HSE PUBLISHES GUIDANCE ON MANAGING HEALTH AND SAFETY AT RECREATIONAL DIVE SITES

HSE press release: E094:03 - 5 June 2003

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published new guidance for anyone involved with the management of health and safety at recreational dive sites.

Aimed primarily at site owners and operators, the guidance describes the main risks at managed dive sites, recommending a series of steps which safeguard the health and safety of employees, divers and other visitors.

The guidance applies to any expanse of water, such as a quarry or lake where access by divers is controlled as part of a business. The principles may also apply to dive centres and sites where access is controlled to sheltered inshore water, such as private beaches or harbours.

Phil Crombie of HSE's diving operations strategy team said: "Hundreds of people visit recreational dive sites every year, and more managed sites are appearing. As long as the risks are controlled at these sites, diving at them can be great fun.

"There has been very little guidance available on where responsibilities lie for safety at these sites, and following consultation with the industry, HSE agreed that written guidance was needed. Whilst the guidance is aimed primarily at managed dive sites, we hope that the recreational industry in general will find the publication useful, as there are several topics covered, such as cylinder charging and the sale and servicing of dive kit that will be relevant to all."

The guidance has been prepared with the cooperation and assistance of many of the UK's established inland dive sites.

Copies of 'Managing health and safety at recreational dive sites' (HSG240) can be ordered online at http://books.hse.gov.uk (ISBN 0 7176 2218 5), price £10.50

Notes to editors

1. HSE decided that there was a need for guidance on the management of health and safety at recreational dive sites as no such guidance existed. HSE consulted the Scuba Industry Trades Association, the recreational diver training agencies and a number of established managed dive sites in the preparation of this guidance.

2. HSE's diving operations strategy team is part of the Offshore Division. It provides the focal point for the operational strategy, guidance and information on diving matters within HSE, other government departments, agencies, industry and the general public. The team also acts as the main point of contact for operational diving policy with other governments' representatives and devises the operational strategy for HSE's/Offshore Division's diving inspection teams.

3. The Diving at Work Regulations 1997 seek to control the hazards associated with diving at work. They apply to all commercial diving in Britain. Practical guidance on how to comply with these regulations is set out in five approved codes of practice: - 'Commercial diving projects offshore', 'Commercial diving projects inland/inshore', 'Recreational diving projects', 'Media diving projects and Scientific and Archaeological diving projects'. For more information visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/hid/osd/diving/acop.htm.

4. General advice on diving at work can be found on the HSE website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/hid/osd/diving/index.htm

Press enquiries

All enquiries from journalists should be directed to the HSE Press Office