Medical Team
Ohio Canal Interceptor Tunnel
Overview
The City of Columbus is under two Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) consent orders to improve water quality and reduce the potential for human contact with waterborne pollutants by reducing overflows from the sewer system into creeks and rivers during wet weather events. The Department of Public Utilities' plan for achieving the requirements of these consent decrees is described in the “Integrated Plan and 2015 Wet Weather Management Plan Updated Report”. One of the key elements of the plan is the Canal Interceptor Tunnel.
Scope of Work
The U.S. Hyperbaric Tunnel and Dive Medical Team provided onsite medical assessments and emergency medical care for Ballard Marine Construction's commercial divers and onsite compressed air workers. Data continues to be collected by the research division regarding the O'Neill Grading System (OGS) used for detecting middle ear barotrauma and Eustachian tube dysfunction, both symptomatic and asymptomatic, using the video otoscope. O'Neill Grading System publication can be found here.
Services
24/7 Onsite medical care of all commercial divers and compressed air workers.
Help mitigate the risk of decompression sickness while working with a hyperbaric chamber supervisor.
Performed pre and post-medical evaluations of all personnel entering and exiting the hyperbaric chamber.
Supervised extrication drills for potentially injured workers.