Moving scenes in new HSE DVD aimed at Diving Instructors

HSE Press Relaease: E039:04 - 25 March 2004

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is launching a new DVD aimed specifically at diving instructors, providing them with practical advice for teaching recreational diving safely.

Diving Instructors, Roles, Responsibilities and Risk Assessments has been developed in response to a significant number of serious diving incidents over the past few years, that have occurred during recreational dives or whilst trainees were under instruction.

The DVD shows an instructor going through a competent project planning process and thorough risk assessment ahead of a recreational dive. It also features a mixture of animated re-enactments and a live action reconstruction to illustrate common dive incidents. The film details the steps that could have been put in place, which would have prevented these deaths.

It also features an emotional interview with Suzanne, mother of Julia Brandrith who died in 1999 during a recreational dive. The interview is designed to bring home the reality of the effect on family, when a death occurs as the result of a poorly planned dive.

Frank Murray, HSE diving inspector and project manager for the DVD said, "Diving instructors have the privilege of introducing trainees to the wonders of the underwater world - but it must be done safely. A duty of care exists for trainees and instructors are responsible for their health and safety at all times. This DVD can help in explaining some of the practical steps that should be taken into account."

Notes to editors

1. The DVD is aimed specifically at diving instructors and will therefore be distributed through trade bodies that form the British Diving Group. These are the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, British Sub-Aqua Club, Sub-Aqua Association, Royal National Lifeboat Institution, and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Any diving instructors who have not received the DVD should approach these bodies for a copy. Diving Instructors, Roles Responsibilities and Risk Assessments will be launched on 21 April 2004 at British Diving Group (members only) safety meeting in London.

2. The British Sub-Aqua Club - Diving Incidents Reports (1999-2003) list 17 deaths in 1999; 17 in 2000; 22 in 2001; 14 in 2002; and 11 in 2003.

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