J29 Occupational Diving

Law. Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, Part 24 (diving, fishing and other marine operations; diving ss. 24.7 to 24.68) (Occupational Health and Safety Regulation [BC], 2026, ss. 24.7-24.68).

What must be covered.

• Scope. “Sections 24.7 to 24.68 apply to all persons involved in any occupational diving operation” (s. 24.7), so a fire department dive team is covered.
• Notice. A notice of project, or a phone call, to WorkSafeBC at least 24 hours before construction or inspection diving, diving in a contaminated environment, under ice, under or between nets or into other entrapment areas, beyond the no-decompression limit, or with mixed gas other than nitrox (s. 24.9(1)); a copy posted at the site (s. 24.9(3)).
• Medical. Current medical certification from a physician knowledgeable and competent in diving medicine, renewed “every 2 years up to age 39 and annually from age 40 onwards”, more often if clinically indicated, and re-evaluated after an event; a copy kept at the dive site (s. 24.10).
• Training and competency. Training by an agency acceptable to WorkSafeBC; all divers, supervisors and tenders trained in CPR, oxygen therapy and diving accident management (s. 24.12); competency to CSA Z275.4-97 (s. 24.13).
• Team. For scuba dives no deeper than 18 m (60 ft), within the no-decompression limit and with no known entrapment hazard, a minimum crew of 3; in the buddy system, 2 divers and a surface supervisor and tender; otherwise a standby diver and a supervisor and tender on the surface, and a single diver tethered with a bailout bottle (s. 24.36). For dives beyond 40 m (130 ft) or the no-decompression limit, or with hazards present, a minimum of 4: a supervisor, a tender and 2 divers, one a standby on the surface (s. 24.40).
• Standby diver. Dressed and ready, with any other duties limited so as not to delay emergency help (s. 24.33).
• Equipment and air. Scuba restricted for construction, burning, welding and similar work (s. 24.37); scuba cylinders hydrostatically tested every 5 years and inspected internally yearly (s. 24.39); breathing air to CSA Z275.2-92 (s. 24.26).

Fire-service nuance.

• The relief. “If in an emergency it is not practicable to notify the Board prior to the start of a diving operation, the Board must be notified as soon as possible, but no later than 24 hours after the diving operation has begun” (s. 24.9(4)). Under-ice and entrapment dives, common in public safety work, are on the notice list. Nothing else in Part 24 is relaxed for emergencies.
• Part 24 has no public safety diving provisions; the full program applies.

Status. Verified against the official text on 2026-10-23 (Part 24 read in the consolidation current to 2026-10-20).

Law. Occupational Health and Safety Code, Part 31 (diving operations, ss. 423 to 437) (Occupational Health and Safety Code [AB], 2025, ss. 423-437).

What must be covered.

• Scope. The Part “applies to diving operations performed by workers who are diving at a work site” and does not apply “to sport or recreational diving” or its instruction (s. 423).
• Standards. Diving operations meet CSA Z275.1-05 (hyperbaric facilities), CSA Z275.2-04 (occupational safety code for diving operations) and CSA Z275.4-02 (competency standard) (s. 424). Sections 425 to 436 are repealed, so the team, medical, equipment and record rules come from those standards.
• Intakes. Flow through intakes of pipes, tunnels and ducts near a dive is stopped and locked out before the dive (s. 437).

Fire-service nuance.

• Public safety divers are workers diving at a work site, so Part 31 applies in full; there is no emergency relief.
• Because the Code adopts the 2002 to 2005 editions of the CSA standards, a department should show that it meets those editions even if it trains to newer ones.

Status. Partly verified: ss. 423-424 and 437 read on 2026-10-23 (Code consolidated to 2025-03-31). The team size and medical interval come from CSA Z275.2-04, which was not read.

Law. The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020, Part 20 (diving operations, ss. 20-1 to 20-19) (The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020 [SK], 2021, ss. 20-1-20-19); the approved list for Part 20 (Government of Saskatchewan, n.d.-a).

What must be covered.

