OSHA and Association of Diving Contractors International (ADC) Alliance
Close-out Report

On October 9, 2003, OSHA and the Association of Diving Contractors International (ADC) formed an Alliance to promote safe and healthful working conditions for commercial divers who operate under dangerous conditions. The Alliance focused on safety and health hazards including increased barometric pressure and differential risks conditions. In particular, the agreement addressed a number of areas, including developing and making available training courses and education programs on safety issues specific to commercial diving and sharing up-to-date commercial diving information, such as hazard and workforce trends, to identify priorities for the development of outreach programs.

Due to the change in ADC's priorities and its focus on using the association's resources to address other issues for its members, there was limited activity to develop programs and products to meet the goals of the Alliance. As a result, OSHA concluded the Alliance as of October 9, 2005 and encouraged ADC to establish relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices.

The following successes resulted from the OSHA and ADC's work together to meet the Alliance's goals:

• On February 16-20, 2005, David Doucet and Steven St. Martin, OSHA Region VI Baton Rouge Area Office, staffed an OSHA-ADC Alliance exhibit booth during the 2005 Underwater Intervention Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.

• ADC distributed copies of their training materials including, Underwater, the association's monthly magazine, and safety videos entitled "Three Man Crew," "Underwater Welding," and "Differential Pressure," to interested OSHA staff at Regional and Area Offices, Consultation Programs, and State Plan States.

• Members of ADC serve on OSHA's Commercial Diving Safety and Health Topics page's Editorial Board.

Report prepared by: Jess McCluer, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, September 2, 2005.