Life Support Technician

Morrison

14d•Onsite

About The Position

The life-support technician is utilized in the saturation diving mode and reports directly to the diving supervisor. The basic function of the position is to monitor the life support systems of divers during diving operations. The duties and responsibilities of life-support technicians will vary depending on the diving mode employed, but at a minimum they shall control and constantly monitor the hyperbaric environment and system in which divers live while saturation diving. They will maintain the proper atmosphere (e.g., correct levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide and other gases) and pressure in the saturation complex according to employer’s policy and as directed by the Diving Supervisor. They will also maintain the proper environment (i.e., temperature and humidity) at levels suitable for current depth as the diver’s comfort indicates. Ensuring all gases to be used during the dive have been properly analyzed and have been receipted for and logged in before being placed online is also a key responsibility. Decompressing divers according to established schedules as directed by the Diving Supervisor, maintaining communication with divers, and calibrating monitoring instruments at regular intervals or when accuracy is suspect are also critical functions. The technician must maintain an accurate record of events in the form of a saturation log, pertaining to the diving system, including various readings, gas changes, scrubber changes, medical lock runs, diver sleep cycles, system hygiene, instrument calibration, bell operations, environmental control system settings, equipment status, chamber hygiene, disinfection, diver prophylaxis, and any unusual events or articles entering the system. They are responsible for maintaining the diver’s requirements within the diving complex, ensuring matters of safety and well-being such as food, drinks, entertainment, personal hygiene, laundry, and sanitary matters are promptly carried out. The technician must be aware of all items entering or leaving the system, supervise these operations, and prevent prohibited items from entering. They will advise the diving supervisor of the diver’s status regularly or as conditions dictate, be alert for emergencies, and keep traffic in the control van to a minimum. Maintaining an adequate supply of the correct breathing mixture to the diver, correct supply over-pressure for depth and apparatus, and having standby banks ready are essential. Following tables correctly and accurately, switching breathing mixtures at the proper time and depth, and recording gas consumption data are also required. Assisting in the maintenance of all diving equipment and the training of Diver Tenders and new personnel, reporting unsafe situations to the Dive Supervisor, and maintaining certification in First Aid and CPR with a thorough knowledge of emergency procedures and the diagnosis and treatment of decompression sickness are also part of the role. The technician must be aware at all times of the actions carried out by personnel temporarily under their supervision and be informed beforehand of any activity to be carried out on the diving complex or its support equipment.

Requirements

Conduct such operations as may be required or directed by the Dive Supervisor.
Possess the knowledge and ability to perform the duties listed below within the scope of the assignment.
This knowledge and skill will have been obtained by a combination of on-site experience and training.
Maintain a personal log book that includes the details of their work experience and qualifications.
Association of Diving Contractors (ADC) accredited school
Successful completion of the ADCI life-support technician exam
TWIC
SafeGulf
Rigger
Water Survival
First Aid & CPR
Life Support Technician Certification
100 field days as an Assistant Life Support Technician

Responsibilities

Control and constantly monitor the hyperbaric environment and system in which divers live while saturation diving.
Maintain proper atmosphere (e.g., correct levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide and other gases) and pressure in the saturation complex according to employer’s policy and as directed by the Diving Supervisor.
Maintain proper environment (i.e., temperature and humidity) at levels suitable for current depth as the diver’s comfort indicates.
Ensure all gases to be used during the dive have been properly analyzed and have been receipted for and logged in before being placed online.
Decompress divers according to established schedules as directed by the Diving Supervisor.
Maintain communication with divers.
Calibrate, at regular intervals, all monitoring instruments that require, by their design, periodic calibration, or at any time the accuracy of the instrument is suspect.
Maintain an accurate record of events, in the form of a saturation log, pertaining to the diving system. All readings taken and actions during the shift must be entered in the log. The information in the saturation log shall include: Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide readings, Depth changes and temperature and humidity readings, Gas changes and BIBS usage details, Carbon Dioxide scrubber changes, Medical lock runs, with record of items locked in or out, Individual diver’s sleep cycles, Showers, flushes and drains, Calibration of instruments, Bell on and off systems and crew TUPs, Changes to settings on the environmental control system and record of equipment status, Chamber hygiene an disinfection and diver’s ear prophylaxis, Any event outside normal chamber routines, Any articles entering the system.
Maintain the diver’s requirements within the diving complex. All matters that concern the diver’s safety and well-being are promptly carried out. These include such items as food, drinks, entertainment, personal hygiene, laundry and sanitary matters, etc.
Be aware at all times of all items being sent in or out of the system, and supervise all such operations.
Prevent prohibited items from entering the system.
Advise the diving supervisor of the diver’s status at regular intervals or as conditions dictate.
Be alert for emergencies.
Keep traffic in the control van to a minimum.
Maintain adequate supply of the correct breathing mixture to the diver.
Maintain correct supply over-pressure for depth and apparatus.
Have standby banks ready.
Follow the tables in use correctly and accurately.
Switch breathing mixtures at the proper time and depth.
Record gas consumption data as directed.
Assist in the maintenance of all diving equipment.
Assist in the training of Diver Tenders and new personnel.
Report a potentially unsafe situation or condition to the Dive Supervisor.
Maintain certification in First Aid and CPR, and have a thorough working knowledge of emergency procedures and the diagnosis and treatment of decompression sickness.
Be aware at all times of the actions carried out by personnel temporarily under his or her supervision. The life-support technician must be informed beforehand of any activity to be carried out on the diving complex, its support equipment, or in the near vicinity by other personnel.