Scientific Diving monitors the health and safety of scuba divers operating under University of Michigan sanctioned programs or research in accord with established state and federal regulations.

Personnel Evaluation
All divers are evaluated by the Diving Safety Coordinator including medical fitness, training, knowledge, and skill proficiency. Upon compliance with established requirements and regulations, an authorization document is issued to each qualified diver and their supervisor. Thereafter, each diver is evaluated for medical fitness annually. Periodic competency evaluations are also conducted based on activity and need.

Personnel Protection Program
The Diving Safety Coordinator reviews health and safety aspects of research projects and instructional activities which involve skin, scuba, or surface-supplied diving. Consultation can be provided with regard to personnel selection and training, work site evaluation and hazards identification, equipment requirements, diving protocol, and operational safety. This program informs divers and their supervisors of job-related hazards. It is also designed to help divers understand the potential risk of working underwater, equipment and procedures to minimize risk exposure, and what divers can do to protect themselves.

Diver Training Programs
Training programs include the Periodic Diver Update, Oxygen Provider, Diving Injury management, and Scientific Diver. Additional programs can be provided as needed.

The Diving Safety Coordinator represents the Executive Director of Occupational Safety and Environmental Health in matters related to diving:

• Diver Authorization
• Annual Renewal of Diving Authorization
• General Policy on Safe Scuba Diving Practices
• Failure to Comply
• Provide advice on diving safety and health manners.
• Evaluate underwater work requirements for specific projects.
• Provide assistance in selecting appropriate diving modes, equipment, procedures, and techniques.
• Recommend and facilitate appropriate training.
• Advise supervisors, project directors, faculty, and administrators with regard to potential diving risk factors associated with staff or students working under their direction.
• Assist, process, and evaluate applicants for diving authorizations.

Comprehensive scuba diver training is available through the Diving Safety Coordinator. University authorized diving instructors are available to provide the advanced and specialty training for specific projects and underwater tasks.

During the 1970's, the term "Michigan Mafia" was coined by the US Scientific and Recreational Instructional Diving Communities to denote an extreme measure of respect given to Lee Somers, Ph.D. Diving Safety Officer, at the University of Michigan and those that had been trained by him in the University of Michigan Scientific and Recreational Diving Programs. Although perhaps not totally politically correct by today's standards, the term is used here for historical accuracy to maintain the atmosphere of respect given by the diving community to Lee and those educated by him at the University of Michigan.

Lee Somers, Surface Supplied Diving Class, U of M

The articles on this site have been contributed by Lee and his students for the benefit of the diving community. All rights are retained by the respective authors. They may be used for any non-commercial or not-for-profit application. Their use for individual profit  or any other media or format is specifically denied. All rights retained by the author.

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Lee Somers, diving educator extraordinaire, gave the diving community more than five decades of contributions: as a diver, instructor, lecturer, author, administrator, organizational co-founder and leader. His publications and teaching set standards of excellence that have been celebrated world-wide with numerous awards including the Greenstone, the Nogi and a charter initiate into the NAUI Hall of Honor. Lee retired from the University of Michigan in 2001. His greatest legacy lives in the thousands of divers who were privileged to have learned their diving from him.