REPOST: The Life of a Nuclear Diver

Commercial and professional diving encompasses a wide array of conditions, each with their own requirements. William L. Sheaffer of DivingHeritage.com shares his experiences as a nuclear diver and describes the precautions and equipment used in the practice.

Commercial diving comes with its fair share of problems and challenges. Disorientation, temperature, strong currents, depth, and low visibility are a few of the challenges that divers face daily. Now consider those are gone and a new challenge is presented, one that cannot be seen, touched, tasted, or smelled. This challenge is radiation and to a nuclear diver it is a very real and potentially hazardous occupation.

Image source: DivingHeritage.com

In today’s world of heightened security due to the risk of terrorism, the nuclear power industry is always on watch. For a worker just to get through the door, a series of prerequisites must be fulfilled. A psychological evaluation, FBI back ground screening, drug screening, and many hours of education are required. The classroom training is on how the plant operates, fall protection, confined space, foreign material exclusion, and of course, full radiation worker knowledge. Once all these are completed and accepted, an unescorted access will be granted and the worker can then enter the plant property. To enter the plant, the worker must pass through a bomb detector, a metal detector, and then a key card gate that also requires the worker’s hand geometry to be scanned. Once past the guard house, the nuclear workers can begin the role for with they were hired, nuclear divers.

Image source: DivingHeritage.com

Depending on the location of the dive operation, many hours of meetings with engineers, radiation protection, and the client are required. The dive crew must have a full understanding of the work location, work to be performed, water temperature, water depth, and potential radiation dose sources. Generally these meetings are referred to as briefs, but by no means are they brief. These briefs can normally take up to several hours and much patience, but that is all part of the job.

In water temperatures exceeding 95 degrees F, a diver can quickly become fatigued and run the risk of possible heat stress. If the dive location is found to exceed this temperature level, several options must be considered. The use of temperature reducing gear for the diver is one option or the possibility of postponing the job until temperatures can be reduced is another. Normally the second option is not possible due to the time it would take to reduce temperatures. So the option of gear used by the diver is on the top of the list. The modern nuclear diver has two reliable options to reduce the temperature inside the suit, one is an ice vest and the other is a cool suit. An ice vest is a good option if the dive will be short, since the ice in the vest will melt, eventually causing the diver’s temperature to rise. A cool suit is a much better option since it is more reliable and will keep temperatures low during the full length of the dive. The cool suit was a joint design conducted by divers and astronaut suit engineers, allowing for bottom times of over an hour in water exceeding 120 degrees F. It is a light weight Dacron material with small diameter Tygon tubing sewn into the exterior of the suit. The Tygon tubing allows for chilled water to pass through, constantly keeping the diver’s body temperature much cooler than the surrounding water. The chilled water is normally kept in a small cooler that is mixed with ice and circulated to the diver using a small air powered pump. On larger dive jobs involving more than one diver in the water at a time, a refrigerator pump unit is used.

Radiation Protection

Before any diving can be done, a meeting with Radiation Protection (RPs) needs to be scheduled so understandings between both groups can be achieved. The RPs should have up to date dose rates for the job location, so the divers know what they can expect underwater. The RPs and divers also need to agree upon where dosimetry packs will be placed on the diver’s body. The packs are small electronic dosimeters (EDs) that record the amount of radiation dose the diver is receiving. Each ED is placed on a section of the diver’s body, which normally is on the feet, legs, chest, arms, and head (picture 1). The EDs are linked by wires to a central transmitter unit usually attached to the diver’s back. On the outside of the suit is a receiving unit antenna attached to a cable mated to the dive umbilical. Topside this cable is attached to a computer for the RPs to monitor in real time the radiation field and the dose the diver has received. This is one of the most vital portions of the nuclear diver’s equipment. If one of these units were to fail, most likely the dive is terminated until the problem can be located and fixed.

