HSE banner

Schedule 1 - Offshore diving

The class of Offshore Diving(1) is defined as all diving:

  1. at sea outside the United Kingdom territorial sea adjacent to Great Britain (generally 12 nautical miles from the low water line) which is covered by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Application outside Great Britain) Order 2001(2).  This will include all diving operations in UK designated areas of the continental shelf undertaken in connection with offshore installations, wells and pipeline works, and with those parts of mines which extend outside the 12-mile limit;
  2. at sea off, or in connection with, offshore installations and pipeline works within the 12-mile limit;
  3. where closed bell or saturation diving techniques are used;
  4. from vessels maintaining station by the use of dynamic positioning.

HSE approves the following qualifications for the class of offshore diving.

1.      For closed bell diving or saturation diving techniques:

Great Britain

  • HSE Closed Bell Diving
  • HSE Part II
  • HSE Part II (Restricted) (Air range only)
  • Transitional Part II (issued between 1 July 1981 - 31 December 1981)
  • TSA or MSC Bell Diving (issued between August 1975 and June 1981)

Australia

  • Diver Accreditation Scheme - Part 4 - [Closed Bell]

Canada

  • Category 3 Diver - [Closed Bell]
  • Bell Diver - [Closed Bell]

France

  • Classe 3 - Mention A - [Closed Bell]

Netherlands

  • Duikarbeid Categorie C - [Closed Bell]

Norway

  • Dykkersertifikat Klasse II - Klokkedykker - [Diving Certificate Class II - Bell Diver] - [Closed Bell]

South Africa

  • Class 1 - Saturation Diver - [Closed Bell]

Spain

  • Buceador Instructor - [Closed Bell]
  • Buceador de Primera Clase o de gran profundidad - [Closed Bell]

Sweden

  • Certifikat C - [Closed Bell]

2.      For surface supplied, surface-orientated diving techniques to a maximum depth of 50 metres:

Great Britain

  • HSE Closed Bell Diving
  • HSE Part II
  • HSE Part II (Restricted) (Air range only)
  • Transitional Part II (issued between 1 July 1981 - 31 December 1981)
  • TSA or MSC Bell Diving (issued between August 1975 and June 1981)
  • HSE Surface Supplied Diving + HSE Surface Supplied Diving (Top-Up)
  • HSE Part I
  • Transitional Part I (issued between 1 July 1981 - 31 December 1981)
  • TSA or MSC Basic Air Diving (issued between August 1975 and June 1981)
  • HSE Part III + HSE Surface Supplied Diving (Top-Up)
  • Transitional Part III (issued between 1 July 1981 - 31 December 1981) + HSE Surface Supplied Diving (Top-Up)
  • The following UK Military Diving Qualifications (3) + HSE Surface Supplied Diving (Top-Up):
    • Royal Navy - Clearance Diving Officer - Professional Qualifying Course
    • Royal Navy - Diver 1 - Professional Qualifying Course
    • Army - Army Diving Course
    • Army - Advanced Diver Course
    • Army - Diving Course Module 2
    • Army - Diver Class 1

Australia

  • Diver Accreditation Scheme - Part 3 - [SCUBA, Surface Supplied & Surface Supplied (Top-Up)]
  • Diver Accreditation Scheme - Part 3 - Restricted (4) - [SCUBA & Surface Supplied] + HSE Surface Supplied (Top-Up)
  • Diver Accreditation Scheme - Part 4 - [Closed Bell]

Belgium

  • Operator Van Onderwaterwerken/Operateur de Travaux Subaquatiques - [SCUBA & Surface Supplied] + HSE Surface Supplied Diving (Top-Up)

Canada

  • Category 1 Diver - [Surface Supplied & Surface Supplied (Top-Up)]
  • Category 2 Diver - [Surface Supplied & Surface Supplied (Top-Up)]
  • Category 3 Diver - [Closed Bell]
  • Bell Diver - [Closed Bell]
  • Surface Supplied Mixed Gas Diver to 70m - [Surface Supplied & Surface Supplied (Top-Up)]
  • Unrestricted Surface Supplied Diver to 50m - [Surface Supplied & Surface Supplied (Top-Up)]

