Below is a bullet
point summary of the conference.
On arrival all
attendees were given a pack containing a slate version of the BSAC Casualty
Assessment/Incident Procedure, and a diving logbook.
JSSADC Update – Dominic Robinson, OIC JSSADC
· Planned move within
South Yard. Numerous plans but proposed
location and date TBC.
· Manning. 3x civil servant posts to be created. Ginge Crook will be new CI. Graham Crouch will take 2nd
post. Third as yet unfilled.
· Incrementals. No pre-requisites required. No minimum duration.
· SADS courses. CTP modified to suit new location, only one
dive per day due to extra transit time and admin required. Currently filling all courses, and employment
of extra staff as required if courses are over subscribed.
· OWI courses. 3 courses this year all filled to
maximum.
· AI. 1x course annually.
· AD (big boys diving)
week programmed.
· AD course. Now 2 weeks long as includes a week in
Porthkerris to sign off dive managements and condition dives.
· ADP and twinset
courses.
· CCR back in for
2015.
· Increased foundation
courses over last year. 2x OD, 4x SD
& DL. Requesting additional
instructor and safety diver support.
Contact Phil Mikolajewski if interested.
· Exped facilities
available.
BSAC Safety Update – Jim Watson BSAC
Extracts from DOC last year
· Incidents
historically rose, and then leveled off for a number of years. Recently (past 3-4 years) there has been a
downward trend. Initially assumed it was
due to poor weather and a lack of diving, but as it continues it appears to be
due to better safety procedures and training.
· Coastguard,
helicopter and RNLI stats also follow similar trend to BSAC.
· 16 UK fatalities
last year (10 year trend 15.4) 6 of which were BSAC members (10 year trend 6.2)
and 10 were non BSAC members (10 year trend 9.2). 7 overseas involving BSAC members.
· Not enough
information reported to find out why.
· Of the fatalities, 6
involved trio diving, but only 2 of the 6 involved separation.
· Snorkeling had one
fatality (solo snorkeler).
· One fatality
involved diving below 50m, trimix, and missed decompression stops.
· One fatality
involved a cave diver (dry passage, breathing bad air).
· Of all the
fatalities, all were over 40 less 3.
Ages ranged from 50-70.
· Average age of a
diving incident is 36 (compared to 36 in 1998 and 42 in 2013). Average age of a diving fatality is 39. Average age of a fatality due to a medical
condition is 60.
· Root cause appears
to be drowning, caused by barotrauma, heart attack/stroke. Comes from immersion which increases
circulatory volume, increased heart and lung volume, increased heart pressure
and low lung pressure. Studies have also
shown triathletes are effected.
Immersion is the issue, not necessarily diving.
· DCI incidents. There is an increase in incidents due to
repetitive diving, and less due to rapid ascents (as a percentage, overall the
numbers are down).
· 38 boat and surface
incidents , but as per diving incidents there is a downhill trend.
Dive Management – Steve Cox, Ex OIC JSSADC, currently leading the
BSAC DTP review regarding DM
· SADS scheme is seen
as the Gold standard in DM in Sports Diving.
Is this actually true? If so,
why?
· Currently DM
training throughout the entire DTP; OD-AD.
· 3 levels of DM;
personal, buddy, and team.
· What do the military
do that is different from BSAC? Central
location for training. A single training
team. Both have strengths and weaknesses.
· SADS qualification
is not hierarchy based, but qualification based.
· SADS course should
appear on SJAR/OJAR as it has leadership and management qualities.
· Currently 150
registered SADS. 15 are permanent staff
at centers/DST. 41 are BSADS.
· Currently SADS make
up 6% of registered association divers.
· SADS scheme contains
components of DM; planning, briefing, site setup, PRM, post-dive activities.
· New AI course
teaches DM instruction.
· Possible outcome:
Entry Level - Personal
DM
Development
Level - Buddy DM
Leadership
Level - Team DM
Advanced
Level - Team DM
The Following is Steve’s own opinion and his thoughts.
· How could be
increase the amount of SADS?
· Could we teach BSADS
through distributed training? Delivered
by a ESADS AI, with a lesson on the BRs and management?
· Could ESADS
development be delivered through distributed training? Delivered by a ESADS AI. Would require a SADS assessor to oversee to
ensure quality assurance (QA)
· ESADS assessment to
remain with JSSADC.
· Could BSAC look at a
non-diver DM course for wives, spouses etc…
Moving on…
· New DTP to be
released 2016/2017.
