162 OPERATIONAL AND EMERGENCY BILLS 



LOSS OR ACCIDENT OUTSIDE THE SEALAB STRUCTURE 



1. In the event of a casualty outside the Sealab structure, the bottom commander shall 

 sound the general recall alarm. All personnel outside the structure shall return immediately 

 except the swim partner of the injured person or person lost from view. 



2. The bottom commander will then institute corrective measures which in his judgment 

 appear to be most feasible and practicable. 



3. One man will monitor communications to provide a flow of information to the topside 

 commander. 



SEALAB n ATMOSPHERIC CONTAMINATIONS 



Precautions 



The purpose of this instruction is to alert all personnel associated with Sealab type struc- 

 tures to the importance of controlling atmospheric contamination, particularly those items 

 which possess a toxicity hazard, toxicity hazard being the probability that injury may be caused 

 by the manner in which a particular substance is used. 



In Sealab, inhalation of contaminated air is by far the most probable means by which toxic 

 substances will gain entry into the body. This is of increasingly more importance when one 

 considers that at normal atmospheric pressures, an individual under conditions of moderate 

 exertion will breathe about 10 cubic meters (10,000 liters) of air in eight hours, thus some- 

 what in the area of 30,000 liters per day. 



Although general ground rules have not been necessary for early manned undersea dwell- 

 ings, relative to various items which may be introduced into the structure, this philosophy can 

 no longer be considered valid. With increasing periods of prolonged submergence at greater 

 sea pressures, and the increasing number of personnel and personnel logistic requirements, 

 it is essential that careful consideration be given to minimizing toxicity hazards within any 

 manned undersea dwelling or vehicles used in conjunction therewith. 



The capacity for removal of air contaminants which can be built into" manned undersea 

 dwellings and small vehicles is extremely limited. In Sealab II, contamination control is 

 limited to (a) carbon dioxide removal with lithium hydroxide and (b) activated charcoal for re- 

 moval of some contaminants. In this regard, it must be remembered that charcoal will not 

 remove all possible contaminants, and that, furthermore, it is capable of selective absorption. 

 Selective absorption simply means that it may release one substance previously absorbed in 

 exchange for another; therefore, it is possible that a toxic substance absorbed early in a bot- 

 tomed dwelling may reappear later as this exchange process takes place. 



In manned undersea dwellings, paints and adhesives may be one of the largest offenders. 

 It is suggested that principles which have been set down for nuclear submarines be adopted 

 for future dwellings and vehicles. 



1. All major painting should be accomplished at least 30 days prior to manning, and any 

 touch-up painting with oil-based paints be accomplished no less than 15 days prior. 



2. H it is necessary to paint interiors with less than 30 days remaining, water-base paints 

 shall be used in lieu of chlorinated rubber-base paints. 



3. No painting shall be done within 72 hours of manning. 



Contaminants possessing a toxicity hazard may be introduced in many unsuspected ways, 

 such as glues, hobby paints, some aerosol bombs, and cleaning solvents. 



In an effort to minimize the possibility of toxic substances being introduced into the at- 

 mosphere of Sealab n, the following control procedure will be instituted. 



