First aid training is a requirement for all pressurised hyperbaric workers under the Australian Standard AS4774, Work in tunnels, shafts and caissons.
This requirement is in recognition of the fact that once the worker has been locked into compressed air their may be a considerable time required to decompress the patient or to be able to lock in a suitably qualified person to look after the incident.
Hyperbaric workers must be trained to deal with injuries that may occur while under compressed air and administer immediate first aid. Australian regulations require the course to be “Workplace First Aid” and certifications must be upgraded annually by having the CPR component re-assessed.
Some overseas countries will accept the shorter “Provide Basic Emergency Life Support” course as being acceptable for tunnelling operations in which case a three year renewal will usually be acceptable.