Below are the first 10 and last 10 pages of uncorrected machine-read text (when available) of this chapter, followed by the top 30 algorithmically extracted key phrases from the chapter as a whole.
Intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text on the opening pages of each chapter.
Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
Do not use for reproduction, copying, pasting, or reading; exclusively for search engines.
OCR for page 97
APPENDIX C
OPERATIONAL SAFETY
Chapter 4 of the report focused primarily on safety in the design and operation of the tourist
submersible vessel itself. However, this system includes many interrelated elements of the entire operation.
Professional societies and classification societies recognized by the Coast Guard have assisted in establishing
system safety criteria for the submersible itself. This section, prepared for the committee, addresses facilities
not ordinarily under the purview of these societies and authorities. Many of the comments in this appendix
deal with fundamental even common sense—facility and operational considerations, which can be useful as
a preliminary checklist in operational planning and hazard assessments.
All facilities in the system should be reviewed as part of the safety certification process. They
include: the check-in or ticket office (with or without souvenir shop); the route from there to
embarkation/debarkation site to ferry; embark/debark site; the ferry itself; the ferry route to and from the
submersible; the transfer site between the ferry and submersible; transfer equipment; the submersible itself;
the dive site; the surface support safety boat; the shore logistics site; the tow boat used to move the
submersible from shore logistics site to dive site; any major maintenance activity; and available standby
rescue equipment.
CHECK-IN OR TICKET OFFICE
Safety begins in this office. Passenger safety orientation, using either a brief lecture or a video,
could easily start here. Passengers should be informed about what can be carried onto the submersible and
the number and size of carry-one permitted. Excess carry-one should be checked in the office for pickup
on return. During the orientation, employees should carefully observe passengers to detect any nervousness
or unusual activity. Employees should be coached on coping with these situations and advised to pass
unusual observations on to those in charge of tourists as they move forward in the system.
ROUTE FROM TICKET OFFICE TO EMBARKATION/DEBARKATION SITE
This route should be as short and direct as possible, with a system guide directing tourists along
it and warning of any safety hazards along the way.
97
OCR for page 98
EMBARKATION/DEBARKATION SITE
Adequate railings should be in place to prevent tourists from falling into the water. Life rings
should be available for emergencies. A proper brow should be available for use of tourists in boarding the
ferry. If necessary, employees should be positioned to assist tourists boarding.
FERRY
The ferry should comply with existing Coast Guard rules. The ferry capacity should be at least twice
the submersible capacity plus crew. The seating and entry/exit positions on the ferry should be arranged
to facilitate management of two groups of tourists as they simultaneously debark the ferry to the submersible
and debark the submersible to the ferry. Safety orientation should continue on the ferry during the transit
to the dive site. Repetition of safety information, without alarming the tourists, will permit the important
safety information to be understood even in the predive excitement. The ferry should be equipped with
both VHF (radio) and UQC (underwater telephone) capability.
TRANSFER SITE BETWEEN FERRY AND SUBMERSIBLE
The selection of this site will, in large part, establish the hazard level for the safety of the system.
Movement between ferry and submersible can present a major hazard. A sheltered transfer site is preferred.
TRANSFER EQUIPMENT
Proper fenders should be used to dampen relative motion between ferry and submersible. If fenders
are not used, and ferry and submersible get "out of step" in the seaway, damage can result to the ferry,
submersible, or both. Undamped relative motion will exacerbate motion-related problems to passengers
attempting to move about. A proper brow tended by crew members) will reduce the hazard and expedite
transfer of passengers to and from the submersible. Separate brows should be used for incoming and
outgoing passengers to enhance passenger control and expedite passenger flow.