• Scope. Part 20 applies to any worker diving, including fire department rescue divers; there is no public safety diving provision or exemption.
• Decompression tables. From Defence Research and Development Canada or an approved agency (s. 20-3).
• Medical. By a physician at least every 12 months, to CAN/CSA Z275.2-92 Appendices A and B (s. 20-4).
• Team. A diving supervisor (s. 20-5); sufficient crew (s. 20-6); a standby diver dressed in at all times (s. 20-7); a dedicated tender (s. 20-8).
• Air. A reserve of 2.5 times the requirement (s. 20-9(1)); breathing gas to CSA Z180.1:19 and equipment to CSA Z275.2:20 on the approved list.
• Records. Diver logs kept 5 years (s. 20-15).

Fire-service nuance.

• No emergency relief.
• Unpaid volunteers are workers under the Act only for the harassment and violence duties; a volunteer dive team should adopt Part 20 as policy (see J11 Volunteer Firefighters).

Status. Verified against the official text on 2026-10-23 (consolidation last updated 2021-04-01; approved list read). The competency standard was not identified.

Law. Workplace Safety and Health Regulation, Part 43 (diving operations, ss. 43.1 to 43.3) (Workplace Safety and Health Regulation [MB], 2026, ss. 43.1-43.3).

What must be covered.

• Scope. Part 43 applies to every workplace where diving operations take place (s. 43.1), so to fire department dive teams.
• Procedures. Safe work procedures that meet CSA Z275.2-15 (s. 43.2).
• Competency. Each diver gives the employer written evidence of competency to CSA Z275.4-12 (R2017), kept for as long as the diver is employed (s. 43.3).

Fire-service nuance.

• No public safety diving provisions and no emergency relief.
• The team size and medical interval come from CSA Z275.2-15 through s. 43.2.

Status. Partly verified: Part 43 read on 2026-10-23 (regulation current to 2026-10-20). The CSA Z275.2-15 requirements were not read.

Law. O. Reg. 629/94, Diving Operations (Diving Operations [ON], 2026, ss. 2-5, 32, 37, 39, 63-64); diving incidents are reportable to the ministry under O. Reg. 420/21 (Notices and Reports under Sections 51 to 53.1 of the Act: Fatalities, Critical Injuries, Occupational Illnesses and Other Incidents [ON], 2026, s. 4(3)).

What must be covered.

• Scope. The regulation applies to any diving operation and any function in support of one (s. 2(1)).
• Competency. Every person who takes part meets the competency requirement for the type of diving in CSA Z275.4-12 (s. 4.1).
• Notice. Written notice at least 24 hours before the operation, or oral notice 24 hours before and written within five days (s. 5(2)); for emergency recovery, inspection or repair, oral notice before any diving equipment is moved to the site and written notice within five days (s. 5(3.1)).
• Medical. No one dives unless, if under 40, examined within the preceding 24 months, or if 40 or older, within the preceding 12 months, or more often if the physician recommends, and holding a written statement of fitness to dive (s. 32(1)); the examination is by a physician knowledgeable about diving and hyperbaric medicine, following the ministry’s code for medical examination of divers (s. 32(2)).
• Team. Whenever scuba is used: at least one tender, one standby diver and one diver at the site, with no one acting as tender and standby at once; the supervisor may also act as standby or tender (s. 37). Surface-supplied diving adds a separate tender for each diver except in an emergency (s. 39).
• Records. Divers’ logbooks kept five years after the last entry (s. 63(8)); daily records kept five years (s. 64(6)).

Fire-service nuance.

• The exclusion, verbatim. The regulation does not apply to “a dive the sole purpose of which is to respond to an unforeseen emergency situation involving imminent danger to the life, health or safety of any person, if the dive is undertaken voluntarily” (s. 2(2)(c)), and “a dive is not undertaken voluntarily if it is related to a diving operation in relation to which the diver is paid” (s. 2(3)). Paid fire department divers are covered even on emergency dives.
• Whether a per-call payment or honorarium makes a volunteer’s dive “paid” is not settled in the text. Recovery and evidence dives are not “imminent danger” dives and are always covered.
• O. Reg. 343/22 certifies surface water, swiftwater and ice rescue from 2028-07-01 but has no dive rescue item; dive competency rests on O. Reg. 629/94 (see J34 Fire Services Legislation and Firefighter Certification).
• No Section 21 guidance note covers diving; guidance note 6-3 covers water and ice operations (MLITSD, n.d.).

