Dive Logging, Record-Keeping, and ADCI Documentation Standards

Why Dive Records Matter in Commercial Aquaculture

In commercial diving, documentation is not optional paperwork — it is a legal and safety requirement. The Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI) Consensus Standards establish the minimum record-keeping requirements for commercial dive operations in the United States. When you work on an aquaculture farm, a marine science vessel, or any regulated commercial dive site, your dive records can be reviewed by federal inspectors, insurance underwriters, and attorneys. Incomplete or inaccurate records can result in regulatory violations, loss of operating permits, and personal liability if an incident occurs.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) commercial diving regulations (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart T) require employers to maintain dive records and make them available for inspection. The ADCI Consensus Standards build on and complement those federal requirements, providing the industry-recognized format that employers and credentialing bodies expect.

Components of an ADCI-Compliant Dive Record Package

A complete commercial dive record package for a single dive operation contains four core documents:

1. Pre-Dive Plan

The pre-dive plan is prepared before the dive begins. It documents the planned task, the dive site location, water conditions (visibility, current, temperature), planned maximum depth, planned bottom time, breathing gas source and mix, standby diver assignment, emergency contact and nearest hyperbaric chamber location, and the name and qualification of the diving supervisor. Every named person must be qualified for the role listed. Leaving the standby diver field blank is not acceptable — OSHA and ADCI both require a standby diver to be designated for surface-supplied and SCUBA commercial operations.

2. Dive Log

The dive log is the real-time record completed during and immediately after the dive. Required fields include: diver name and ADCI certification number, date and exact time of water entry and exit, maximum depth reached, total bottom time, breathing gas used (type, starting pressure, ending pressure), tasks completed (with enough detail to show the dive achieved its stated purpose), and the diving supervisor's signature. The supervisor's signature is mandatory — it certifies that the dive was conducted in compliance with the applicable standards.

3. Equipment Inspection Record

Before any commercial dive, all life-support equipment must be inspected and the inspection documented. The equipment inspection record lists each piece of equipment (helmet or mask, regulator, umbilical or hose, harness, wet/dry suit, fins, weight system, knife, dive computer or depth gauge, surface-supply unit if applicable), the serial number where available, the inspection result (acceptable or defective), and the signature of the person who performed the inspection. Defective equipment must be tagged out of service immediately — do not dive with equipment that has failed inspection. This aligns with lockout/tagout principles: if a regulator or valve is defective, it must be physically removed from service and labeled before the dive begins.

4. Post-Dive Incident Report

An incident report must be completed any time an unplanned event occurs — equipment failure, diver injury, near-miss, unplanned ascent, or any deviation from the pre-dive plan. Even if no injury results, near-misses must be documented. The incident report captures: what happened, when and where, who was involved, what equipment was in use at the time, immediate actions taken, and corrective measures. Failing to file an incident report for a reportable event is itself a regulatory violation.

Mandatory Field Completion: The 90% Rule and Beyond

For this course, the pass mark for your documentation package is 90% of required fields correctly populated. In real commercial diving there is no partial credit — a dive log submitted to an OSHA inspector with blank mandatory fields is non-compliant regardless of how many fields are filled. The 90% pass mark here reflects a training standard; on the job, aim for 100% every time.

Common errors to avoid:

• Recording depth in feet without specifying the unit (always write the unit)
• Leaving bottom time as a range rather than actual elapsed time
• Omitting the diving supervisor's signature
• Failing to record starting and ending gas pressures
• Writing "N/A" in the standby diver field instead of a named, qualified person

Safety Documentation and PPE Considerations

The equipment inspection record is your PPE verification document. In aquaculture diving, hazards include entanglement in nets and lines, cold water, low visibility, and biological hazards from farm chemicals or dense fish populations. Your inspection record must reflect the PPE appropriate to those hazards — a dry suit entry if water temperature requires it, a dive knife or line cutter always listed and inspected, and a current tetanus vaccination noted in the diver's health file (kept separately by the employer).

Never backdate or alter a dive record. Falsifying a dive log is fraud and can result in permanent credential revocation by ADCI.

Using PADI Dive Logbooks Alongside ADCI Records

Your PADI dive logbook tracks personal dive experience for certification purposes. It does not replace ADCI commercial dive records — the two systems serve different purposes. Keep both current. Your PADI log supports rescue and skills currency; your ADCI records demonstrate regulatory compliance on commercial work sites.