RAF Sub-Aqua Association Committee Mtg 6 Jun 08

1. RAF Sub-Aqua AssociationCommittee Mtg 6 Jun 08

3. FD AT Policy & guidance: • Civilians (Minor (UK) & Major (overseas) expeds) • Exped organization & arrangements • Single service provider / agent • Location • Accommodation • Jt Services Adv Trg Form ‘Alpha’ (JSATFA) • Contents – Aim & Obj • Approvals procedure • What Clubs & Exped Ldrs can do to help themselves? • Medical & Fitness Declaration – 1023A • AT Scheme & PADI dive centres / qualifications

4. Context – Supervisory Framework Jt Services Sub-Aqua Diving Policy Advisory Committee • DNLM, Chair - CO HMS Temeraire • Superintendent of Diving (SoD) • Institute of Naval Medicine (INM) • RN BR1750A & Surgeon General’s Policy Letter • Jt Services Sub-Aqua Diving Centre - CO • Single Service Association Chairman

5. Context – Supervisory Framework • Service branches affiliated to BSAC • BSAC Safe Diving (best practice) • HSE Diving at Work Regs ’97 • All MOD sport diving – ‘diving at work’ • Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) • JSP 419 • Jt Services Sub-Aqua Diving Regulations (JSSADRs) • DIN Guidance to COs • AP 3342

6. Context – Supervisory Framework • All Armed Forces open water diving is Adventurous Trg • JSTAFA and risk assessment reqd • Minor expeds – PEdO approval • Major expeds – FD AT • Civilian participation – FD AT • Highlights civilian ‘excessive’ use vs other activities / sports

7. BSAC Diver Trg Programme + Skill Development Courses • Progressive • Challenging • Comprehensive • Numerous events per grade • Takes time to progress through grades • More than one exped to complete

8. Supervision - SADS • SADS – supervize all open water dives from surface • No SADS = no diving = exped cancelled • SADS = BSAC Advanced Diver + 1 Yr; 1 week course; 1 week assessment • Limitations: • < 30m = 8 divers • > 30m = 6 divers • More restrictive - weather & water conditions • One BSAC Advanced Diver – one wave only while SADS dives • < 30m = 4 divers • > 30m = 2 divers • Dive conduct – SADS availability; wave timing; slack water • Exped requirements: • Ideally, 2 SADS – flexibility for sickness, dive wave structure & timing • One SADS & one BSAC Advanced Diver

9. Diver Trg & Instructor Development • Instructor Development Programme • Not directly related to Diver Grade • BSAC instructor requirements vs diver grade and skill development courses • Instructor : student ratios • Defined in BSAC Instructor Manual & JSSADRs • 1:2 maximum • 1:1 • National Instructors for specified courses – RAF Adv Inst Trg in ASI

10. Implications • Takes time to develop & progress through diver grades - gain sufficient experience and knowledge to lead dives, supervize & instruct • No SADS, Advanced Divers or OWI / AIs: • Critical for Branch • Exped aim and obj - compromised • RAF diving withers • SADS & Instructor : student ratios important • Affect / limit exped conduct / outcome • Most (All) expeds involve trg, experience progression • Only Diving Officer can award qualification

11. Implications • RAF redundancy, operational tempo, civilianization, contractorization • Smaller pool of SADS, Advanced Divers, OWI/AIs • In demand – across all 3 Services • Greater reliance on civilians – most retired military • To supervize & instruct expeds • Day-to-day Club management, organization and trg • No diving? Disenfranchised? – RAF Clubs wither

12. Implications • Greater reliance on civilians (continued) • Totally self-fund – no Public expense • Leave from civilian employer: • Timely approvals required

13. Expedition Planning • Aim of AT / Ex objective: • Undertake challenging diving • Exped organization – ‘package holiday’ • Live ‘rough’ – tents, self catering, B&B, boats, hotels • Boats – day boat / liveaboards to access best dive sites • Single source provider / agent: • More cost effective • ‘Free’ places for group • BSAC Duke of Edinburgh Prize Winners

14. Medicals • IAW JSSADRs and BSAC • RN BR 1750 and Surgeon General’s Policy Letter • Chest x-ray • Full medical – every 5, 3, 1 year • Medical Certificate Fitness to Dive – annual • BSAC Self Declaration • Medical and Fitness Declaration – Leaflet 1023A

15. PADI • During PADI courses do not need to dive iaw with JSSADRs or with SADS supervision • Package • More expensive? Paying professional instructors • Not BSAC qualified – little incentive to join and contribute to Service diving on return? • Greater opportunity to use BSAC schools / centres

16. Potential Way Ahead • Exped Organizers: • More clearly define on JSATFA: • Exped aims, objectives, expected outcomes • Need for civilian supervisors & instructors • RAFSAA to provide guidance • ‘Essential’ civilians • More pragmatic ‘Essential’ definition & approval process • Different level of UK and overseas scrutiny?

17. Potential Way Ahead • Leaflet 1023 exemption • Use BSAC centres for BSAC qualifications

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