The divers' outfit

On the day of the dive it is time to get dressed up; the diver has on a cool suit with all EDs attached to the outside. As the diver marches up to the fuel floor, RPs are in tow to make sure everything is ok and the EDs aren’t bumped. The rest of the dive crew has been on station for nearly an hour now, to do their last minute checks and make sure everything is ready for the diver. Once the diver is on the floor, all attention is directed to the diver for a timely suit up and water entry. The diver’s suit is made of vulcanized rubber (ex. Viking, Hunter..) which limits the amount of contamination, is easily cleaned, and waterproof “most of the time”. The cool suit has hook-ups inside the dry suit which look similar to the inflator valve on any dry suit. On the exterior of the suit is an identical hook-up which is attached to the cool water hose. At this time the cool suit will be hooked up to make sure the diver’s cool suit is working correctly and to start cooling the diver who is already beginning to heat up. After the suit is zipped up, two layers of rubber gloves are attached to the hard cuffs on the dry suit. This allows the diver to have dexterity while limiting the amount of contamination to the hands, especially if the outer layer happens to rip. Next up is the external antenna attached to the divers harness. This will enable the RPs to verify all the dosimetry is working and all the packs are transmitting. As with normal dry suit diving, weight is essential, so on comes the heavy belt with solid weights. In the past small shot lead weights have broken and caused foreign material issues, thus the reason for solid weights. Last but not least is the helmet, which normally is a Desco air hat, due to it’s positive pressure free flow, and smooth cleanable surface, it is the preferred hat for nuke work. The suit is fitted with a Desco neck yoke that mates up to the hat and makes a water proof seal. Once the hat is on and cammed up the diver quickly but safely enters the water, that is a lot of weight to have on in the dry (picture 2).

Image source: DivingHeritage.com

The Amp 100

Once the diver is in the water, an Amp 100 is lowered. The Amp 100 is a radiation sensing device that allows the diver to give a more accurate survey of the work area. This device is also very useful for acquiring dose rates on items that might be found on the bottom. Due to the possibility of irradiated items, this will tell the diver if that item can be picked up or just pushed off to the side. After the RPs have given the ok, the diver can then proceed with the objective at hand (picture 3)(picture 4)(picture 5). If dose rates are found to be higher than expected an underwater vacuum can be used to help remove contaminates from that area. If a vacuum is not an option, the placement of lead blankets can be used to help lower the amount of dose the diver will receive.

Once the diver has completed the assigned task, it is time to clean up the work area. The tenders will start to bring items up to the surface as with normal clean diving operations. As these items are being raised, anything coming out of the water must be rinsed with de-mineralized water and wiped down. Thoroughly cleaning these items will ensure the prevention of the top side personnel from being exposed to potentially hot particles. Hot particles are small bits of irradiated material, which are usually too small to see with the naked eye. If these particles are left out of their water shielding, it could cause extreme dose to be received by the workers. After all the tools and equipment are cleaned up, it’s time for the diver to come up. As with everything leaving the water the umbilical and the diver must be washed down. Special attention must be placed on rinsing the diver’s hands and feet which come in the most contact with contaminates on the bottom. Once the diver is clear of the water, the tenders and RPs go into action. The tenders quickly wipe the diver down, trying to get all drops of water off the suit. While the tenders are drying, the RPs are using meters to survey the diver and assure there are no hot particles on the suit. By this time the diver is tired, so in reverse order of donning the equipment, the tenders assist in quickly but carefully removing the gear. Once clear of all the gear the diver is marched back off the floor by the RPs. They will first ensure there are not contaminates on the cool suit or dosimeters, if clean the packs are removed and the diver is clean to change back into clothes. If the diver is found to be contaminated, then it’s off to the showers to clean up and hopefully make it past the radiation contamination monitors, thus ending another nuclear dive (picture 6).

