HMS TEMERAIRE
Burnaby Road
Portsmouth
Hampshire
PO1 2HB
Navy Command
Telephone: 02392 722590
Military Net: 9380 22590
Fax: 02392 723960
Email: [email protected]
All meeting attendees
26 Nov 12
ACTIONS FROM THE JOINT SERVICES SUB AQUA DIVING POLICY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MEETING HELD AT HMS TEMERAIRE ON 13 NOV 12
Present
Cdr Gareth Hughes
Maj Paul Gellender
Col Steve Cox (Retd)
Maj G Cook (Retd)
Maj Mark Lewis
WO A Martin
Cdr Chris Baldwin
Mr Marc Botterill
Lt Col Nick Bruce-Jones
Maj Guy Balmer
Col Greg Wilson
Air Cdre Richard Powell
Mr S Milne
SO1 PDev
SO2 AT(RN)
OIC, JSSADC
HQ ATG
HQ ATG
HQ 22 Gp, FD AT RAF
SofD, DDS
DSO(AT) DST
RNRMSAA
RNRMSAA
ASADA
RAFS-AA
CCF DS Training
Apologies
Maj Bob Whitaker
Sqn Ldr Dan Lunnon-Wood
Lt Sophie Rennie
ATG(A) - Policy
RAFS-AA
CCF DS Training
Discussion and Decision
Chairman
Sec
Action
ITEM 1 – CHAIRMAN’S INTRODUCTION
1.
The Chairman opened the meeting by welcoming attendees to
Temeraire and summarised the key activities conducted this year; including
the Diving Safety Conference in Feb 12, the recent promulgation of both JSP
917 replacing JSSADRs and the DIN confirming the medical requirements and
qualifications of civilians essential to the conduct of Sub-Aqua AT.
ITEM 2 – ACTIONS ARISING FROM THE LAST MEETING
2.
Actions from the last meeting were briefly reviewed with all having been
completed with the exception of the JSSADPAC TORs review.
Action: Revised TORs amended to reflect JSP 917 were circulated and
members invited to review out of committee and pass comment to the
Secretary before being finalised and issued.
All
Secretary
Discussion and Decision
Action
ITEM 3 – JSSADC BOVISAND UPDATE
3. Course Attendance - Attendance on courses had picked up following a
drop as an impact of the summer's Operational/Olympics programme. Majority
of participants are Officers/SNCOs with few JNCOs applying.
4. BR 1750A Medical Forms (Leaflet 1203) - attendees need to ensure they
have the correct medical form completed on arrival at JSSADC. Single Service
Association websites need to have the most up to date form available.
5. JSP 917 – Policy concerning use of lifejackets in boats used for sub-aqua
has been addressed in 2012DIN04-133 (selection of lifejackets & buoyancy
aids for operational, training and recreational mod waterborne activities) issued
24 Sep 12, which also made clear a requirement for 2 people to be trained to
maintain lifejackets. There are issues with some self inflating life jackets
initiating when becoming wet in boats transiting to and from dive sites.
6. Supervisors - 11 completed the Branch SADs course. 7 divers had
completed the Expedtion SADS Development Course and 4 (all Army) had
passed the Assessment Course.
Action: An anomaly between the depth restrictions on the Branch SADS
qualification and the Diver Leaders qualification when supervising an
Expedition SADs will be clarified.
OIC JSSADC
7. SAD numbers - RN - 19 serving, 23 retired, 4 branch
Army - 52 serving, 18 retired, 6 branch
RAF - 28 serving, 14 retired, 2 branch
The majority are senior ranking personnel with many within the last 2 years of
service. There needs to be a concerted effort to encourage younger personnel
to qualify as SADs across all 3 services. 170 SADs had renewed this year.
ITEM 4 – AT DIVING SAFETY UPDATE
8. Operational Duty Holder (ODH) – SofD reported that the DSEA and MAA
are due to merge from Apr 14 which will have an impact on the ODH construct.
The RN now has an endorsed ODH structure for sub-aqua but work is ongoing
to agree structures for the Army and RAF. Duty Holders are required to have a
full assurance and auditing process in place.
9. Assurance - Currently the only 3rd party assurance is provided by DSO
(AT) and the single Services are responsible for 1st and 2nd line assurance
processes. In order to provide coherence and consistency to the assurance
process DSO(AT) will provide a common template that can be used by Dive
Branches to conduct 1st party assurance for self certification on an annual
basis signed off by COs, with sS AT Authorities using the same template for a
level 2 assurance inspection every other year and 3rd party assurance
conducted by DSO(AT) every 3rd to 4th year.
Action: DSO(AT) to forward the assurance template to JSSADPAC Members.
SO1 PDev to draft a DIN confirming the assurance process as outlined above
in para 9.