THE DIVE SITE
This site should be thoroughly surveyed during site selection. Part of the survey should include
determining that the area is clear of unexploded ordnance or pressure vessels, cables, or other types of
entanglements. The bathymetry should be such that at no time, when passengers are aboard, should the
submersible be in water deeper than the submersible design depth. The submersible should never operate
beneath rock or coral outcropping or any other impediment to surfacing. Both the surface support safety
boat and the ferry should remain well clear of the position overhead of the submersible while it is
submerged. The direction and intensity of current in the dive area should be well known. Local unique
weather phenomena should be well understood. Fetch, prevailing winds, and swell direction are factors in
dive site selection. The submersible should be operated along a path so that, if power were lost, wind and
current would not sweep it into nearby danger.
THE SURFACE SUPPORT SAFETY BOAT
This craft should be equipped with both VHF and UQC communications to communicate with the
submersible. Should communications fail, the ferry should be summoned to perform this function until
98
OCR for page 99
normal communications can be restored. Communications intervals with the submersible should not exceed
15 minutes. If communications with the submersible are lost for longer than 15 minutes, the submersible
should be expected to surface. The surface support safety boat should linger nearby when the submersible
is submerged but never directly overhead. This vessel should carry life jackets and life rafts sufficient to
accommodate the occupants of the submersible and the safety boat crew.
At least two suited scuba divers (one an emergency supporter for Buddy dives) should be available
in the vicinity of the surface support safety boat to assist in the event of an emergency. These divers can
also participate in other scheduled activities in the vicinity of the submersible.
THE SHORE LOGISTICS SITE
This site serves as an intermediate maintenance activity and replenishment base for the submersible.
The site must be in a sheltered area with a proper pier or alongside space to provide safe berths for the
submersible and, if possible, the ferry, surface support safety boat, and tow boat (if a separate boat other
than the ferry or surface support safety boat is used for this purpose). Electrical, electronic, and mechanical
repair or maintenance shops should be nearby. Air changing, battery charging, and possibly oxygen charging
equipment must be available. Proper battery charging, O2 charging, and air charging procedures should be
posted and adhered to. Proper housing, cleanliness, noise insulation, and other safety/protection features
for these charging tac~l~t~es should be provided. A proper preventive maintenance program indicating
required preventive maintenance, frequency, and dates performed should be available for reference and
inspection. A configuration management plan should be conspicuously posted and complied with. A
contingency plan for both catastrophe and approach of extremely severe weather (e.g., hurricane) should be
available. This site should be staffed with experienced, well-trained maintenance personnel. They should
be well versed in quality assurance. pressure testing. and material identification procedures related ~o the
submersible and other associated craft.
~—— - ~~ ~ ~ r
. . .
Periodic verification inspections should be conducted on an
unannounced basis to ensure that all inspection, charging, and maintenance procedures are followed
diligently. Adequate spares for high usage items should be stocked at the site along with consumables. This
site should be situated to be relatively near the dive site, and the route between the two sites should be well
marked and take into account expected local prevailing wind, weather, swells, and current.
TOW BOAT
The boat used to tow the submersible to and from the dive site should be seaworthy and have
sufficient power to adequately cope with all expected weather and current conditions while conducting a
controlled safe tow of the submersible. If either the ferry or surface support safety boat is capable of
fulfilling those conditions, it may be used as a tow boat. This boat should be VHF and UQC equipped.
MAJOR MAINTENANCE ACTIVITY
This activity should have the capability of removing the submersible and associated system craft from
the water for periodic inspection and maintenance. A crane and marine railway or drydock should be
available at the facility for this function. Appropriate shop facilities should be collocated. The adequacy
of the preventive maintenance, system, and hull inspection programs will probably be directly proportional
to the nearness of and costs at such a facility. During periods of approaching extremely severe weather,
the submersible may be removed from the water at this facility to avoid unnecessary damage.
99
OCR for page 100
STANDBY RESCUE EQUIPMENT
The location, availability of, and means to obtain rescue equipment should be part of the
contingency plan. This is addressed more completely in the emergency response planning section (see
Chapter 5) of this report.
100
Representative terms from entire chapter:
surface support