Conclusion

Over the many years, the nuclear power industry and commercial diving companies have been working together to form a state of the art partnership. Cooperation by both groups have developed solutions to problems in a more practical format. Instead of draining an entire pool to perform a job that would be costly to the plant and cause extreme dose rates for its workers, divers have been implemented. When emergencies happen, divers are usually the first to be called in to assist. They have worked in spent fuel pools, performing re-racks, which allow for more storage of spent fuel rods. They’ve gone into fuel transfer canals to replace sensors and repaired broken transfer carts which move the fuel bundles. They’ve welded on steam dryers, which have been cracked and needed modifications. They’ve mended broken equipment above the reactor which would have left the plant in a complete shut down unless repaired. They’ve even worked in the reactor several feet above live fuel to repair flow nozzles, and recover lost items which could damage the fuel rods. All the while performing their work as professionals even knowing that for each day the plant is not producing power, it’s loosing upwards of a million dollars a day. No time pressure!

Learn more about professional and commercial diving safety from this Phil Newsum blog.

REPOST: Badass dive suit will make even astronauts jealous

With Nuytco’s $600,000 Exosuit, the tedious decompressing after prolonged diving is now a thing of the past. Wired.com fills in the specifics.

Image Source: www.wired.com

After eight hours underwater at a depth of 1,000 feet, a diver must spend 10 days in a decompression chamber. That’s why shipwreck salvagers and pipeline inspectors use submarines or unmanned rovers. Now there’s a better solution: Nuytco’s Exosuit. The articulated shell keeps its inhabitant at surface atmosphere while enabling free movement on the seafloor. Divers have worn a version of the $600,000 suit to do internal repairs on New York City water supply pipes and will soon use one to check for oil pipeline leaks off Dubai. With thrusters and an optional hook hand, the Exosuit is way more badass than scuba gear.

1// Helmet The domed window lets divers see past their chest down to their feet. That means they don’t have to contort to see what they’re working on.

2// Air Two redundant oxygen systems provide up to 50 hours of air, which is constantly recirculated through carbon dioxide scrubbers.

3// Thrusters Divers control four 1.6-horsepower thrusters with their feet. If your mission needs more juice, you can upgrade to eight thrusters.

4// Telemetry A fiber-optic cable connection allows topside monitoring and control of the suit in case the diver loses consciousness.

5// Manipulators The suit comes with accessories: claws for all occasions, including large and small grippers for different sized objects, a saw for cutting lines, and a hook.

6// Extreme flexibility Eighteen rotary joints in the arms and legs allow the diver to bend and flex freely.

Phil Newsum is executive director of the Association of Diving Contractors International Inc., an organization dedicated in promoting safety in the commercial diving industry. To learn more about safety in diving, whether commercial or recreational, click here.

REPOST: 5 best diving spots to warm your bones

Need a get-away vacation from the bitter cold of winter? FOX News lists these five beautiful spots around the world for scuba diving and snorkeling. Boasting a wonder of underwater treasures, these places will not only warm your bones but also your heart. Take the plunge!

With all the snow and bitter cold we’ve had this winter, it’s hard to imagine jumping into a large body of water. But not far away, there are plenty of warm places where you can not only splash and swim, but dive deep below the ocean’s surface to discover a wonder of underwater treasures.

Here are our top picks for “hot” places to scuba dive and snorkel this winter:

Image Source: foxnews.com

1. Snorkel the Philippines

On the other side of the world, there are some amazing hidden destinations in the Pacific Ocean that offer spectacular scuba diving and snorkeling. The Coral Triangle, recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and described as the underwater equivalent of the Amazon, includes the waters of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. It is named for its vast variety of corals, some 600 different species. And, according to the World Wildlife Fund, the area is home to six of the seven world marine turtle species and more than 2000 species of fish.

You can snorkel over vast corals and World War II shipwrecks, and you can scuba dive into the sunken vessels for an underwater history lesson. The Tubbataha Reef offers hundreds of feet of visibility, as well as sharks swimming nearby. Or you can head to nearby Anilao, Cebu or Calamaines Islands for more great reef diving.

Wilderness Travel offers guided snorkeling adventures to the Philippines in the company of a marine biologist on their Philippines Snorkeling Expedition. The trip heads to the Central Visayas archipelago of islands for swimming with whale sharks, dolphin watching and night snorkels to find creatures like octopus not usually seen during the day. Accommodations include several dive and scuba resorts on the various islands. The excursion departs February through May.