BRd 2806(5) Update – Cdr Mark Atkinson, SoD
· Will remain in post
for 3 years minimum.
· SoD post created in
2003.
· JSSADRs took 7
months to re-write. Regulations should
be easier to understand, and avoid duplication.
· BRd 2806(5) is a
living document with an annual update every autumn.
· Document draws
guidance from The Diving at Work Regulations 1997 and BSAC Safe Diving Practices.
Below is a broad-brush overview on some of the changes:
· Chapter 1 Joint
Services Sub-Aqua Diving Governance and Structures:
o
Introduction of AP16
cells for CCR.
o
Civilians
participating in AT/members of branches.
No change to last year, but making the regulations clearer as JSP 419
and 917 had conflicting information (419 was the senior document). In summary, all civilians participating in AT or branch diving must be essential and must have an HSE
medical.
o
JSP 419 is currently
being re-written.
o
MOD Approved Centres
(MAC). No requirement for SADS or gas
testing (less Factair F2235 on arrival).
Currently 15 centers. DST assured
annually.
·
Chapter 2 Joint
Service Sub Aqua Diving Practices:
o
Medical fitness and
medication. Must be declared to SADS and
MO.
o
Duties of SADS. All life
support equipment and dive computers
must be CE marked.
o
Maximum depth and
divers in the water amended.
o
Breath hold diving
and snorkeling must be on JSATFA.
o
Must carry enough
emergency medical equipment (O2) to get casualties from point of incident to
emergency services.
o
Deep dive planning/deco
regimes. Can use any recognised
software.
o
Build up dives must
be in 10m progressions.
o
Availability of
chambers. Must be 2 man/2
compartment. Max 6hrs away.
o
New gas regs (see
later).
o
CCR diving back in.
o
Must ensure 2hr post
dive break prior to exercise.
o
In the event of a
sub-aqua incident, the SADS is still responsible for the casualty once a HOTO
has been done with the emergency services.
SADS has a duty of care to ensure a suitably qualified and empowered
individual remains with the casualty until the completion of treatment.
·
Possible safety
developments for 2015:
o
30m+ diving;
currently 3 days of diving before a break.
Extended to 4 days. Agreed.
o
3 dives in a 24hr
period changing to 3 dives in a calendar day.
Under consideration.
o
Reducing the maximum
air diving depth to 40m, from 50m. Not
just AT but all military diving & Police.
Under consideration.
Authors note: Is this a set
max depth or based on a gas partial pressure?
For example, 27% Nitrox at 42m gives an EAD of 39m.
o
Diving medicals
changing to annual full medical.
· Note on looking at
previous PXRs before planning your exped.
HMS Pathfinder Expedition - Mike Rowley BSAC
· History of the wreck
and its sinking.
· Diving platform.
· Equipment/plan.
· Safety.
· Emergency
procedures.
MOD Diving Safety – DST (DSO(AT) and DSI(AT))
· Gas testing:
o
JSP 319 released Apr
15. All gas requires an annual laboratory test
(UKAS/ISO17025/BSEN12021:2014).
o
Overseas lab
test. New contract in place. Cost of test is £300 plus postage. New cylinder meets international regulations
for (air) transportation.
o
F2235 require annual
calibration. Can be done on F2247-P
(held by DST, JSSADC, RAFSAA branches, RNRMSAA and ASADA).
o
Current branch gas
testing with BOC due to expire Jul 15.
· Diver recall:
o
Acoustic FFM and
thunder flashes still in trials. Nothing
is mandated, as long as your chosen system works. Marine approved thunder flashes expect to
cost £10-12 once trials completed.
· BSAC/Military
divers:
o
New SALT table
produced.
o
All new military
divers will automatically get their BSAC OD qualification. DST will deliver OT1 & OT4 lectures.
o
JSSADC will hold new
military diver cross over packs.
Branches can apply to JSSADC for them.
HMS Temeraire will fund.
· Branches:
o
Mark runs the branch
audit.
o
Audit every 3
years. Certification issued. All diving is to stop if certification
expires.
· DST emails will
change. Currently start DSEA, now will
start DSA as at 1 Apr.
JSSADPAC Q&A
Next JS Diving
Safety Conference 16 Mar 16.
The boring bit!
All opinions expressed in my articles are my own and may
differ to other instructor’s and agency guidelines; by no means are they wrong
and I would not wish to disrepute any of them.
This article is for information only and should not replace proper
training.
Safe diving!
Timothy Gort
BSAC, PADI & SDI/TDI diver training
l Mob: 07968148261 l Email: tim@rectotec.co.uk l
