The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has published the following documents from August to October: Marine guidelines: • IMCA M117 - Code of practice for the training and experience of key DP personnel • IMCA M149 - Common marine inspection document • IMCA M167 - Guidance on the IMCA eCMID system • IMCA M189 - Common marine inspection document for small workboats (Marine inspection for small workboats) • IMCA M190 - Code of practice for developing and conducting DP annual trials programmes. • IMCA M194 - Recommended practice on wire rope integrity management for vessels in the offshore industry. • IMCA M223 - Guidance for the positioning of dynamically positioned (DP) jack-up vessels on and off the seabed. • IMCA M264 - IMCA Code of practice for offshore cable laying in the renewable energy industry. Diving guidelines • IMCA D003 - Guidelines for oxy-arc cutting • IMCA D006 - Guidance on diving operations in the vicinity of pipelines. • IMCA D 014 - IMCA international code of practice for offshore diving. • IMCA D017 - Lost bell survival • IMCA D0045 - Code of practice for the safe use of electricity under water. • IMCA D065 - Guidance on the use of whip checks (hose restraints). • IMCA D079 - Subsea Power Cables • IMCA D080 - Requirements for IMCA-Approved Trainee Dive System Inspector Training Courses. • IMCA D081 - Accredited Diving System Inspector Certification Scheme. Health. Safety, Security, & Environment (HSSE, formerly SEL) • IMCA HSSE014 - Guidance on travel security. • IMCA HSSE019 - Recommended practice on wire rope integrity management for vessels in the offshore industry. Lifting & rigging • IMCA LR001 - Recommended practice on wire rope integrity management for vessels in the offshore industry. Offshore survey • IMCA S004 - Common marine inspection document for small workboats (Marine inspection for small workboats). ROV division • IMCA R002 - Requirements for IMCA-approved ROV introductory training courses.

The Marine Technology Society has recently published the following articles:

UT Two - Underwater technology - Issue 5/ 2023. This document, published by “UT2 Publishing” for and on behalf of the Society for Underwater Technology, provides articles on recent technologies and manufacturer addresses.

Underwater robotics - Issue 10 This document, also published by “UT2 Publishing” for and on behalf of the Society for Underwater Technology, provides articles on Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV), and Autonomus Underwater Vehicles (AUV), in addition to manufacturer addresses.

The key benefits of Manned Underwater Vehicles for solving subsea challenges. This small 1 page article aims to promote the use of manned underwater vehicles as suggested by its title.

About cutting procedures We note that two organizations, IOGP and IMCA, have recently published cutting procedure guidelines (which may be an indicator that both organizations are closely linked). On our side, we continue to recommend the publications from Francis Hermans, as they are among the most well-documented regarding these activities and are of a technical level above the documents from the two organizations mentioned above. These papers are in our database (see in “Diving and ROV procedures”) and can be downloaded by clicking on the text and covers of the descriptions below. Note that the US Navy “Underwater cutting and welding manual” is also available in our database..

The US Navy “Underwater cutting and welding manual” discusses all the cutting and welding procedures that can be used for the operations mentioned above and, thus, remains a reference to be considered alongside the documents from Francis Hermans.

