International diving industry guidance: IMCA and DMAC

Diving systems: examination, DESIGN and audits

How IMCA grades and dates its documents

• GuidanceIMCA D090 gives guidance on diving operations in support of subsea decommissioning and dismantlement projects; it is listed with an April 2026 date. IMCA document catalogue, Catalogue entry IMCA D090
• GuidanceIMCA grades its technical library documents as Code of Practice, Recommended Practice or Informative Guidance, and marks each as currently active or withdrawn/replaced. IMCA document catalogue, Advanced search filters
• GuidanceIMCA notes that the date shown in its catalogue is the latest technical update, and that the latest revision may include formatting-only changes. IMCA document catalogue, Catalogue footnote

IMCA certification schemes

• GuidanceIMCA certifies only a few safety-critical offshore diving roles: Diving Supervisor, Life Support Technician and Approved Diving Systems Inspector. IMCA diving certification, Introduction
• GuidanceIMCA runs a Diving CPD programme so that certified supervisors, trainees and others in offshore diving can show they have kept their knowledge current with IMCA guidance. IMCA diving certification, Diving CPD
• GuidanceIMCA publishes guidance on diving technician competence and training (IMCA D001) but does not approve or certify technician training or individuals. IMCA diving certification, Other diving roles — Diving Technicians
• GuidanceFor diving under IMCA's international code of practice for offshore diving, IMCA recognises only the diver and supervisor training certificates listed in the current version of IMCA IN 1256. IMCA diving certification, Initial Diver Training
• GuidanceIMCA's diving supervisor certification has run since 1987 and covers personnel supervising in-water dives using air and bell diving techniques. IMCA Diving Supervisor, Introduction
• GuidanceBell diving supervisors must pass both the IMCA Air Diving Supervisor and Bell Diving Supervisor examinations, in that order. IMCA Diving Supervisor, FAQ — Air and Bell Diving Supervisor certification
• GuidanceIMCA requires certified diving supervisors to complete CPD every year for their certification to remain valid. IMCA Diving Supervisor, FAQ — I'm successfully certified
• GuidanceCandidates for IMCA supervisor certification must pass an approved preparatory course and complete a minimum number of on-the-job hours as a trainee diving supervisor. IMCA Diving Supervisor, Candidate requirements

Industry bodies and recent IMCA notices

• GuidanceIMCA, the Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI) and IOGP together form the International Diving Industry Forum (IDIF). IMCA Diving Committee, Committee description
• GuidanceIMCA Safety Flashes can be downloaded individually as PDFs so organisations can share and print them internally. IMCA Safety Flashes, Archive introduction

DMAC medical guidance

• GuidanceDMAC makes all its current guidance notes free to download and lists superseded and withdrawn publications alongside them. DMAC guidance, Introduction
• GuidanceDMAC 29 sets out DMAC's approval of diving medicine courses (Rev. 3, March 2019). DMAC guidance, DMAC 29
• GuidanceDMAC lists some third-party articles and studies of interest but states that they are not DMAC documents and it takes no responsibility for their content. DMAC guidance, Articles and Third-Party Initiatives