DSO(AT)
SO1 PDev
Discussion and Decision
Action
10. A discussion concerning the assurance of Diving Expeditions resulted in
OIC JSSADC offering to provide some technical oversight to the JSATFA
approval process, if required by sS AT Authorities or Chains of Command.
11. HSE – The HSE will conduct a minor review of all Approved Codes of
Practice (ACOP) starting in 2013 and finishing within 12/18 months. If the HSE
are engaged in AT sub-aqua incident investigations there will be a fee charged
to the MOD at approx £1k per day.
12. Diving Medicals – SofD reported that the 5 civilians running the CBF
Diving Club in the Falklands have been given dispensation by HSE and INM to
have a site specific dive medical provided by a Service MO in lieu of an HSE
AMED medical. This same dispensation can be made for other overseas
locations (such as Gibraltar and Cyprus) that have Service Dive Branches and
essential civilians conducting AT sub-aqua.
Action: A DIN is to be generated by SofD/DSO(AT) confirming arrangements
for achieving medicals for essential civilian members of PJOB AT Dive
Branches; with an update included in JSP 917.
SofD/DSO(AT)
13. Single Service Dive Branch Contact Details – Action: Associations to
forward updated contact lists for their Dive Branches to DSO(AT).
Association
Chairmen &
Secretaries
14. Incidents – Between 30 Sep 11-30 Sep 12 there had been 25 diving
incidents reported with the majority coming from Centres and few from
Branches and Expeds. SADs need to remind divers of the importance of
reporting illnesses and to ensure that the DDMO is contacted asap if
necessary.
Action: DSO(AT) to provide the incident summary for JSSADPAC members.
ITEM 5 - RN UPDATE
15. RNRMSAA Chairman reported a noticeable decrease in activity and
membership levels reducing by 16%. From a membership of 264, 109 are
civilian and about 80% of diving supervision is conducted by civilian members.
The essential civilian diving medical remains the main concern in terms of
cost, options for who pays and the potential impact on individuals failing.
Significant discussion has taken place, and the debate continues, concerning
whether Dive Branches remain AT Branches or become standalone BSAC
Clubs operating as encroachments. Consequently the RNRMSAA is
considered at being at a tipping point with a forecast that potentially only 2
Branches will remain operating next year.
ITEM 6 - ARMY UPDATE
16. ASADA Chairman reported that only 9 of their 21 Clubs have registered
to date but expects that this may climb to around 16. A healthy number of
expeds have been conducted and are expected to be planned in the future
with the encouragement of more AT across the Army post 2014. The impact of
Civilians needing medicals is yet to be determined but evidence exists of
Dependants leaving Dive Branches. There is an active policy to encourage TA
and OTC Diving along with initiatives to include Battle Back adaptive AT.
DSO(AT)
Discussion and Decision
Action
17. ATG(A) Equipment Rep reported that the DES Interim Sub Aqua Clothing
& Equipment contract winner has been identified with £100k purchase ceiling
agreed. A catalogue will be produced after Apr 13 for dissemination.
18. Nitrox mixture diving – policy and risk management procedures. A
review of Governance and Assurance of Nitrox mixture diving is required. This
is because there appears to be a lack of clarity and central direction over the
degree to which the MOD should be complying with the EU regulations for
Nitrox mixture diving and the associated equipment. At present there seems to
be a general trend to ignore the regulations but without a central policy lead.
Before ATG(A) will support Nitrox diving with the provision of regulators and
cylinders in the Loan Pool particularly, SOD is requested to provide clear
direction on whether the EU Regulations should be complied with or not. Such
direction should be included in the JSP. This hinges around the provision of
Nitrox ready, oxygen clean, specifically marked regulators and cylinders that
are correctly maintained and are fitted with the M26 valve.
Action: SOD to provide direction on whether the EU Regulations should be
complied with or not and update JSP917 as necessary.
SofD
19. Nitrox compressor SQEP training. It is understood that before a diver
may operate a Nitrox mixing compressor, that individual should be SQEP.
Training to meet that objective is available via the BSAC Mixed Gas Blender /
TDI Nitrox Gas blender Gas Blending Instructors. It is understood that
Membrane type compressors don’t need quite so much training but it is
unclear how competency is formally delivered and quality assured. A
discussion took place concerning Nitrox mixture diving- policy, risk
management procedures and equipment, particularly for diving in Ascension
Island (AI). It was confirmed that Nitrox compressor training is run by
JSSADC. Separately, for the specific membrane compressor operated at AI
there are clear operating instructions and procedures in place for the
management of cylinders and regulators.
Action: It was agreed that ATG(A) would ensure that a set of regulators be
kept aside in the Bicetser Loan Pool for diving in AI.
20. 2nd Line Boat Support to Sub-Aqua and the potential impact of their
withdrawal was discussed and SO1PDev provided a summary on recent RN
and Army HQ and MOD Centre activity following a decision to remove
equipment and funding. A way ahead to sustain boat support for AT has yet to
be agreed and whilst entry level diver training and shore based Instructors
courses could be run without boats, the loss of boat support would effectively
result in the cessation of in-Service delivery of Sub-Aqua AT.
