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TheCanadianAssociationofDivingContractors17AfewyearsagoScubawasusedinsteadofsurfacesupplywhicheventuallyprovedfatalforanothercompanyx19sdiverasheranoutofairafterhewascaughtinanet.In2009WorkSafeBCenforcedtheOHSRPart24RestrictionsonScuba.Thismeansthatalldivecontractorsmustdivewithsurfacesupplyequipmentwheninbetweenorundernetspensorunderwaterpressurewashingnets.WhenconditionsaremettouseScubaadiverstillmusthaveaponybottlelifelineorwatercommunicationsystemandastandbydiveronthesurfacereadytoenterthewaterinoneminute.Fishfarmcompaniesdivecontractorandprovincialregulatorsmustallworktogethertokeepdiverssafebyensuringregulationsareusedintheirprovince.IftherearenoregulationstheyshouldadoptBritishColumbiax19sOHSRPart24orCSAZ275.2.SafeseafoodharvestingNoitx19snotanoxymoronseafoodharvestingcanbeasafeoccupationandalucrativeoneatthat.SeafoodHarvestinghasabadreputationfordivinginjuriesandfatalitiesbutthisreputationtendstoberegionspecificdependingontheOHSRinplaceinaparticularregion.Seafoodharvestersareahybridofadiverandafisher.Thesefishersgototheoceanfloortocollecttheirproductratherthanhookornetit.Thespeciestheyfishincludescallopsurchinsseacucumbersoctopusandagiantclamcalledageoduckpronouncedgooey-duck.Andyouwouldbesurprisedtolearnthatmanyharvestersmakeasmuchmoneyasconstructiondiversandsometimesmuchmore.Intheearlydaysharvesterswerefishermenwhosawpotentialincomefromdivingtothebottomtopickproduct.Asaresultharvesterslearnedtodivebythex1cschoolofhardknocks.x1dThesetoughcowboyspiecedtogetherscrapsofgeartojuryrigadivingsysteminordertogetatthespeciestheydesired.Theseguyshadverylittleformaldivetrainingbutalotofgutsandresourcefulness.Unfortunatelymanygothurtandafewdidnx19tmakeitbackintheboat.Soundsabitliketheearlydaysintheoffshoreindustrydoesnx19titInBritishColumbiatheWorkersx19CompensationBoardofBCWCBofBCwasacutelyawareofthenumberofcasesofinjurydecompressionsicknessfatalitiesandevenbonenecrosisfromextremedivingwithoutproperdecompression.TheWCBofBCleadthecountryinrequiringharvesterstoprovesomeformofcompetencyintheformofaSeafoodHarvesterscertificate.Thishelpedbutin1997theOHSRwerechangedtorequireharvestdiverstobetrainedtoCSADiverCompetencyStandards.SincethentheBoardhasnoticedadramaticdeclineininjuryandDCSincidentsamongseafoodharvesters.TransportCanadaalsoholdsjurisdictionoverharvestersandrequiresthemtoholdcertificationsinMarineFirstAidMarineEmergencyDutiesFishingVesselMasterscertificationandMarineRadioOperation.InBCharvestersarealsorequiredtoholdcertificationsinDiveAccidentManagementandOxygenTherapywhichnowmakethemverywell-qualifiedtodiagnoseandtreatinjuries.InBCseafoodharvestingisarelativelysafeoccupation.UnfortunatelyotherjurisdictionsinCanadaeitherdonothaveordonotenforcethesameleveloftrainingorfirst-aidregulationsontheirharvestersandasaresultdiverscontinuetobehurtandworse.Theprovensolutionistorequireharvesterstomeetthesamecompetencylevelsasothercommercialdiversandenforcethestandardsandregulationsthathavebeenproventimeaftertimetosavelives.UntilalljurisdictionsinCanadarequireCSAlevelcertificationseafoodharvestingwillcontinuetohaveissuesarounddiversafety.HoweverfortheproperlytraineddiverworkinginaccordancewiththeOHSregulationsseafoodharvestingcanbeasafeandrewardingcareer.Howeveritisonlywithconsistentenforcementoftheserecognizedregulationsbytheactingauthorityinthejurisdictionthatthecareeroftheworkerwillbealongoneandasafeone.Adiverunderwaterpressurewashesnetswitha10000psimachine....harvesterswerefishermenwhosawpotentialincomefromdivingtothebottomtopickproduct.Asaresultharvesterslearnedtodivebythex1cschoolofhardknocks.x1dThesetoughcowboyspiecedtogetherscrapsofgeartojuryrigadivingsysteminordertogetatthespeciestheydesired.