The recession of the late 1980’s and early 90’s was a difficult period for everyone and took its toll on the industry, with some notable names from the past vanishing from the scene. However, in classic British tradition, we all soldiered on. A few diving companies even expanded and flourished, and before you knew it, the better times of the mid 1990s were upon us.

But, by then so was the impending introduction of the 1997 Diving at Work Regulations (DWR), a step change in the way government was now promoting its legislative guidance. No longer were we to be subject to prescriptive regulations. The introduction of goal setting regulations was upon us and suddenly everyone involved in diving operations, not just the actual dive team, and very specifically the person hiring the contractor, was expected to take significant steps to mitigate risk during diving operations.

It would be tempting to say that yet another layer of legislation had been placed upon the industry by government but in the case of DWR 1997, industry was intimately involved in the development of the now famous Approved Codes of Practice. Whilst they got off to a bit of a sticky start, the years since 1997 have seen a marked improvement in how commercial diving is carried out in the UK.

It would also be nice to report that there has been significant technological advancement in commercial diving in the 20-year period since 1987.  The most popular helmets we see in use today are pretty much the same as they were in the early 1980s. The style has improved, the locking mechanisms are better and safer, but the cost of ownership has increased significantly, not least because of the strict maintenance and inspections regimes embodied in the DWR. A selection of new helmets has been introduced but the market has been slow to take these up in any vast numbers.

Probably the most significant change affecting the industry has been the use of video equipment. Just about all diving contractors can now incorporate very advanced, high definition, lightweight cameras and lights onto the divers helmet. These can sometimes assist in making the diver's work that little bit safer by allowing the supervisor to monitor activity as a live feed. They also help clients and others to see what is going on. Some see this as a positive move which improves the client's confidence in the diver's ability whilst others see the use of videos as an unnecessary intrusion.

Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) have benefited from some of the biggest technological advances over the 20 years since MJ was launched. From their early, almost exclusive appearances on offshore oil projects, the reliability, capability, control and scope of works undertaken by ROV’s has developed significantly, to a point where they are within the financial reach of most contractors. ROVs are now actively used to complement commercial diving operations rather than replace them as the very early users predicted.

So, what about the next 20 years? What is MJ likely to be reporting about commercial diving activity in the years ahead?

A reduced availability of diving contractors is a distinct possibility. The cost of entry is far greater than it was in 1987. Sadly, the charge rates have not kept pace with the costs of entry. Providing the level of service demanded whilst making a worthwhile return on investment in today’s fast moving market is challenging. If a contractor is not serious, taking safety as a paramount requirement and providing the service that clients now expect, they will not last long.

We may see some development in the range of equipment used but it is not likely to change dramatically. The general principals adopted by Siebe Gorman in the early days, long before MJ came onto the scene, are not that far removed from what we still use today.

But by far the matter that we hope MJ will be reporting in its next 20 years is a marked improvement in safety performance. The goal setting standards of the 1997 DWR are now well understood and practiced. What is needed now is the desire to achieve the highest standard of safety performance, not because some government organisation is telling us to but because it is the right and responsible thing for a mature, essential, professional industry to do.

Roger O'Kane is Executive Secretary of the Association of Diving Contractors.