Denmark

  • Erhvervsdykker - [Air Diving Qualification] - [SCUBA, Surface Supplied & Surface Supplied (Top-Up)]

Finland

  • Ammattisukeltajan Ammattitutkinto - [Professional Diver] - [Surface Supplied & SCUBA] + HSE Surface Supplied Diving (Top-Up)

France

  • Classe 2 - Mention A - [SCUBA, Surface Supplied & Surface Supplied (Top-Up)]
  • Classe 3 - Mention A - [Closed Bell]

Germany

  • Geprüfter Taucher/Geprüfte Taucherin – [Inspected/Examiner/Qualified Diver] - [SCUBA & Surface Supplied] + HSE Surface Supplied Diving (Top-Up)

Ireland

  • Commercial Surface Supplied Diving - [SCUBA & Surface Supplied] + HSE Surface Supplied Diving (Top-Up)

Netherlands

  • Duikarbeid Categorie B - [SCUBA, Surface Supplied & Surface Supplied (Top-Up)]
  • Duikarbeid Categorie C - [Closed Bell]

Northern Ireland (5)

  • Part I - [equivalent to HSE Part I]

Norway

  • Dykkersertifikat Klasse I - Overflateorientertdykker - [Diving Certificate Class I - Surface Orientated Diver] - [SCUBA, Surface Supplied & Surface Supplied (Top-Up)]
  • Dykkersertifikat Klasse II - Klokkedykker - [Diving Certificate Class II - Bell Diver] - [Closed Bell]

Portugal

The following qualifications + HSE Surface Supplied Diving (Top-Up):

  • Professional divers (mergulhadores profeissionais) and the equivalent category (categorias) naval qualifications (mergulhadores da Armada):
    • Mergulhador - Chefe - [SCUBA & Surface Supplied to 60m]
    • Mergulhador - 1a Classe - [SCUBA & Surface Supplied to 60m]

South Africa

  • Class I - Saturation Diver - [Closed Bell]
  • Class II - Surface-Supplied Mixed Gas Diver - [SCUBA, Surface Supplied & Surface Supplied (Top-Up)]
  • Class II - Surface-Supplied Air Diver - [SCUBA, Surface Supplied & Surface Supplied (Top-Up)]

Spain

  • Buceador Instructor - [Closed Bell]
  • Buceador de Primera Clase o de gran profundidad - [Closed Bell]
  • Técnico en Buceo a Media Profundidad - [SCUBA, Surface Supplied & Surface Supplied (Top-Up)]
  • Buceador de Segunda Clase o de media profundidad - [SCUBA & Surface Supplied] + HSE Surface Supplied Diving (Top-Up)
  • Buceador/A 2a Clase - [SCUBA & Surface Supplied] + HSE Surface Supplied Diving (Top-Up)
  • Bussejador/A 2A. Classe - [SCUBA & Surface Supplied] + HSE Surface Supplied Diving (Top-Up)

Sweden

  • Certifikat B - [Surface Supplied to 50m]
  • Certifikat C - [Closed Bell]

Footnotes

  1. See also: Commercial diving projects offshore: Diving at Work Regulations 1997, Approved Code of Practice, ISBN 0 7176 1494 8. back
  2. S.I. 2001 No. 2127. back
  3. Certificate includes the text:
    The Royal Navy or Army [Course Name] has been incorporated into the Health and Safety Executive List of Approved Qualifications under Regulation 14(1) of the Diving at Work regulations 1997.
    Note: Some of the course names have minor text variations. back
  4. ADAS Part 3 - Restricted certification means the holder has not completed the ADAS wet bell, hot water suit and tool skill modules. back
  5. Issued by the Department of Economic Development, Northern Ireland back

Diving at work regulations 1997