The South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society (SPUMS), jointly with the European Underwater and Baromedical Society (EUBS), published the following paid articles in the third issue, Volume 53, of their journal Issue 3, available now via society login or through this internet address: https://www.dhmjournal.com/index.php/purchase- an-embargoed-article. • Hyperbaric oxygen treatment in children: experience in 329 patients. Author: Aydin F. • Selecting optimal air diving gradient factors for Belgian military divers: more conservative settings are not necessarily safer. Authors: De Ridder S, Pattyn N, Neyt X, Germonpré P. • Atypical distally distributed cutis marmorata decompression sickness associated with unconventional use of thermal protection in a diver with persistent foramen ovale. Authors: Magri Gatt P, Diacono E, Matity L, Magri K. • Self-reported vitality and health status are higher in Dutch submariners than in the general population. Authors: Houtkooper A, Wingelaar TT, Endert EL, van Ooij PJAM • Contemporary practices of blood glucose management in diabetic patients: a survey of hyperbaric medicine units in Australia and New Zealand. Authors: Laupland BR, Laupland K, Thistlethwaite K, Webb R. • Snorkelling and breath-hold diving fatalities in Australian waters, 2014 to 2018. Author: Lippmann J. • Investigation into the effect of hyperbaric hyperoxia on serum cardiac Troponin T levels as a biomarker of cardiac injury. Authors: Marjot J, Mackenzie J, Jepson N, Reeves E, Bennett M • A retrospective review of divers treated for inner ear decompression sickness at Fiona Stanley Hospital. Authors: Mason JS, Buzzacott P, Gawthrope IC, Banham ND. • Carbon monoxide poisoning: lest we forget. Authors: Mathew B, Laden G. • A retrospective review of the utility of Chest X-rays in diving and submarine medical examinations. Authors: Meintjes WAJ, Davids LR, van Wijk CH. • Agreement between ultrasonic bubble grades using a handheld self-positioning Doppler product and 2D cardiac ultrasound. Authors: Metelkina A, Barbaud A. Commentary on Plogmark, et al. • REPLY to: Commentary on Plogmark, et al. Agreement between ultrasonic bubble grades using a handheld self-positioning Doppler product and 2D cardiac ultrasound. Authors: Plogmark O, Hjelte C, Ekström M, Frånberg O • Diving with psychotropic medication: review of the literature and clinical considerations. Authors: Querido AL, Ebbelaar CF, Wingelaar TT. These articles are paid for one year, execpt for registered members of EUBS and SPUMS. Passed the one year embargo, the articles are free of charge, and can be downloaded through this link: https://www.dhmjournal.com/index.php/full-journals- embargoed/full-journals Note that many of these articles are published through other organizations and are also integrated in our database.

South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society (SPUMS) & European Underwater and Baromedical Society (EUBS)

International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA)

Marine Technology Society

In appendix 1, “Saturation diving” of the document IOGP 411, it is said: “Any SDC (Bell) to contain equipment that can measure H2S and hydrocarbon contamination of an equivalent or greater specification to the Analox Hypergas. This equipment to be capable of alarming and notifying both the Surface Diving Supervisor and the SDC inhabitants of contamination of the breathing atmosphere”. Contrary to what this document suggests, the Analox Hypergas does not detect H2S. Refer to the UK HSE report 030, "Development of the ANALOX Hyper-Gas Diving Bell Monitor", by Valerie Flook below. Click on the cover or the text of presentation to download it. Similar information can be found on the manufacturer's website: https://www.analoxgroup.com/products/hyper-gas-mkii Based on this IOGP guidance, many divers, diving supervisors, and client representatives think they are protected from this gas, which is untrue. That is proof that we must ensure that guidelines are correctly written and based on scientific documents, which is not the case with this IOGP document that, according to the study, CCO Ltd. #9 below should be definitively withdrawn from publication and never used by companies. Regarding the numerous reasons that guidelines can be incorrectly written, read our post, "About Standards", in the rubric "Food for thought". This document is also the "Diving Management Study #12".

Warning

Unimed Scientific Limited” was contracted to lead the development of a hydrocarbon monitor for diving bells. That resulted in the creation of the ANALOX Hyper-Gas Diving Bell Monitor in 2003 This document, from Valerie Flook, can also be downloaded through the UK HSE website at this address: https://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr 030.pdf

IOGP 411 "Recommended Diving Practices 2021" replaces the initial diving guidelines published in June 2008 by the Diving Operations Subcommittee of the Safety Committee. IOGP intends to impose it on all companies working for its members.

It briefly describes the function and origins of standards, the methods used by unethical pressure groups to deviate them to their profit, and how the various ethical organizations can organize to fight these pressure groups.