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Commercial Diving

The Holland College Commercial Diving program is accredited by the Diver Certification Board of Canada, an internationally-recognized certification regime for the professional diving industry. Holland College also has membership in the Association of Diving Contractors International. ADCI training standards are recognized by both the United States Coast Guard and by OSHA as "meeting or exceeding" U.S. Federal Regulations for the conduct of commercial diving activities. ADCI Certification Cards are recognized throughout the world as being documents that attest to the training and experience level of Commercial Divers and ROV Pilot/Technicians.

Offered at the Georgetown Centre, the Commercial Diving program is designed to educate students to the highest standards in commercial diving, burning/ welding, maintenance and inspection. The only program of its kind in Atlantic Canada, the goals of this program are to train students to:

• challenge for Unrestricted Commercial Diver Certification;
• challenge for CWB Level 1 Welding Inspector Certification;
• challenge for CGSB Level I Ultrasonic Inspector Certification;
• challenge for AWS D3.6m Class B Fillet Weld Certification as witnessed by CWB.

New opportunities and new technologies bring with them the need for highly developed training - training that is skills based, practical, flexible and relevant to industry.

In response to increasing employment opportunities in Canada's rapidly developing coastal infrastructure and off-shore industries, Holland College has recognized a critical need for advanced training in the highly specialized field of underwater burning/welding and inspection. This trade specialty is increasingly in demand within Atlantic Canada and throughout the world.

The Commercial Diving program is located at the Georgetown Centre, the Welding Fabrication, Plumbing, Pipe-Trades and Commercial Diving training facility of Holland College. Constructed in 1998, the Centre houses state of-the-art equipment and leading industry technology. Full-time and customized training programs for individuals preparing for a career or who are currently involved in the welding, plumbing, steamfitting/pipefitting and/or commercial diving fields are delivered at this Centre.

The Welding and Fabrication shop features an air-in, air-out ventilation and fume extraction system ensuring a practically fume-free environment. The shop is equipped with up-to-date metal forming and welding equipment and features a five-ton rail-mounted indoor crane. Fabrication trainees are provided with a facility to design and construct a wide variety of small and large projects.

The Pipe and Plumbing shop is equipped with current pipe preparation and fabrication equipment as well as individualized bench workstations, a fabrication area and a two-story building mock-up. This bright workshop features fuel-gas connections, welding units, pipe end preparation booths and a pipe bending station. Also available is a steam boiler lab area, a hydronic heating lab area and a pump installation station. Preparation and fabrication of virtually all types of pipe and tubing are within the capabilities of the Georgetown Centre Pipe Fabrication shop.

The Commercial Diving facility features a large aboveground tank with a 21 foot depth and ground level observation window. Also included in this facility are a full-service metallurgy lab with tensile and impact testers, welding stations outfitted with new SMAW and Flux Core equipment and a monorail hoist.

Complementing the Welding, Fabrication, Plumbing and Pipe Fabrication and Commercial Diving facilities are:

• a spacious Study/Resource Centre
• a computer lab containing Pentium computers equipped with 17" monitors, Smartboard technology with multi-media capabilities, Internet, e-mail accounts and loaded with Word Processing, Computer Aided Design (AutoCAD) and SigmaNEST software
• a metallurgy lab
• a Canadian Welding Bureau Test Centre
• instructional staff with industry experience and who are certified in their area of expertise
• trained support staff who provide assistance in related areas of study including communications, mathematics, physical science and computer literacy curriculum that has been developed to national standards and validated by industry

Areas of Competency

The program is based on industry standards and students are trained to meet the competencies outlined in the CSA Standard Z275.5, Diver Training Guidelines and School Auditing Requirements and CSA Standard Z275.4 Competency Standard for Diving Operations.

Commercial Diving Skills
Perform surface supplied dives to depths of 165 feet of sea water; learn to safely and effectively operate surface supplied diving equipment, underwater communication systems and use recognized Canadian and US Navy decompression procedures.

Diving Fitness
Physical fitness plays a critical role in this industry. Students are expected to maintain certain levels of fitness throughout the program.

Diving Physics
Gain a working knowledge of all physics laws and how they are applied to the unrestricted surface supplied diver; become knowledgeable of the effects of gases under pressure and the potential effects of pressure on the human body; be able to explain the properties of heat, light and sound in the underwater environment.

Diving Physiology and Medicine
Explain the relevant anatomy and physiology of the human body; identify various medical diving hazards and gain an understanding of signs, symptoms and various treatments of diving related ailments.

Underwater Hazards and Diving Legislation
Identify diving hazards and determine strategies and procedures to mitigate these hazards; gain a general knowledge of diving legislation governing work in the underwater industry.

Underwater Working Techniques
Work safely and effectively in an underwater environment using the various techniques accepted by industry; use hand and power tools, perform rigging techniques, and weld and burn underwater; learn common underwater search techniques and perform underwater inspections.

Hyperbaric Engineering and Operation
Describe features of a hyperbaric chamber; perform surface decompression and demonstrate safe chamber operation techniques.

Ultrasonic Welding Inspection
Perform ultrasonic inspection on welds and metals above and below water; learn techniques to identify weld faults.

Who are potential applicants for commercial diving training?

• Individuals presently employed as welders and wishing to enhance their employability
• Individuals seeking a career change
• High school graduates seeking a trades qualification
• Private and public companies and agencies (Coast Guard, RCMP, Search and Rescue, oil and gas developers)
• Construction companies wishing to develop weld and test procedures
• Construction companies involved in marine infrastructure
• Individuals interested in international certification

Graduate Opportunities

• Harbour infrastructure - inspection, maintenance and repair
• Deep water drilling platforms - inspection, maintenance and repair
• Oil and gas pipelines infrastructure - inspection, maintenance and repair
• Shipbuilding and ship repair
• Bridge inspection, maintenance and repair
• Search and rescue
• Canadian military
• Sea food harvesting and aquaculture
• Developing countries building ' first time' infrastructure
• Quality control and quality auditing companies
• Non-destructive testing companies

Admission Requirements

• Grade 12 or equivalent with credits at or above the general level with Grade 11 and/or 12 math and English.
• Preference will be given to applicants with Grade 11 or 12 physics
• Open Water Scuba Diving Certificate
• Full commercial diving medical from an approved Hyperbaric physician prior to the first day of class
• Applicants with a trades background will be given preference
• Resume including work and volunteer experience with applicable dates, membership in groups, associations or athletics, awards and distinctions, and any other information about yourself relevant to the program to which you are applying.

Holland College- Commercial Diving Program

Approved Diving and Hyperbaric Physicians

NOTE: Unless approval is sought, the program will only accept medicals performed by one of the above listed physicians.

If you have any questions concerning the Commercial Diving program, contact Steve White: stwhite@hollandc.pe.ca

The medical form has been provided "with the permission of Canadian Standards Association, material is reproduced from CSA Standard Z275.2-04, Occupational Safety Code for Diving Operations, which is copyrighted by Canadian Standards Association, 178 Rexdale Blvd., Toronto, Ontario, M9W 1R3. While use of this material has been authorized, CSA shall not be responsible for the manner in which the information is presented, nor for any interpretations thereof".

For more information on CSA or to purchase standards please visit our website at www.shopcsa.ca or call 1-800-463-6727.

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