Image Source: foxnews.com

2. “Buddy” up in Bonaire

Often referred to as a diver’s paradise, Bonaire, part of the Dutch Antilles in the Caribbean, 50 miles north of Venezuela, has an average forecast of 82 degrees and sunny year-round. Did we mention they also have 12 hours of daylight, because they are so close to the equator? And it’s easy to get there, with direct flights from Atlanta, New York, Houston and Miami.

Bonaire is known for “shore diving,” which means you literally put on your scuba gear, walk into the water and off you go. There are more than 50 easily accessible dive sites in Bonaire, mostly along the west coast, and each marked by a yellow stone, with natural reefs full of more than 400 colorful species of fish, eagle rays, sea turtles and coral, as well as several shipwrecks.

Buddy Dive is one of the most popular scuba dive resorts in Bonaire, offering two pools, 11 buildings with apartments, a restaurant, their famous drive-through air and Nitrox refill station and more. They are currently offering a Drive & Dive package that includes a 7-night stay, 7-day truck rental for driving to dive sites, 6 days of unlimited oxygen tank refills, daily breakfast buffet and airport transfers. If you book this package, they’ll throw in their coral restoration adventure dive, where you can help replenish the island’s coral, one of the earth’s most endangered species.

Image Source: foxnews.com

3. Dive the Depths of Dominica

Also in the Caribbean is Dominica, though it’s a bit harder to get to (you have to transfer at hubs in Antigua, Barbados, St. Maarten, Puerto Rico or others). Keep in mind that they tend to operate on “island time” there, so be sure to allow for delays. And if you don’t fly a major airline, anticipate expensive fees for checked luggage.

But once you get there, Dominica is a scuba diver’s dream, offering amazingly clear and fairly calm water. Here you’ll “boat dive,” meaning you’ll head to your dive site by boat and jump right in. Beneath the surface you’ll find canyons and cliffs, just like you see above, as well as steep walls, volcanic craters, huge stands of coral, species rarely found in other Caribbean diving spots, seahorses, squid, electric rays, frogfish and much more.

Close to the capital city of Roseau, the waterfront Fort Young Hotel, the location of a 300-year-old fort, is a good home base for divers on Dominica. It offers air-conditioned rooms with terraces or balconies, a swimming pool and Jacuzzi, a fully equipped gym, bars and restaurants and a private jetty with boats for divers.

Image Source: foxnews.com

4. Plunge the Depths of Palau

Also in the Western Pacific is the remote island of Palau, part of the Rock Islands and nicknamed “Rainbow’s End” because it’s so far away. It is not easy to get to, as you have to fly from Asia, but Palau is very much worth the hassle. Like Bonaire, its average temperature year round is 82 degrees, and it’s been named one of the underwater wonders of the world, as well as one of the world’s last Edens, by National Geographic.

In Palau, divers and snorkelers will find drop-offs, shallow reefs and channels beneath the sea. Reef walls in Palau team with marine life, schools of fish, old growth coral gardens and hidden marine lakes. Don’t miss snorkeling in Jellyfish Lake, an enclosed body of water filled with jellyfish that have lost their sting.

If navigating this far-off land sounds a bit overwhelming, consider traveling with a tour operator like Wilderness Travel, which offers a snorkeling and kayaking trip to Palau. On the 11-day trip, stay at luxury resorts on white sand beaches as well as several nights at a full-service campsite with fresh cooked meals and opportunities for stargazing. The tour includes plenty of snorkeling at key sites like Jellyfish Lake and the Big Drop-Off (a sheer wall plunging 1000 feet deep), a visit to a secluded lake surrounded by 300-foot rock walls and kayaking through a mangrove forest.

Image Source: foxnews.com

5. Drift in Cozumel

When it comes to Mexico, the island of Cozumel is a premier warm-weather diving and snorkeling site, with the second largest reef system in the world (Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is the largest). And it has lots of activities beyond snorkeling and scuba diving in the bustling town of San Miguel.

