFETY
 Minimum requirement: Basic SCUBA, CPR/FA
certification, and checkout from Steve
 To become a SMURFer:



Shadow SMURF Sensei
Independently complete checklist
Get an OK from Sensei
 You are not cleared to SMURF independently unless
you have been given the OK by the SMURFing
queens and kings
SMURF Skills checklist
Do not enter water without confirmation from boat driver that a) you are
on station, and b) engine is in neutral
Enter the water safely using a backwards roll technique after checking to
make sure there are no obstacles (i.e. spar buoys)
Proper weighting to achieve slightly positive buoyancy at the surface
NO hyperventilation before beginning freedive to minimize risk of shallow
water blackout (very unlikely from this activity)
Descend with BINCKE net closed and gathered to reduce drag
Ganion clip operation
Net SMURF and close BINCKE net, unclip SMURF from line, and ascend. On
surface, hold the mouth of the BINCKE net out of the water as much as
possible without overtiring yourself.
Stay above water and visible whenever boat driver is approaching for
SMURF pass-offs
Protect head by holding one hand out toward the boat when it is near.
This is especially important in windy/ choppy conditions when the bow
may swing rapidly with the wind.
ADCP/fixing SMURF Dives
 Minimum requirement: 70’ diver
 Dive pair MUST have 100’ certified diver who has
skills to properly complete mission
 Before getting your hands on everything, be sure to
stand back and observe dive leader.
 Pay attention the whole time and don’t wander
off…chances are we need your hands to hold
goodies
 Wait for cues from leader before jumping in
The MOST Important Safety Rule
YOU need to SPEAK UP if:
• You are uncomfortable with any aspect of the
field operations (weather, waves, boat operation,
dive plan, etc.)
• You don’t know/remember how to do something
you have been asked to do (mistakes in the field
can endanger you AND others)
• You feel unable to perform a task safely
With diving YOU are responsible for making sure that
YOU don’t:
• exceed your certification depth
• dive if you are not current in the UCSC system
• Break any other UCSC diving rule
Basic Rules for Field Work
ALWAYS bring your own:
• Food/ water
• Sunblock/ hat/ sunglasses
• Layers of warm clothes (weather can change a
LOT during the course of a day)
• Seasickness medication if you need it!
We will provide:
• Foul weather gear to keep you dry
• Life jackets
• Sampling gear
Be prepared for LONG days, sometimes we’re in the
field from 7am to 7pm!
FINAL NOTES
 Drink water
 Eat food
 Know your body
 Listen to Operators in Charge
 Don’t be the wet blanket
SAFETY THIRD, AFTER LOOKING
GOOD AND HAVING FUN
SEE YOU SOON!