Videoing and the HSE

[principia]

Having just got interested in doing video I was wondering if it was possible to video students doing their Open Water or other courses, or if this would then require me to get some qualification like the HSE media diver.

I have a feeling that it would fall into the "at work" as the students and dm's are and require me to have at least an HSE part IV and then to be subsequently buried in paper work, a safety diver, insurance etc etc..

Any thoughts from people that do this or have looked into it?


Cheers,
Jason

[finbar.taylor]

my understanding is if the DM, safty diver and videographer are 1 and the same then HSE part4 is not required by an HSE medical is.

Fin

[Okeanos]

I'll let people who know answer, I did hear that DM's could video students as they are already at work under their 'training' banner. I didn't think they could either.

On the other hand if you are not teaching or filming for reward {1} then it's purely recreational.

I have filmed underwater and sold the results to the BBC, but they bought my footage, they didn't commission me to do a job.

{1} Now there is a grey area, the HSE state as a professional. Professional is deemed as someone who does it as a profession, i.e. their main form of income.

[Okeanos]

Originally Posted by finbar.taylor

my understanding is if the DM, safty diver and videographer are 1 and the same then HSE part4 is not required by an HSE medical is.

Fin

DM's or safety divers need a HSE medical anyway, whether they use camera or not.

[Adrian Kelland]

Originally Posted by Okeanos

I'll let people who know answer, I did hear that DM's could video students as they are already at work under their 'training' banner. I didn't think they could either.

On the other hand if you are not teaching or filming for reward {1} then it's purely recreational.

I have filmed underwater and sold the results to the BBC, but they bought my footage, they didn't commission me to do a job.

{1} Now there is a grey area, the HSE state as a professional. Professional is deemed as someone who does it as a profession, i.e. their main form of income.

I'd modify that to 'a form of income'. I don't think HMRC descriminate.

[Okeanos]

THIS says No!

[A. Berk]

Originally Posted by principia

Having just got interested in doing video I was wondering if it was possible to video students doing their Open Water or other courses, or if this would then require me to get some qualification like the HSE media diver.

I have a feeling that it would fall into the "at work" as the students and dm's are and require me to have at least an HSE part IV and then to be subsequently buried in paper work, a safety diver, insurance etc etc..

Any thoughts from people that do this or have looked into it?

Cheers,
Jason

I am an HSE media diver/cameraman and done the jumping through hoops for the HSE - and been visited by them 'on site'. For what you propose Jason I'd advise you to keep it under your hat and in the back-pocket, cos at the end of the day to be up-front and honest about it will be a real pain in the arse - after all it's only beer-money you're talking about. Now, lets see if anyone can string a post together with as many daft cliches at that one!

Berko

[JamesW]

PM sas steve he does HSE media diver and other part 4 stuff and it boils down to are you at work then if the answer is yes then all the HSE stuff come in. If you are out and not getting paid or selling your work then I would say no. I have a telephone number of a nice HSE inspector who will give you the correct answers.
Thanks

[jazzie129uk]

I asked the HSE about this at a Dive Show three or four years ago and the guy I asked (can't remember his name but he had been closely involved with drawing up the Media code) said that if you were operating the camera then you needed a Part IV qualification. If presenting or acting as safety diver then a CMAS 3* qualification was sufficient. Apparently this is nothing to do with the qualification per se, and everything to do with the union that covers camera operation trying to keep the bar as high as possible.

We sometimes use video cameras as part of our survey work, but we're diving under the Scientific and Archaeological code so CMAS 3* is perfectly acceptable.

Slight tangent, but I was told that DM had been downgraded from CMAS 3* to CMAS 2* - has anyone else heard this?

Danny

[Scubee]

Originally Posted by Okeanos

On the other hand if you are not teaching or filming for reward {1} then it's purely recreational.

I always understood that it wasn't so much the individuals status - i.e whether they are actually getting some form of reward, but if the work, paid or unpaid, is done as part of a 'commercial venture'. Just because a DM diving with an instructor isn't getting anything doesn't mean that they don't need to fulfill the HSE guidelines if the course or dive or whatever is being paid for by the students.