ITEM 7 - RAF UPDATE
21. RAFS-AA Chairman expressed similar concerns as the other 2 Services
regarding the future of Sub-Aqua diving but their outlook was less pessimistic
concerning civilian HSE AMED issues. Sub-Aqua activity is tending to be
generated on a regional basis, combining the efforts and resources of
individual Dive Branches.
22. Ascension Island (AI) - AI now has an AED contained in a PELI case
situated at the med centre for use by all to be carried in dive support boats.
ATG(A)
Discussion and Decision
Action
Only requirement is appropriate user training supported by certificate of
competence as authority for issue.
Action: The AI DIN will be reviewed and updated for 2013 to support next
season’s diving and will be a standing agenda item for the JSSADPAC.
RAFS-AA Chair
SO1PDev
23. Self Inflating life jackets were discussed following the RAFS-AA
experience during its recent annual combined instructor trg expedition to AI,
and a proposal was made to seek endorsement by MPS-MS-GSS-ProjMgr
(Sponsor of the DIN referred to in para 5 above) of RAFSAA’s proposal to use
buoyancy aids to satisfy the water safety equipment (WSE) guidance as self
inflating lifejackets, when accidentally triggered whilst in a boat underway,
were immediately deflated and therefore of little use in case of real incident.
Action: Chairman RAFS-AA to write to SO1PDev with AI buoyancy aid
proposal to be staffed through the Maritime Platform Systems -Maritime
Spares-General Stores and Sea Survival Project Manager.
RAFS-AA Chair
SO1PDev
24. An anomaly exists between JSP 800 Volume 2 and the on duty status of
personnel conducting AT that, despite considerable staffing between RAFSAA, Air Command, JFC and DSEA, has resulted in Concessionary Non Fare
Paying (CNFP) charges of £220 for air travel to AI being applied to AT
expeditions. This has resulted in a significant increase to the cost of diving in
AI, but also applies for MOD Charter flights to Gib and Cyprus. An allowances
paper has been drafted by ATG(A) for discussion at the JSATSG to be held on
29 Nov and this issue will be included in that discussion.
Action: SO1 PDev to capture the issue in the ATG(A) draft Allowances Paper
for discussion by the JSATSG.
SO1 PDev
25. Future amendments to JSP 917 and the most effective way to disseminate
changes in policy was discussed. It was agreed that amendments to JSP 917
were the responsibility of SoD (as document owner). Changes to AT diving
regulations needed to be incorporated into JSP 917 as soon as practicable.
Notification of such changes would use a cascade system; JSSADPAC
Committee members and the Bovi Bulletin would be the most robust method of
maintaining timely and effective communications.
Action: JSSADPAC TORs to be amended to incorporate this specific
communications task.
ITEM 8 - CADET UPDATE
26. Reported that they had successfully introduced 400 cadets to try dives
and 70 had qualified as Ocean Divers. Staff training had generated 5 Open
Water Instructors. The Cadets own 36 full dive sets which are kept at HMS
RALIEGH and can be used by other service organisations. However, despite
BABCOCK’s operating an air supply at Raleigh contractual issues mean the
Cadets are not able to draw on this facility. The JSATFA process is seen by
many as overly bureaucratic and some cadet units/schools are choosing to
conduct sub-aqua outside the AT construct. The Cadets have had 1 incident
involving ear related barotrauma over the last year.
ITEM 10 - AOB
SO1PDev
Discussion and Decision
Action
27. OIC JSSADC informed all that this was his last meeting prior to his
retirement next month and thanked all for their support over the years. The
recruitment process for a successor has begun but this is expected to result in
a short gap in continuity.
28. RNRMSAA Chairman also reported that this was his last meeting before
retiring from the Corps and he also thanked everyone for their support.
29. ASADA Chairman thanked OIC JSSADC for all his efforts during his
tenure at Bovisand and also made the point that the Army considered diving at
AI with the associated RAFSAA support as a key contributor to AT Sub-Aqua.
30. RAFSAA Chairman pointed out the there will be 2 new boats on AI and
that with a recent changeover of Station Commander there has been a
reduction in AI Welfare charges to £25 and vehicle rental to £30 per day for
diving expeds.
31. DSO(AT) stated that there was anecdotal evidence that WIS Soldiers
were being authorised at unit level to participate in Depththerapy
activities on duty without oversight by Battleback.
Action: SO1PDev to raise at the next DASAT Board to be held on 12 Dec 12.
Date of next meeting: OIC JSSADC to propose a date for the 2013 Annual
Diving Safety Conference to coincide with a JSSADPAC in Apr 13.
Signed on original
PS GELLENDER MBE
Maj RM
SO2AT
SO1 PDEV
OIC JSSADC
SO2AT