Status. Verified against the official text on 2026-10-23 (ss. 2-5, 32, 37, 39 and 63-64 read in e-Laws, current to 2026-10-20). O. Reg. 420/21 names diving incidents, but the subsection number was not confirmed.

Law. Regulation respecting occupational health and safety, Division XXVI.I (diving work, ss. 312.1 to 312.91) (Regulation respecting occupational health and safety [QC], 2026, ss. 312.1-312.91).

What must be covered.

• Scope. The Division “applies to any underwater work”; a short list of provisions does not apply to police diving; recreational diving instruction is excluded (s. 312.2).
• Team. “All diving must be performed in teams” of at least 3 divers sharing the duties of diving supervisor, diver, standby diver and diver’s tender; the supervisor may also act as standby or tender, and the standby may act as supervisor but not as tender; 2 hyperbaric chamber operators are added when a chamber is required (s. 312.7). At contaminated sites near discharge points, at least 4 divers and surface-supplied diving only (ss. 312.76-312.77).
• Training. Training to CSA Z275.5-05 with a certificate from an authorized institution, or skills recognition to CAN/CSA Z275.4-02 (s. 312.8); minimum age 18 (s. 312.9).
• Roles. The supervisor supervises every dive and prepares the dive plan (ss. 312.11, 312.31); the standby diver stays on the surface and dives only to help a diver (s. 312.12); a tender always assists the diver underwater (s. 312.13); a diver is tethered by a lifeline unless free-swimming is authorized with an accompanying tethered diver (ss. 312.16, 312.19).
• Medical. Every 2 years a physical examination by a diving physician, with a certificate valid for at most 2 years (s. 312.57); a medical alert tag for 24 hours after a dive (s. 312.59).
• First aid. Every team member trained in occupational first aid including near-drowning (s. 312.60); communication with the diving emergency medical service available at the station (s. 312.61).
• Records. A dive plan and diving logbook kept by the supervisor, a logbook for each diver, a maintenance logbook, and an air-analysis register kept at least 5 years (ss. 312.31-312.34, 312.43).
• Contaminated environments. Additional measures, including full-face masks, inspection before each dive, vaccination and a medical certificate after contamination (ss. 312.67-312.73).

Fire-service nuance.

• No fire-service carve-out. Police diving units get limited relief (for example on transporting a hyperbaric chamber to remote sites, s. 312.65); fire service divers get none.
• The CNESST’s water-rescue fatality investigations show how it applies its expectations of planning, training and competence near and over water (see J12 Fire Service OHS Rules and Fireground Operations).

Status. Verified against the official text on 2026-10-23 (Division XXVI.I read in the consolidation of 2026-07-01).

Law. General Regulation 91-191, Part XX (underwater diving operations, ss. 299 to 342) (General Regulation: Occupational Health and Safety Act [NB], 2026, ss. 299-310, 337).

What must be covered.

• Scope. Part XX applies to any underwater diving operation; “diver” means “a person who performs work under water for compensation” (s. 300).
• Medical. Current medical certification from a medical practitioner, established before employment as a diver, “renewed every two years”, more often if clinically indicated, re-evaluated after an event, and a copy kept at the dive site (s. 301).
• Training. Documentary evidence of an appropriate diver training course or training and experience for the dive, kept during employment, and first aid training to the level set in the first aid regulation (s. 304); logbooks kept 5 years (s. 305).
• Supervisor and plan. A designated competent diving supervisor with at least five years’ diving experience (s. 307), who plans the dive in detail, briefs the crew, checks equipment and instructs the crew in emergency procedures (s. 308); the dive plan is discussed and accepted by the supervisor, divers and employer (s. 310); a supervisor’s daily record (s. 306).
• Scuba limits. No scuba diving on an underwater construction project, in a confined space, with underwater power tools, “where water currents, visibility, weather conditions or underwater conditions present hazards to a diver that could be alleviated if the diver were using surface-supplied air”, in a contaminated environment, “where there is danger of entrapment”, or deeper than 30 m (s. 337(1)).
• Scuba team. At least three persons at each scuba dive site: the diver, a stand-by diver and a competent person; a diving supervisor need not be present (s. 337(2)-(3)).

Fire-service nuance.

