Umm - bad news all round

[Nick Kay]

http://www.cdnn.info/news/safety/safety.html


Makes you wonder what will the regulatory authorities are thinking???- see comment at bottom of this thread...
http://www.cdnn.info/news/safety/s050612.html

[zepp]

Pretty bad...too right!!! I didn't realize there were so many incidents around the globe as I havn't visited this site B4

It is no wonder that dive sites in foreign countries are tightening up, and even more surprised that rules tend to be rather lax in the UK.

[nikos]

Originally Posted by Nick Kay

http://www.cdnn.info/news/safety/safety.html


Makes you wonder what will the regulatory authorities are thinking???- see comment at bottom of this thread...
http://www.cdnn.info/news/safety/s050612.html

I like this bit.........

"PADI, a California-based company that sells certification cards, sports apparel and so-called "interactive diving" (aka shark feeding) tours, has rolled out a diver certification product called "Scuba Diver", which effectively cuts entry-level training by approximately 50 percent and requires "certified" divers to dive with PADI professionals."

Does the pastime of Scuba diving have "regulatory authorities"??

I think not.....they are certification agencies as the quote above implies.

N

[johntemp]

Hmmm, remind me why the hell we do this sport...

[wreckferret]

I didn`t realise the UK had so many incidents, scary reading.

[Ken]

Originally Posted by nikos

I like this bit.........

"PADI, a California-based company that sells certification cards, sports apparel and so-called "interactive diving" (aka shark feeding) tours, has rolled out a diver certification product called "Scuba Diver", which effectively cuts entry-level training by approximately 50 percent and requires "certified" divers to dive with PADI professionals."

Does the pastime of Scuba diving have "regulatory authorities"??

I think not.....they are certification agencies as the quote above implies.

N

I haven't kept up on PADI news for a while.
Here's the link to the article:

http://www.cdnn.info/news/editorial/o050620.html

I do notice that the author tends to shout and paint in broad brushes. If anything, PADI and other US dive based organizations are mindful of the American proclivity to sue for large settlements.

As an educator, I would say that it's incumbent upon the educator to provide comprehensive training and safe conditions for learning. Additionally, and to a large degree some measure of critical thinking skills, capacity and physical conditioning on the part of the adult learner.

Scuba does have regulatory bodies. http://www.wrstc.com/main.php Ken

[nikos]

Originally Posted by Ken

Scuba does have regulatory bodies. http://www.wrstc.com/main.php Ken

...looks like a another voluntary "trade association" at first sight.

As far as I can ascertain, sport diving in UK is largely unregulated in that anyone can buy dive gear and jump in the nearest patch of sea: You don't NEED a licence to do it!

You can't dive protected wrecks without licence and training organisations come under scrutiny of the HSE....but that's the only regulation.

Commercial diving is a different matter..

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by nikos

...looks like a another voluntary "trade association" at first sight.

</snip>

BSAC states that it is the "governing body" for diving in the UK, I don't understand what this means and the last time I asked I received no answer, it certainly doesn't "govern" my diving.

Ian

[Ken]

Originally Posted by nikos

...looks like a another voluntary "trade association" at first sight.

As far as I can ascertain, sport diving in UK is largely unregulated in that anyone can buy dive gear and jump in the nearest patch of sea: You don't NEED a licence to do it!

You can't dive protected wrecks without licence and training organisations come under scrutiny of the HSE....but that's the only regulation.

Commercial diving is a different matter..

As far as I remember they used to set policy for recreational scuba. Having had a closer look it's interesting to note which organizations belong to it. It's probably as effective as the IWC (International Whaling Commission).

All in all it really comes down to some degree of intelligence and good judgement. Cheers. Ken

[nikos]

Originally Posted by Ken

All in all it really comes down to some degree of intelligence and good judgement. Cheers. Ken

...yes and good sense preached by instructors and peresonal responsibility for self preservation!

It's amazing how often this is lacking......

ttfn N