I don't see any writing in this thread where that was even implied to the idea of those volunteers. The distinction was explained clear enough in the beginning in my mind. It was just taken as a negative accusation, which it was not. The only negative association I detected was research groups utilizing volunteers and branding them scientific divers.
Scientific divers in the US are rated under an AAUS institution. If you're not rated by such then under OSHA's exemption you're not a scientific diver. So volunteers for scientific projects fall under the category of volunteer. That's the only distinction. There is no definitive levels really to talk about in terms of which one is higher or not; it's just a distinction.
A recreational ice diver will be better trained for ice diving than an AAUS rated sci diver from Hawaii. Vice versa, etc etc.
The point is you call it what it is. In the US, volunteers aren't sci divers by legal definition under OSHA.
I'll fight you here. First of all, AAUS is not the only organization with a scientific diver exemption. In fact, AAUS seem to be a bit prima donna about who they accept in their organization. I probably say that because I was rejected. I would hazard a guess that more scientific dives are conducted from the Spree than any other dive or NSF/NOAA research vessel in the world. I only guess because I haven't seen data for other vessels, but in 2012 we safely conducted approximately 5,000 dives live boat for scientific divers in the 60, 100, and 130 foot range. We conducted dives in the Mona passage as well as St. Croix to a max depth of 300 feet on Inspiration rebreathers. Charterers included NOAA, NPS, more NOAA, University of Puerto Rico, and FFWCC. FFWCC is AAUS, none of the others are. Divers came from all over the United States on LORs from their Universities, as well as NOAAs volunteer research diver program.
I have a scientific diver program. It is conducted in strict accordance with OSHA's standards for scientific divers, including having a diving control board (made up of NOAA, NPS, and AAUS DCB members, UDS's, and LODO's), a Diving Safety Manual (patterned after the AAUS Diving Safety Manual), a training program, and an equipment maintenance program. OSHA does not require you to submit to them any proof of the above, you just have to meet the above and claim the exemption. The only time you would be pinged is if there were an accident. My scientific divers must come with a recreational c-card and 250 logged scientific dives. We hold quarterly proficiency dives, and require annual physicals. I have been approved to write a LOR to NOAA as well as NPS, as we are in compliance with the NOAA and NPS diving Safety Manual. Although we are not authorized to provide an on-site DSO for NOAA charters, it's because non-government employees are not allowed to supervise government employees. We do, however, provide a lead diver for NOAA missions so that all of the NOAA personnel may dive.
All of our divers are volunteers. They sign volunteer waivers and are specifically not counted as crew, and are specifically not counted under the Jones Act. They are not paid, they are not reimbursed for expenses, I do not compensate them in any way. They must have a master dive accident policy from a recognized insurer or re insurer (DAN or DiveAssure) as well as a major medical policy in force while they are diving. If we are counting fish, they must endure a 3 day fish identification class which includes a test that they must pass with 80% or better. Their data is included with the rest of the data collected by the "real scientists", because they are doing real science. My volunteers are in high demand because they are mostly retired and can come for 10 days at a time.
I have 2 Diving Safety Officers on part time staff. They are both deep tech instructors, one for NAUI, one for IANTD. Both dive Megladon rebreathers. Both are in absolute control of the dive deck when acting as DSO. They don't dive until the work day is done.
So, volunteers may act as scientific divers under the legal definition of OSHA if you write your Diving Safety Manual that way. It's how I expect to start running charters to Cuba in the near future. We'll be doing science.