• No public safety diving provisions and no emergency relief.
• The scuba limits in s. 337(1) bite hard on public safety diving: poor visibility, current and entrapment are typical of rescue and recovery dives, and where surface-supplied air would reduce the hazard, scuba is not allowed. A scuba-only team should take this up with WorkSafeNB before offering a dive service.
• Because a “diver” works for compensation, an unpaid volunteer’s dive may fall outside the definition; adopt Part XX for every member who dives.

Status. Verified against the official text on 2026-10-23 (Part XX read in the consolidation to 2026-06-30). How WorkSafeNB applies s. 337(1) to public safety diving is not confirmed.

Law. Occupational Diving Regulations, N.S. Reg. 174/2005 (Occupational Diving Regulations [NS], 2025, ss. 2-85); Part 25 of the Workplace Health and Safety Regulations is a placeholder that points here (Workplace Health and Safety Regulations [NS], 2025, Part 25).

What must be covered.

• Scope. All dives conducted at a workplace (s. 3); an “emergency services dive team” is defined (s. 2(w)).
• Supervisor. A designated competent diving supervisor for each site (ss. 7-8).
• Team. A minimum team of four by default (s. 9(2)) and three for scuba (s. 9(3)), with supervisor, tender, standby diver and diver; the standby diver equipped and checked (s. 10).
• Medical. An examination within 24 months and a certificate of fitness (ss. 12-15).
• Competency and first aid. Competency to CSA Z275.4 (s. 16); intermediate first aid (s. 17) and oxygen therapy (s. 18) for every team member.
• Dive plan. A written dive plan (s. 20); a list of hyperbaric chambers (s. 23).
• Air and equipment. Breathing air to CSA Z275.2 (s. 35); daily equipment checks with records kept two years (s. 41); contaminated-water rules (ss. 78-82).
• Records. Divers’ logbooks (ss. 83-84); the supervisor’s record to the employer within seven days, kept two years (s. 85).

Fire-service nuance.

• The only relief. In a health or safety emergency rescue, the emergency services dive team need not tailor the dive plan to the site, but a generic written plan is still required (s. 20(2)). Everything else applies.
• A department with a dive team needs the full program; a surface water and ice team without divers does not.
• The regulation cites CSA Z275.4 (2002) and Z275.2 (2004); confirm the editions in force.

Status. Verified against the official text: the regulation read in the official consolidation (to N.S. Reg. 44/2022) on 2026-10-22. Current CSA editions not confirmed.

Law. General Regulations, ss. 47.1 and 48.1 (Occupational Health and Safety Act General Regulations [PE], 2025, ss. 47.1, 48.1).

What must be covered.

• Standard. All underwater diving operations meet CSA Z275.2-20 (s. 48.1); work in compressed air meets CSA Z275.3-09 (s. 47.1).
• Team, medical and competency. From CSA Z275.2-20 by reference.

Fire-service nuance.

• No separate public safety diving provision and no emergency relief; fire or rescue diving falls under s. 48.1.
• Related water work is covered by the personal flotation device rule (s. 45.4.1) and the drowning-rescue requirements of the fall protection regulations (see J16 Fall Protection and Rope Access).

Status. Partly verified: regulations read on 2026-10-23 (consolidated to 2025-01-01). Whether CSA Z275.2-20 addresses public safety diving, and its team and medical rules, were not read.

Law. Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2012, s. 467 (Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2012 [NL], 2026, s. 467).

What must be covered.

• Standards. CAN/CSA Z275.4-02 (competency) and CAN/CSA Z275.2-04 (occupational safety code) apply to diving, with modifications for seafood harvesting and aquaculture diving (s. 467(1)).
• Team, medical and records. From CSA Z275.2-04 by reference.

Fire-service nuance.

• No public safety diving provisions; Z275.2 applies to any occupational dive, including fire department dives.

Status. Partly verified: s. 467 read on 2026-10-23 (consolidated to NLR 48/26). The CSA standard’s requirements were not read.

Law. Commercial Diving Regulations, made under the occupational health and safety legislation and administered by the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Board (Commercial Diving Regulations [YT], 2026, ss. 2-5, 35).

What must be covered.

