Hyperbaric chambers are an integral piece of equipment on virtually every commercial diving job on an offshore site. They vary in size and construction depending upon their intended use. In EPIC’s case the most common hyperbaric chamber is a dual lock deck decompression chamber. Primarily the DDC in an offshore environment is used for surface decompression and secondly, for on site treatment of diving related illnesses.
DDC’s are commonly used in the field at dive locations all over the world, accumulating thousands of hours of total work time, usually without incidents occurring. Perhaps the main reason for such exceptional safe operation has to do with the fact that the primary incident which can occur in a hyperbaric chamber is so catastrophic that most chamber operators are constantly conscious of the potential disaster, and guard against it all the time.
The greatest danger in DDC use is FIRE. Because of the use of 100% Oxygen (02) in most DDC applications there exists the very common potential that the oxygen percentage in the DDC atmosphere will increase to high-combusition levels. In every DDC operation utilizing 02 you must presume that the 02 level will increase within the chamber, and diving personnel must constantly monitor for that increase, and flush the DDC as required.
Combustible material in the DDC should be reduced by use of flameproof clothing and bedding and the use of approved paints on interior surfaces. Keep the DDC and everything that goes into them (including the diver) absolutely free of oil and grease. Ignition can result from many possible sources and all dive crewmembers must constantly focus on eliminating ignition possibilities in and around the DDC. During simultaneous operations offshore, 02 safety should be addressed at the JHEA meeting, sharing information is a key factor in fire prevention. Smoking in or around a DDC, even the use of electronic devices like cell phones may cause flash fires.
Fire in the DDC is catastrophic. A DDC fire cannot
be put out - it goes out by itself when it has consumed
all available 02 and combustible material. A DDC fire
must be prevented at all costs.
What you can do to aid in DDC safety operations:
- No Smoking Near Chamber
- No Electronic Devices Near Chamber
- No Smoking Devices Near Chamber
by: Safety Department
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