Are PSA Intl. RB qualifications recognised by BSAC

[Adrian Kelland]

Originally Posted by wreckweasel

Interesting process isnt it!

You could see why an agency would consider it risky to expose their IPR to another agency who could potentially copy/compete with them.

Well it would seem that other agencies have not had a problem in this regard with BSAC.

OTOH.. there is this

Adrian

[Janos]

Originally Posted by Adrian Kelland

OTOH.. there is this

It shouldn't make too much difference. If PSAI want their quals recognised by BSAC, then it seems fair enough that they show their materials to BSAC. The TDI and PSAI lawyers can argue away in the background, getting richer and richer, and at the end of it PSAI will have a course or they won't. If the latter then they can knock up a new one and get that one approved instead.

Or am I missing the point on the court case.

Janos

[garygee]

Hi folks

Just picked this thread up and read with interest.

I raised this question a while ago with BSAC regarding the PSA Advanced Nitrox & Deco course and got the following reply.

Mail sent ****

Hi their

Have recently done a PSAI Advanced Nitrox & Deco procedures course.

However I have been now informed that this course is not a recognised course
as only ANDI, PADI,TDI & IANTS are recognised.
Officialy this means I should not use Nitrox on club dives.
How can I get this course recognised ?, and are their any plans to recognise
PSAI.

Thanks Gary Greenwood

Reply ****

Hi Gary.

No problem, you can use this qualification to use the gas on BSAC Branch
dives.

We don't issue alternative training stickers for any other agency Nitrox
course. See attached Information Sheet.

Cheers

Mike Clack,
BSAC Technical Department
Tel: +44 (0)151 350 6206

I think BSAC needs to get a common approch as the reply appears to be different depending on who you talk to. If the approch is that PSA qualificitauions cannot be used on club/branch dives I would consider moving to a different club/agency as I assume that diving the qualifications on club dives would invalidate any insurance etc.

As I am now CCR Mod 1 qualified and plan to only really dive CCR this would have a very big impact on myself withing BSAC.

I plan to contact BSAC myself on this.

Regards Gary

[CraigP]

I also was looking to do a PSA rebreather course, and now having read this thread I contacted the guy who was running the course he has now offered to do the TDI cert as I am a BSAC member, although he perfers PSA for the same reasons listed before. It seem APD are happy with PSA as they list it under there training section so one would assume BSAC would just rubber stamp it.

[markw]

Originally Posted by CraigP

It seem APD are happy with PSA as they list it under there training section so one would assume BSAC would just rubber stamp it.

There's been some discussion regarding PSAI recognition within BSAC on the Inspiration mailing list, as well as on www.bsacforum.co.uk and here on YD. For the benefit of those not on the list, the situation is that BSAC have contacted PSAI for a copy of the course training material (on Dec 21st), but as of 6pm Friday 23rd, they had not yet received anything.

Most people who have responded to BSAC representatives have indicated that the PSAI training material is the same as the old TDI material (which was previously rubber stamped by BSAC). If this is the case, then it should merely be a technicality to get the PSAI course approved as well, and this opinion has also been voiced by BSAC representatives on the mailing list.

FYI, I'm one of the two BSAC members who has a PSAI MOD1 cert who has been issued a BSAC CCR logbook sticker (in error ). So obviously I'm rather keen to see the situation resolved also.

My CCR instructor gave me the option at the time of getting a PSAI or TDI cert, as the course material is the same, so you can probably make your mind up at the end of your course rather than right now, as that's when they have to submit the paperwork to the certifying agencies. Maybe by then, the situation will have been resolved.

Hope this helps
mark

[JamesW]

Hi Bsac states we dont issue alternative training stickers for nitrox, some one has cocked up they issued me for my basic & advance nitrox does one know what the other hand is doing.
Thanks

[markw]

Originally Posted by winker88

Hi Bsac states we dont issue alternative training stickers for nitrox, some one has cocked up they issued me for my basic & advance nitrox does one know what the other hand is doing.
Thanks

It's a bit off topic, but I'll let you know what sticker I have in my logbook. I've got IANTD Advanced Nitrox. The sticker says:

"This is to certify <insert name and membership num> has completed an alternative SDC in ADVANCED NITROX DIVER"

I don't know what you've been issued with, but all mine says is that my IANTD adv nitrox is considered equivalent to BSAC adv nitrox. So I can officially use nitrox on BSAC branch dives. However, there is no certificate number, you don't get a BSAC nitrox plastic cert card, and you have to use your original external nitrox certification when you get nitrox fills.

Likewise, my CCR logbook sticker just says that I'm a registered BSAC rebreather user. It isnt' a qualification or certification. It just states, for the benefit of branch dives, that my externally assessed course certifications are valid for branch dives. (well not my ccr at the moment )

[DALESDIVER]

The PSAI standards and course outlines should by now be with the BSAC Tech team, they are reviewing them asap, and will by what they have said to us, ok them asap as well. So all PSAI quals will be taken and accepted by the BSAC as soon as they have read and reviewed them.

As for the TDI course material for CCR being the same as PSAI, it's not. The old TDI course was written by Dave Crockford who withdrew the rights for TDI to use it on 1st of Feb this year, and wrote new material for PSAI. So the PSAI course is along the same lines as the old TDI one as it's written by the same person, but brought up to date with the new vision electronics package included, and more inwater skills in the course.

[up 4 it]

Thanks for that Andy

I take it the PSAI trimix will also be accepted as well or have BSAC not been sent the relevent info for that

Steve

[dottydiver]

Originally Posted by DALESDIVER

PSAI quals are recognised by the H&SE which is far more important than BSAC, any organisations courses that are passed by the HSE are supposed to be taken onboard by BSAC as the governing body not the controling body.

I suspect that this is a bit overstated. The HSE relevance is only in respect of safety at work: "HSE approves qualifications issued by the following Recreational Agencies/Organisations for divers wishing to undertake duties as a supervisor, diver, and person engaged in a diving project who dives, which duties are set out in regulations 10, 12, and 13 of the Diving at Work Regulations 1997 respectivel:....." [1]

This does not prevent clubs and charters establishing their own criteria re acceptability of training for general diving (i.e. non work activities).

Regards

DottyD

[1] http://www.hse.gov.uk/diving/qualifications/rec.htm