Easy to reach by plane from the U.S., Cozumel is known for its massive underwater walls and “drift diving,” where you drift along the water and the boat moves to you wherever you come afloat. In Cozumel, you’ll find a vast number of fish, corals, sponges, moray eels, nurse sharks, big stingrays, hawksbill turtles and lots of macro life within its clear blue and very warm waters.

Try the Hotel Cozumel & Resort, which is walking distance or a short cab ride away from the downtown area with many restaurants and bars, and just across from the water for easy access to diving boats. They offer 4- or 7-night diving packages that include accommodations and morning or afternoon dives, as well as all-inclusive meal plans. The hotel also has a beach club with beach access, several restaurants and bars, a gym, a large swimming pool, Jacuzzi and Kids Club.


Phil Newsum of the Association of Diving Contractors International, Inc. is an advocate of marine conservation. Visit this blog for more stories on underwater adventures.

Police divers continue explosives search in Perth waterways

Police divers continuously search the waterways surrounding Burbury, in an attempt to decipher the significance of two suspicious packages hidden under the Leschenault Estuary. The search focused on the areas surrounding the Leschenault jetty, close to where the second package of explosive was discovered.

Image Source: onlineathens.com

The two packages were originally thought to contain drugs, but instead contained triacetone triperoxide, or TATP. This was proven when a police officer suffered minor chemical burns while conducting presumptive testing on the substance, thinking it was a drug.

Image Source: wikimedia.org

TATP is a highly explosive powder than has been previously linked to terrorist attacks and suicide bombings, such as the 2005 London bombings which killed 25 people. Its whitish hue and powdery form make it appear similar to the drug methamphetamine. Since the incident, the police have carefully extracted the packages, and have safely detonated them in Gloucester Park.

Investigators are still trying to work out from who and where the packages of explosive came, and for what purpose they are intended. While there is still no credible intelligence concerning a coordinated attack, the possibility exists that the target and the purpose for the explosives are somehow connected to the upcoming Indian Ocean Rim Conference and its attending delegates.

Image Source: ausmilitary.com

Divers are also conducting what are called ‘clearance operations’ to ensure the safety of the people living near the area.

Phil Newsum is the Executive Director of the Association of Diving Contractors International, a non-profit organization concerned with issues related to commercial diving and commercial divers. Visit the ADCI website at www.adc-int.org for more information.

REPOST: Spectacular pictures show daredevils diving in for the ultimate thrill of swimming inches from 40-tonne whales

This article from Daily Mail features stunning photos of divers swimming with huge whales, as well as insights from one of the divers.

Swimming next to 40 tonne whales, dare-devil divers take the plunge with these gentle giants of the sea.

The amazing photographs were captured by an underwater diving company while out exploring the ocean in Tonga.

Deep sea swim: Swimming next to 40 tonne whales, dare-devil divers take the plunge with these gentle giants of the sea. Image Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

Scott Portelli, 41, manager of Swimming with Gentle Giants, said: 'I have been swimming with whales in Tonga for over 12 years.

'It's hard to describe a feeling, but from a visual perspective, we are in a vast blue environment with a 40 tonne, 18 metre long whale.

'Whales are the gentle giants of the sea and humpbacks specifically are the most charismatic, they are curious and will often seek out interactions with humans.

'I never feel in danger even though they have the ability to swipe me like a fly with their enormous tail if they wanted, but they are so thoughtful conscious of your space they will manoeuvre within inches of you.'

Image Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

As well as whales, other underwater life such as dolphins, manta rays, turtles, blue marlin, sharks and seals occasionally pop along to enjoy the experience.

Mr Portelli added: 'People have come out of the water in tears after being in the water with a whale; some cry with joy and amazement, and some just can't speak as they take in the experience.

'It is clear that its life changing for anyone that swims with a whale, their perspective changes, and swimming with whales is addictive, I have so many returning guests each year.

