Rules for diving

Before planning any form of diving at Kristineberg, it's important to contact our Diving Activity Supervisor well in advance. They will provide you with further instructions and issue a diving permit.

The following rules and regulations must be adhered to for all diving activities at Kristineberg, whether for studies, research, or material collection:

• The Swedish Work Environment Authority Statutes - Diving Work (AFS 2010:16)
• Diving rules at University of Gothenburg (pdf)

All diving is voluntary.

Scientific diving

For lighter scientific diving in duty (researchers, visiting scientists, postgraduate students and other staff) the diver shall:

• have a valid professional diving certificate at least in line with Swedish certificate S30 (corresponding to IDSA Level 1) or a European Scientific Diver (ESD) Certificate
• have completed and been approved for diving at a medical checkup according to AFS 2019:3 (pdf, in Swedish) or have an equivalent foreign certificate
• have undergone CPR training within the last three years
• when using any project owned / personal diving equipment, it must be CE marked and comply with regulations from The Swedish Work Environment Authority and have completed service / maintenance by authorized diving company within the past 12 months
• have a certificate from head of department / employer, that the person is trained, approved and insured for the specified diving work

More complex projects (for example dives in water with strong currents, under ice, offshore, at larger depths or where heavy equipment is used) may incur additional competence requirements.

A diving supervisor shall plan and, at the dive site, lead and supervise diving operations. The one who will lead a dive shall be trained at least in line with Swedish diving supervisor S30 (DykL S) or Advanced European Scientific Diver (AESD) but at more complicated tasks, additional skills may be required.

Before and after the dive

Before the dive a written Dive plan and Risk assessment shall be carried out by the diving supervisor. This shall be archived.

After the dive, dives shall be logged in the digital dive journal of the University of Gothenburg. To get access to the dive journal, contact diving activity supervisor. The diver is also responsible for dive documentation in his/her private logbook.

A dive team at scientific diving / work diving shall consist of at least 3 persons; a diving supervisor with at least DykLS or AESD certificate, a diver and a standby diver, both with at least S30 or ESD certificate. The diving supervisor determines in dive planning / risk assessment, whether more persons should join the dive team to carry out the dive safely.

Any diving incident shall be reported in the system för incident and deviation management (IA), which employees at the University of Gothenburg find in the Staff portal. Others shall contact diving activity supervisor. Report form as pdf can be downloaded from this web page.

To find out more about scientific diving in Sweden, you can go to the Swedish scientific diving committee and in Europe the European scientific diving panel.

Diving within education

When diving as part of university studies, training and skills development, the diving supervisor determines what previous skills is required for the individual dive. According to Diving regulations at the University of Gothenburg, the diver performing diving within education shall:

• have a minimum level of proficiency of CMAS**, PADI Rescue Diver or equivalent certification level for scuba divers
• have completed and been approved for diving at a medical checkup according to AFS 2019:3 (pdf, in Swedish) or have an equivalent foreign certificate
• have undergone CPR training within the last three years
• if using any personal diving equipment diving equipment, it must be CE marked and comply with regulations from The Swedish Work Environment Authority and have completed service / maintenance by authorized diving company within the past 12 months

The smallest diving team within education consists of 3 persons; a dive supervisor with at least DykLS or AESD certificate, the person undergoing the training and a diver with a minimum of S30 or ESD certificate. The diving shall be planned and documented as scientific diving.

Recreational diving

Recreational diving is an opportunity for students and staff to experience the environment they work in. It can also promote training to become a scientific diver. The centre has no responsibility for what staff and students do in their spare time but work at centre often means spending leisure time there. At leisure time you are allowed to rent boats and use diving facilities or compressor, if you have the required skills. The diver should then:

• have a minimum skill level of CMAS**, PADI Rescue Diver or equivalent certification level for scuba divers
• be able to show a valid declaration of health / medical examination according to recommendations from SSDF or another educational system
• have undergone CPR training within the last three years
• if using personal diving equipment, you must present service certification of the equipment according to recommendations from manufacturer
• have a diving included leisure time accident insurance
• conduct dives according to Svenska sportdykarförbundets (SSDF) diving practice

Snorkelling

Snorkelling can be used for observations and lighter work in marine environment.

• If snorkelling only at the surface, an observer in a boat or on shore is enough, and if risk of boat traffic an alpha flag should be used.
• Snorkelling should always be done in pairs having visual contact; this means that one person should constantly be in the water and observe the snorkelling person.
• When snorkelling only normal weight load is permitted and you must not perform work involving risk of entangling.
• Snorkelling is permitted to a maximum depth of 10 metres and not deeper than the Secchi depth.
• No snorkelling may take place at water temperatures below 4 °C or in strong currents.

Collaboration for scientific diving

Through the University of Gothenburg, the centre is part of a collaboration with YRGO (Yrkeshögskolan i Göteborg), Dykarskolan i Stockholm, Svenska vetenskapsdykarkommittén (VDK), Nätverk svensk dykning (NSD) and European Scientific Dive Panel (ESDP) in order to develop scientific diving nationally and internationally and to promote safety around scientific diving.