Risk Assessments and DM'ing non-instructional dives

[Alex Gooderham]

As with many instructors, I have been using RA's for a while now, just a bit more formalised now than in previous times.

My question to the readership of these forums is....

Do you also complete a RA for a dive where training is not involved, but that you are marshalling? I'm interested to hear from both those that do, and those that don't.

Looking forward to some hopefully enlightening replies.

Safe diving

Alex Gooderham

[nick kay]

Do you also complete a RA for a dive where training is not involved, but that you are marshalling? I'm interested to hear from both those that do, and those that don't.

I'd have to say that:
1. For any training dive
2. Any dive which counts towards a qualification
3. Any branch organised dive
4. Any dive for which you are taking any form of "responsibility": planning, marshalling, shore cover

Then "yes" you ought to complete a Risk Assessment... If for no other reason, than you're responsible and should there be an incident, then you (providing no negligence), "Claims Direct" and the other vultures won't be able to get involved...

[Taff Griffiths]

I personnally would say that completeing an formal Risk Assessment (RA) for all dives is good practice. Think about it this way, a Dive Marshall (DM) should brief divers on all aspects of the planned dive, so what is the harm of formalizing the safety part to include the RA?

Yes briefing the divers will take slightly longer and the DM will spend a little more time at home/club in completing a written RA, but once that RA has been completed, it only needs to be reviewed when that site is dived again. Save the RA on computer and it will only take moments to alter if required.

As RAs are completed for each dive site, put the hard copies into a file so that all members have access to them to read and suggest amendments where appropriate.

regards

Taff

[Sandra Pilkington]

Hi there,
Our branch has compiled a generic RA form, which we have added to over the last year, any items which may be needed for the diving activities. We have been completing RA for the sites where we have been diving and unless there is a change in circumstances when we arrive on site for the next dive, then we have not written out the RA form for that site at that time. We keep the completed forms in a file for reference purposes. Any new sites, will have a RA form completed at that point in time. We tend to dive quite a few sites on a very regular basis throughout the year.

Sandra