Life of luxury: Scott Portelli, 41, manager of Swimming with Gentle Giants, said: 'I have been swimming with whales in Tonga for over 12 years'. Image Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

'My simple aim is to raise awareness of these beautiful animals.

'The Japanese hunt 1050 whales every summer, but there is no reason for this lethal form of research.

'It is great being around like minded people as well as being able to bring joy to people that experience the whales, I couldn't imagine doing anything else.'

Phil Newsum is an advocate of commercial diving.  He serves as the executive director of the Association of Diving Contractors International, Inc.  Visit this Facebook page for more articles about diving.

REPOST: Underwater Scan Finds Significant Heart Changes in Divers

The Wall Street Journal’s Anne Lukits reports about a test that can be used to identify divers with undetected cardiac abnormalities which can put them at risk during a dive.

Image source: After the dive: The volume of the left ventricle, a lower heart chamber that pumps newly oxygenated blood to the body, increased significantly, while the flow of blood into the ventricles decreased.

An underwater ultrasound scan of scuba divers’ hearts found significant changes in cardiac function during and after a dive, according to a small study in the journal Acta Physiologica. The test could be used to identify novice scuba divers with undetected heart disease or cardiac abnormalities that might prove fatal during a dive, researchers said.

Scuba diving is growing in popularity among older Americans and heart attacks and unknown heart rhythms are the most common cause of diving-related deaths after age 40, according to the Divers Alert Network, a nonprofit research group.

The study, conducted in Italy, involved 18 scuba divers, including 16 men and two women. The participants were about 42 years old and each had made at least 100 dives. None smoked or had hypertension, heart or lung disease.

Cardiac-ultrasound tests were conducted on land before and after diving, and underwater at two depths. The divers wore suits with access for an ultrasound probe and maintained a kneeling position for 10 minutes at a depth of about 33 feet, then five minutes at 16.4 feet.

Among the heart changes recorded during and after the dive: The volume of the left ventricle, a lower heart chamber that pumps newly oxygenated blood to the body, increased significantly, while the flow of blood into the ventricles decreased. These changes may be due to a diving-related shift of blood from the lower extremities to the upper body, exerting a constrictive effect on the chest, the researchers said.

Bradycardia, the term for a slow resting heart rate, a condition that can cause dizziness and weakness if the rate falls below 50 beats per minute, was documented after but not during the scuba diving. The cardiovascular changes that occur during immersion may increase the risk of cardiac problems in divers who are unfit, overweight or have underlying heart disease, researchers said.

Caveat: Heart rate may have been higher underwater because divers were disturbed or stressed by the ultrasound tests, researchers said.

Regular health check is one of the safety protocols in diving that professionals like Phil Newsum advocate. For regular updates on commercial and leisure diving, subscribe to this Facebook page.

Diving deeper: Life in a saturation chamber

Saturation diving requires divers to remain in a pressurized chamber for days on end to allow their bodies a considerable amount of time to become adapted to the high-pressure environments of the deep. This has the advantage of allowing them to decompress at a much shorter span of time than if they were to make repeated dives at great depths.

Image source: Best Diving

Saturation chambers called deep diving systems (DDS) allow divers to remain in an underwater setting for multiple days, even weeks at a time. These serve as a pressurized temporary home for the divers, and contain all the necessary facilities to keep the divers alive and comfortable throughout their stay, including toilets, sleeping quarters, a built-in breathing system, a medical facility, tables, and chairs. Food and water are sent down through the system by vault.

Image source: The Underwater Centre

Divers go in and out of the DDS through a personal transport with a pressure similar both to the outside and inside the DDS. Each of the personnel in the transport take turns accomplishing a task.

Image source: Oceangate

A team of six divers can live continuously in the DDS for a month, with at least one diver in active duty at any given time. This is far more time-saving than conventional diving apparatuses due to the amount of decompression time that has been condensed.


Phil Newsum is with the Association of Diving Contractors International, a regulatory organization committed to upholding safety practices in commercial diving. Get updates on the Twitter.