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Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (Act No. 85 of 1993)

Regulations

Diving Regulations, 2009

19.Designated Medical Practitioners

 

(1) The chief inspector may designate level 1 medical practitioners, level 2 (air) medical practitioners and level 2 (mixed gas) medical practitioners.

 

(2) No person may be designated as contemplated in subregulation (1) unless he or she is a medical practitioner registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa and has completed a course in underwater medicine approved by the chief inspector .

 

(3) A designation contemplated in subregulation (1) lapse after a period of four years, unless the designated medical practitioner concerned furnishes proof before the expiry of each such period that he or she has undertaken refresher training approved by the chief inspector.

 

(4) A level 1 designated medical practitioner must —
(a) carry out a medical examination, including any test required by the chief inspector: Provided that when an examination of a specialised nature is required, the designated medical practitioner needs not personally perform such examination, but remains responsible for the decision based on the result of such specialised examination;
(b) issue a medical certificate of fitness based on the results of a medical examination of a person or endorse such certificate subsequent to each medical re-examination; and
(c) forward the diving fitness registry information required in regulation 20(10) to SAUHMA.

 

(5) A level 2 designated medical practitioner must, if so requested, in addition to the functions of a level 1 designated medical practitioner, render medical assistance as part of a diving project, including operational medical advice and recompression treatment assistance for—
(a) operations involving classes VI, V, IV, III and II divers, but not class II (mixed gas) or class I divers, if registered as a level 2 (air) designated medical practitioner;
(b) all classes of diving, including classes II (mixed gas) divers and class I divers, if registered as a level 2 (mixed gas) designated medical practitioner;
(c) compressed air work not using mixed gas if registered as a level 2 (air) designated medical practitioner and an occupational medicine practitioner ; or
(d) compressed air work using air or mixed gas if registered as a level 2 (mixed gas) designated medical practitioner and an occupational medicine practitioner.