Commercial diving/Buddy diving in low visibility

Buddy diving in low visibility (Scuba procedure):

Know your buddy

Be absolutely certain before the dive who your buddy is for that dive. Be sure that the supervisor knows this too.
Know what your buddy is wearing so you can visually identify him/her from any angle: Know the type and colour of fins, shape and colour of mask, colour of suit, how to ditch weights and find knife.
Have some way to identify your buddy by feel. (masks and fins are often good for this)
Have some way of identifying yourself to your buddy by feel ( a signal, piece of equipment or other pre-arranged method)

Stay with your buddy

Unless you are carrying bailout gas or the dive is shallow, your buddy is your bailout air supply. If you are separated YOU HAVE NO BAILOUT AIR! This is an unacceptable hazard.

If the visibility is poor it may be necessary to use a buddy line. This will depend on the HIRA. Some environments are not suitable for buddy lines. If a buddy line is used, ensure that both divers can quickly release it when under high tension, but that it will not release itself under moderate tension. Do not dive with a buddy line which cannot be quickly released. Cutting with a knife is not quick release. Your life may depend on this.

1. If separated and one diver has a SMB the diver without the SMB is LOST.

The lost diver must start ascent within 1 minute of identifying the separation. Do not do safety stops. Surface and notify the supervisor if reasonably possible. Go to the SMB and signal your buddy that you are coming down or for your buddy to surface if you can’t go down.

SIGNALS	(surface buddy)	REPLY	(submerged buddy)
1 pull	Are you OK	1 pull	I am OK
2 pulls	NO	2 pulls	NO
3 pulls	I am coming down	3 pulls	Come down
4 pulls	Come up	4 pulls	I am coming up
5 or more pulls	Emergency	5 or more pulls	Emergency

2. If your buddy does not rejoin or signal you (diver with SMB) within 3 minutes, start ascent. Ascend at standard rate and do any required decompression. Do not do safety stop. Surface and immediately notify supervisor.

If buddy is missing at end of dive, or gas is running low, do not wait, start ascent immediately.

3. If called away from the worksite by another diver make sure your buddy is informed and comes with you UNLESS the diver informs you that your buddy has already surfaced.

Hand Signals

Meaning	Signal set
Buddy sign	Forefingers of both hands together parallel
Don’t know / interrogative	Turn both hands palm up in front of yourself
Gone away	Wide "don’t know" signal
Where is your buddy?	Point to diver, buddy sign, don’t know
Where is my buddy?	Point to self, buddy sign, don’t know
Your buddy is missing	Point to diver, buddy sign, gone away
I don’t know where my buddy is	Point to self, buddy sign, gone away
You are my buddy	Point to diver, point to self, buddy sign
Are you my buddy?	Point to diver, point to self, don’t know
Your buddy has surfaced	Point to diver, buddy sign, point to surface
My buddy has surfaced	Point to self, buddy sign, point to surface
You and your buddy go that way	Point to diver, buddy sign, point in direction with both hands (Thumbs up for ascent)