• Scope. “Commercial diving” means “any diving activity involving a worker and employer” (s. 2), so a fire department dive team is covered.
• Medical. An annual certificate of physical fitness on the board’s form (s. 3).
• Training. CPR, survival first aid and the treatment of drowning for divers, tenders and supervisors (s. 4).
• Records. Logbooks kept 2 years (s. 5).
• Scuba. A lifeline or voice communication, or the buddy system; at least 2 divers and a tender for dives of 18.3 m or less within no-decompression limits and with no entrapment hazard; otherwise 2 operational divers, a dressed standby diver and a tender (s. 35).

Fire-service nuance.

• The relief. Scuba is limited to 40 m except “for the purpose of saving life” (s. 35). No other relief.
• The regulations date from 1986 and name no competency standard; adopt CSA Z275.4 by policy.

Status. Verified against the official text on 2026-10-23 (the board’s rendering of the regulations read). The regulation’s citation details and later amendments were not confirmed.

Law. Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, Part 20 (diving operations, s. 290 and following) (Occupational Health and Safety Regulations [NT], 2024, ss. 290-296).

What must be covered.

• Divers. Only competent divers (Part 20).
• Decompression. Tables from Defence Research and Development Canada or an approved source (s. 292).
• Medical. A comprehensive medical every 12 months to CSA Z275.2-11 Appendices A and B, by a medical practitioner or nurse practitioner (s. 293, amended by R-094-2023).
• Team. A diving supervisor, a minimum crew and a dressed-in standby diver (s. 296); a tender, a dive plan, buddy-system rules and scuba and surface-supply rules.

Fire-service nuance.

• No public safety diving provisions and no emergency relief; a fire department dive team is subject to Part 20 in full.
• The s. 477 power to exempt a volunteer fire department covers Part 32 only, not diving.

Status. Verified against the official text on 2026-10-23 (consolidation in force since about 2024-09-26). Crew numbers in s. 296 were not extracted.

Law. Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, Part 20 (Occupational Health and Safety Regulations [NU], 2021, ss. 290-296).

What must be covered.

• Medical. An annual medical to CSA Z275.2-11 Appendices A and B, now by a medical practitioner or nurse practitioner (s. 293, amended by R-041-2025).
• Team and plan. A standby diver, crew and dive plan as in the Northwest Territories (s. 296).

Fire-service nuance.

• No public safety diving provisions and no emergency relief.

Status. Verified against the official text on 2026-10-23 (official consolidation 2021-09-28 with R-041-2025). Crew numbers were not extracted.

Law. Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, Part XVIII (diving operations, ss. 18.1 to 18.53) (Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations [CA], 2026, ss. 18.1-18.25, 18.40).

What must be covered.

• Dive types. Type 1 dives are research dives and dives “to gather evidence or information relating to a crime”, without decompression and no deeper than 40 m; every other dive is type 2 (s. 18.1).
• Procedures. Written procedures for each type of dive, hazards and emergencies, with the emergency procedures reviewed at least once a year (s. 18.4).
• Training and competency. Instruction and training for the dives and equipment, and an annual demonstration of competence (s. 18.5); first aid, CPR and diving-injury training, and oxygen therapy training where oxygen is provided (s. 18.6).
• Medical. A medical examination within the last two years and a declaration of fitness, using CSA Z275.2-92 Appendices A and B as a guideline (s. 18.7).
• Dive plan. For each dive, covering duties, equipment, breathing supply and reserve, thermal protection, limits, emergency procedures, communications, termination and lockout of hazardous machinery (s. 18.9).
• Team. At least two divers at every dive site, one designated as dive supervisor; a tender for surface-supplied dives; a boat operator for dives from a boat (s. 18.10); a standby diver at all times for type 2 dives (s. 18.13).
• Emergency support. Arranged assistance, 24-hour medical support with communication, and evacuation to a hyperbaric chamber (s. 18.15).
• Air and records. Compressors and filters tested annually (s. 18.24); training and competency records kept while the employee is a diver (s. 18.40).

Fire-service nuance.

• Rescue and recovery dives are type 2 dives, with the standby diver rule, unless they are evidence dives that meet every type 1 condition.
• Part XVIII does not apply where the offshore petroleum diving regulations apply (s. 18.2).

Status. Verified against the official text on 2026-10-23 (consolidated to 2026-09-30).