Guidance for Dive Managers
General
All branch dives must be managed by a dive manager appointed by the Branch Diving Officer (DO). The DO is responsible for ensuring that the dive manager is properly qualified and experienced and will manage diving within the current safe diving code of practice.
http://www.bsac.org/page/674/branch-dives.htm
http://www.bsac.org/page/141/safe-diving.htm
If a dive manager has not been appointed the most experienced diver or the member concerned may be held accountable for any adverse consequences of the dive.
It should be remembered that Ocean and trainee divers are ONLY allowed to dive on properly managed branch dives.
Training must only be carried out on branch dives.
Oxygen equipment must be available and the cylinder pressure and operation of the equipment should be checked prior to diving;
For decompression emergencies contact the coastguard or call 0845 408 6008 to be connected with the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Remember to ensure that ambulance personnel do not administer entonox even to a diver not suffering from DCS.
In the absence of the DO contact the appointed Deputy DO,
however copies of dive reports and incident reports should still be sent to the
DO by email.
Procedure
If you appear on the current list of dive managers you have been appointed by the DO for that date. The web site shows Saturday and Sunday for weekend dives and you should choose whichever suits the divers/tides/weather as appropriate, or you may wish to arrange dives for both days.
Should you wish to arrange an alternate dive, first contact the appointed dive manager to ensure that your plans do not clash (appointed dive managers have first call on club equipment). Then contact the DO for your dive to be sanctioned. A group of us are going to: is not acceptable there must be a suitably qualified and appointed dive manager, before circulating details to all club members.
Dive leaders and above may manage dives at known sites. Advanced divers may manage dives at unknown
sites. The dive manager or the most
experienced diver should conduct a risk assessment, and take appropriate action
to reduce identified risks to an acceptable level prior to carrying out diving
operations. This assessment will include
the qualification level of the divers, their equipment and their current
level of experience in the conditions anticipated. Sports divers may not manage dives
unless they are supervised by a suitably qualified diver.
http://www.bsac.org/page/355/risk-assessment-section.htm
If you are not familiar with all of the divers you are managing contact the DO prior to the dive to ensure that no restrictions have been placed on any individual and that they have been checked out by a club instructor.
It is important that all club members are accommodated on most dives however, there will be times when more experienced divers will wish to carry out more challenging dives. The Dive manager must ensure that the divers are suitably qualified, have recent appropriate diving experience and are properly equipped for the proposed dive.
If you are unhappy with the site conditions, the qualification level, current experience or equipment of a diver or divers for the proposed dive your decision on the day is final. Disputes may be referred to the DO afterwards if necessary.
When divers carry out dives out with their current experience such as depth progression, drift, wall etc. you should ensure they are accompanied by a buddy who has recent experience of the depth / type of diving involved.
New Members / Non Members
When managing a diver who has not dived with the club before and is not a member, you must check their qualifications and treat them as a new member. If it is a new members first club dive you should ensure that the initial dive is well within their qualification level and is carried out accompanied by an instructor. This is particularly important if they are not familiar with UK diving conditions, or have not dived for some time. Any concerns regarding their ability must be reported to the DO. The DO should also be informed if you are happy for them to dive to their qualification level in future.
Boat Diving
If using Kraken a voyage planning sheet must be completed
prior to the dive and returned to the Boat Officer along with any fees
collected as soon as possible after the dive.
You must have a boat handler familiar with Kraken and her electronics
and a qualified radio operator on board.
Kraken must be washed down and refuelled after diving and the boat
officer informed of any damage or malfunction.
You will need to calculate launch and recovery times; there
is advice on the bottom of the dive manager list. If you need any further guidance contact the
DO.
Post Dive
After the dive submit a dive report to the DO including the dive site, names of divers, number of dives carried out, and any incidents or training conducted. It is also of interest if club members assisted others. The Training officer should be notified of any training carried out.
Incident Reports
Any incidents involving injury, death, near misses, equipment malfunction under water, damage to club equipment or third party damage must be reported to the DO by the quickest means possible. You should ensure that where appropriate a diving incident form is forwarded to the BSAC incidents advisor and a copy sent to the DO. Please note that if injury or damage involves third parties an incident report form must be completed for insurance purposes.
Incident reports are not submitted to apportion blame but as
a means of passing on lessons learned to other members to increase safety. So please share your experience.
http://www.bsac.org/page/548/incident-report-form.htm
Training
The definition of “on-site” supervision is a qualified Open
Water Instructor or above being at the site with the ADI when they are
teaching. Direct supervision is defined as the ADI actually being supervised in
the water directly by an Open Water Instructor or above when they are teaching.
Most supervision can be carried out by an Open Water Instructor; however there
are occasions where the additional experience of an Advanced Instructor (AI) or
above is required, this is detailed on the table. For example when teaching
Dive management elements, here the additional training an AI receives is
essential.
These requirements are the minimum qualifications needed, obviously the skills
and abilities of both the ADI and the qualified instructor have to be taken
into consideration as well. If the Training Officer or Diving Officer is not
happy with the ADI’s ability then the options would be to increase the level of
supervision or to not allow training to take place.
Ensure that when training is carried out the recipient is made aware that it is their responsibility that their QRB is signed and dated by the appropriate instructor as soon as possible. The DO will not accept incomplete training records, and instructors may not remember drills carried out months before.
Expeditions / Holiday Trips
When planning an expedition you should seek the approval of the DO for your plans.
In addition for expeditions and holidays you should ensure that any participants are suitably qualified and currently experienced in the types of dives and depths you are planning. It is the responsibility of any individual wishing to participate to make sure they are currently dive fit and to demonstrate this to the organiser’s satisfaction. The final decision as to whether a member or guest may participate in an expedition or holiday lies with the organiser. In the case of club members any disputes may be referred to the DO.
Diving Officer
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