1910.410(c): Designated Person-in-Charge of Diving
The employer, or an employee the employer designates, must be at the dive location in charge of all aspects of the diving operation affecting the safety and health of dive team members. That person must have experience and training in the assigned diving operation.
Key takeaways
- 1910.410(c) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart T).
- OSHA cited it 2 times in the last 3 years, in 2 inspections, with $131,475 in current penalties.
- 1 death is linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Related part: 1910.410(c)(1) (2 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.410(c) ("Designated person-in-charge") is one requirement inside 1910.410 Qualifications of dive team, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart T). It includes 2 sub-paragraphs. The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(c) Designated person-in-charge. 2 citations
(1) The employer or an employee designated by the employer shall be at the dive location in charge of all aspects of the diving operation affecting the safety and health of dive team members. Open (c)(1) 2 citations
(2) The designated person-in-charge shall have experience and training in the conduct of the assigned diving operation.
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.410.
Injuries linked to this rule
1 death is linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.410(c).
At approximately 9:00 a.m. on May 21, 2024, six individuals, including Employee #1 (deceased), were performing underwater work to clean out lake weeds 10-15 feet below the surface of Lake Lavon in Apple Valley, MN. After several minutes,coworkers noticed they had not seen bubbles from…
Where and how often it was cited
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A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.410(c), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.410(c).
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.410(c)(1) 2 citations
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Frequently asked questions
Where must the person-in-charge be?
At the dive location.
What is that person in charge of?
All aspects of the diving operation affecting the safety and health of dive team members.
What qualifications are required?
Experience and training in the conduct of the assigned diving operation.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.410 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-10-20
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.