Policies

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The operations of the Diver Certification Board of Canada are guided by written policies, some of which are outlined below.


Accreditation

  • It is the policy of the DCBC that the DCBC will accredit commercial diver training or assessment courses rather than the organization that delivers such training.
  • CSA Standard Z275.5 (DRAFT) is considered by the DCBC to be the minimum acceptable standard of training for commercial divers in Canada.
  • In order to obtain and retain the accreditation of the DCBC a commercial diver training or assessment course must demonstrate that it meets the standard of CSA Standard Z275.5 (DRAFT) at regular intervals.
  • # Certification that a diver training or assessment course meets the standards of CSA Standard Z275.5 (DRAFT) may be made by the DCBC or by a certifying agency acceptable to the DCBC.
  • In order to receive the accreditation of the DCBC for one or more of it’s courses, a commercial diver training or assessment organization must complete the application procedure set by the DCBC and must pay the costs associated with the accreditation process.

      • Certification

      • It is the policy of the DCBC that the competency of commercial diving personnel certificated by the DCBC will meet the standards described in CAN/CSA Z275.4 or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
      • In order to obtain and retain a certificate of competency relating to commercial diving from the DCBC the applicant must demonstrate continued proficiency at regular intervals.
      • Newly trained personnel who have completed an approved course and who have no on-the-job experience may receive a certificate valid for two years.
      • Certificates other than those issued to newly trained personnel shall be issued for a maximum validity of five years.
      • Applicants for certification must have experience appropriate for the level of the certificate for which they are applying in two of the five years immediately prior to the date of application.
      • Diving personnel who cannot demonstrate the experience required in Section 4.5 through records of work or log books will be given the opportunity to demonstrate proficiency through an accredited assessment process.
      • A Board of Examiners may be convened to review complex or ambiguous applications for certification.
      • Diving personnel holding a valid certificate from a jurisdiction recognized by the DCBC and who have experience appropriate for the level of certificate applied for, in two of the five years immediately prior to their application, may be eligible to receive a certificate valid for five years.
      • In order to receive a certificate from the DCBC the applicant must complete the application procedure set by the DCBC and must pay the appropriate fee.
      • An applicant for a certificate must include an appropriate, valid medical certificate and a valid First Aid certificate with their application.
      • The DCBC may choose to verify the information provided by the applicant by contacting references provided or other sources known to the DCBC.
      • An applicant who provides false information will be referred to the police authorities of Canada or the country of origin.
      • DCBC will provide applicants with a timely response to the submission of an application for certification.
      • Applicants may appeal a certification decision to the Board of Directors of the DCBC

      Assessment of Divers

      This policy relates to the assessment of commercial diving personnel who have applied or who intend to apply for certification by the DCBC, who have no valid certification acceptable to the DCBC and who are lacking either appropriate experience during the five years immediately prior to the assessment or who have no proof of formal training acceptable to the DCBC.


      • The assessment must take place at an assessment organization which has been accredited to the DCBC.
      • During the assessment the assessing organization will ensure that the candidate has the opportunity to review the competency criteria and performance standards of the appropriate section of CSA Standard Z275.
      • The organization will assess the level of knowledge or competency of the candidate through the use of tests and exercises.
      • Where the candidate is a diver the assessment will include an in-water assessment of the candidate’s ability to meet the performance standards of the appropriate section of CSA Standard Z275.4
      • The assessing organization will determine if the candidate has sufficient knowledge and ability to be termed competent as described by CSA Standard Z275.4
      • If the candidate is deemed to be competent the assessment organization shall recommend to the DCBC that the candidate be issued a certificate.
      • If the candidate is not deemed to be competent at the level he/she applied for the candidate may be found competent at a lower level of qualification. In such a situation the assessment organization shall recommend to the DCBC that he/she be issued a certificate at the appropriate level.
      • Regardless if the candidate passes or fails the assessment the assessment organization must advise the DCBC of that result.
      • If the candidate is not deemed to be competent he/she may not be re-assessed during the thirty days immediately following the assessment.

      Recognition of Foreign Certificates

      • It is the policy of the DCBC that the competency of commercial diving personnel certificated by the DCBC will meet the standards described in CSA Standard Z275.4 or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
      • A certificate issued by a foreign jurisdiction may represent a combination of training and experience which gives the holder a competency equivalent to that described in the appropriate section of CSA Standard Z275.4.
      • The decision that a specific certificate issued by a foreign jurisdiction represents a combination of training and experience which gives the holder a competency equivalent to that described in the appropriate section of CSA Standard Z275.4 shall be made by the Board of Directors.
      • After a certificate has been accepted as equivalent to a DCBC certificate the Chief Executive Officer will obtain assurance from the jurisdiction which issued the certificate that they will advise the DCBC if the requirements to obtain the certificate are changed in any way.
      • Holders of a foreign certificate which has been accepted by the Board of Directors as equivalent to a DCBC certificate are eligible to apply for the equivalent certificate issued by the DCBC.
      • Equivalent certificates issued by the DCBC shall be issued for two or five years, regardless of the period of validity of the equivalent foreign certificate
      • The DCBC accepts that certificates issued by the Health and Safety Executive of the United Kingdom (HSE) before 1998 represented a combination of training and experience which gave the holder a competency equivalent to that described in the appropriate section of CSA Standard Z275.4.  Holders of HSE certificates issued after 1998 must demonstrate that they have achieved the bottom times required by the CSA Standard Z275.4 before they can be certified by DCBC.
      • Holders of certificates issued by the Australian Diver Accreditation Scheme (ADAS) may be issued certificates by the DCBC provided they can demonstrate that they have achieved the bottom times required by the CSA Standard Z275.4.