Opportunity
Federal Register #2026-17136
OSHA Grants Permanent Variance for NASA Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory Commercial Diving Operations
Buyer
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Labor
Posted
August 21, 2026
Identifier
2026-17136
This notice announces a permanent regulatory variance granted by OSHA to NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory Operations Contract (NOC) for commercial diving operations in Houston, Texas. - Government Buyer: - Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) - NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory Operations Contract (NOC) and contractors: Vertex TTS, Oceaneering International Inc., Bastion Technologies Inc., Rothe Enterprises, Rothe Development, International Preparedness Associates Inc., MRI, EPro - OEMs and Vendors: - NASA (facility operator) - Contractors listed above (service providers) - Products/Services Requested: - No products or services are being procured; this is a regulatory variance - Service line item: Permanent variance for commercial diving operations, modifying OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.423(b)(2) - Unique or Notable Requirements: - Allows post-dive observation period to be reduced from one hour to ten minutes for nitrox dives within no-decompression limits - Strict requirements for diver training, medical examination, communication, recordkeeping, and incident notification - Applies only to NOC employees and contractors at NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory - No procurement of goods or services; this is a regulatory compliance notice - NASA is the only OEM mentioned, with several named contractors providing operational services
Description
This notice announces OSHA's grant of a permanent variance to NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory Operations Contract (NOC) from a provision of the OSHA standard regulating commercial diving operations. The variance allows NOC employees conducting commercial diving operations at NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in Houston, Texas, to follow NASA's approved alternate diving standard rather than the OSHA standard for decompression chamber use. The variance modifies the requirement for divers to remain awake and in the vicinity of the decompression chamber for at least one hour after a dive to a shorter observation period of ten minutes for dives within no-decompression limits using nitrox. The variance is effective August 21, 2026, and remains in effect until modified or revoked.