RISK ASSESSMENT

SUB AQUA ASSOCIATION

RISK ASSESSMENT
GUIDANCE FOR CLUBS WITHIN THE SAA
FEBRUARY 2005

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CONTENTS

Subject Page

Contents 2
Acknowledgements & Useful Web Sites 2
Introduction 3
What is a Risk Assessment 3
Codes of Practice 3
Definitions 3
Five Basic Steps to Creating a Assessment Document 4-5
Creating Your Risk Assessment Document 5
Assessment Document Example (appendix a) 6
Risk Assessment Document (blank) (appendix b) 7
On Going Document Blank (appendix c) 8
Assessment Document Aide Memoir 9
Further Information 10

Acknowledgments

The Sub Aqua Association would like to thank the following for their assistance and contributions in
compiling this aid memoir to creating a Risk Assessment document.

Kevin Whiteley SAA National Instructor

Pat Coates SITA administration Office
Bill McCormack National Diving Inspector (HSE)
John Gorton Direct Learning
Tim Johnstone Health & Safety Manger (Smith & Nephew)
Phil Crombie Diving Operations Strategy Team (HSE)
Andrew Wigley HSE infoline

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INTRODUCTION

For years the majority of Diving Supervisors and Instructors have been quite afraid of those
dreaded words RISK ASSESSMENT. We as Dive Supervisors and Instructors have a DUTY of CARE to
those who we are supervising or teaching To ensure that the environment we are operating in is as
safe as we can possibly make it for all those involved. As dive leaders and above we have always
carried out a Risk Assessments without even thinking about it each and every time we get into the
water by putting together a dive plan, which includes looking at
the weather, tides, buddies etc. Building a Risk Assessment is nothing more than the same only we
document our findings and relay to others our assessment of the risks involved in our diving
environment.

This document has been put together with the help of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). It
contains notes and information to assist you as planners and trainers in putting together a written
Risk Assessment To minimise the risk for whatever type of sport diving activities you may be
undertaking, whether it is in the classroom, swimming pool or open water. This document and
recommendations have been developed along side all UK sport divertraining organisations.

WHAT IS A RISK ASSESSMENT

Whatever you may think a risk assessment is, it is a no more than a written document and
common sense approach to spotting a potential hazard. Identifying who or what may be affected by
those hazards and taking the necessary action to combat the risks. Therefore reducing the harm to
anyone or anything, this includes non diving participants and the general public, whilst recording your
findings as documentary evidence.

CODES OF PRACTICE

Being members of the Sub Aqua Association there are two codes of practice which should also be
taken into consideration when planning diving activities and compiling a Risk Assessment document:

1. SAA Safe diving practices

2. HSE Approved Code of Practice, (ACOP) Recreational

Diving Projects “ISBN O 717614964”

Scuba Diving is a hazardous activity, however quite a number of the risks involved are already
minimised to a certain degree by our high standards and procedures during diver training. Example
being the likely hood of a diver having problem clearing their ears due to the water pressure, this is
minimised by the techniques taught to all divers early on in diver training. This then is no longer a
significant hazard as a control measure is in place when the diver adheres to the procedures taught.

DEFINITIONS

RISK Is the chance that somebody will be harmed by a Hazard

HAZARD Anything that may cause harm

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THE FIVE BASIC STEPS TO CONSIDER WHEN CARRYING OUT A RISK ASSESSMENT

Carrying out these five basic steps will assist you in compiling a comprehensive risk assessment
document. More often than not the majority of risks will be the same for each diving location.
However we must not get complacent and take familiar locations for granted because and each dive
is unique and may alter from hour to hour.

Step One IDENTIFIYING THE HAZARDS

Identifying the hazards can be as complex as you make it, have a common sense approach and don’t
get carried away. Only identify hazards which are significant to your diving purpose. Include potential
concerns no matter how trivial as these can lead to more serious hazards. These concerns may have
been overlooked and any hazard may have more than one risk so do not take things for granted.
Some hazards are applicable to all diving sites where others will be more specific to certain locations.

Examples: Drift diving (time and state of current) Night diving

Step Two WHO MAY BE HARMED AND HOW

The majority of hazards will apply to all divers but don’t forget others within the group such as
trainees and spectators who also may be in the vicinity. Simply thinking how a person may be
harmed may be the remedy to prevent the hazard, such as a cylinder being laid down not left
standing on the pool side.
Examples: Divers, Trainees and Public.

Step Three EVALUATE THE RISK

Consider how likely it is that each hazard could cause harm, this will determine whether or not you
need to do more to reduce the risk. Even after all the precautions have been taken some amount of
risk will remains. What you have to do is decide for each significant hazard is whether this remaining
risk is HIGH MEDIUM or LOW Your real aim is to make all risks low, if this is the case then an
element of common sense, experience and prior knowledge should determine the out come. A point
to remember is a risk may change from a low risk to a high risk and vice versa throughout a diving
period hence the need for on going evaluation.

GENERIC and SPECIFIC RISK`S

The difference between Generic and Specific are, The majority of hazards involved with Scuba Diving
are the same for all aspects of diving whether in the pool or in open water sites (Generic). An
example being pressure damage to ears and lungs can occur at any location.
However there are times when (Specific) control measures are put into place for a specific activity or
location such as for night diving or deep diving. Whatever the location or diving activity you may be
undertaking there MUST BE AN ON GOING EVALUATION.

Step Four RECORDING YOUR FINDINGS

Once you have identified the hazards and put into place the control measures to minimise the risk,
write them down and keep a written record for reference during the activity and for future use. This
can then remind you of the potential hazards at a particular location or dive site. It will also show
that a proper check had been carried out for each location and diving activity.

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Step Five REVIEW ASSESSMENT AND UPDATE AS NESSESSARY

During any dive you should be aware of things that may change, such as divers getting tired,
different gas mixes, underwater visibility and not forgetting the unpredictable weather. The list is
endless so you must be aware of all changing circumstances with regards to your risk assessment
and update accordingly.
Example: Visibility underwater getting worse, the use of a buddy lines or the need to abort the dive.

CREATING YOUR OWN RISK ASSESSMENT DOCUMENT

Risk Assessment documents as we have already said can be used in a court of law both for the
positive side and the negative. Having a Risk Assessment document one no matter what shape or
form it takes is better than none at all. Creating your own risk assessment document and the format
it takes is down to the individuals. Documents can be created and kept on file for site specific to be
used time and time again, (BE AWARE THINGS DO CHANGE) also be aware things change form hour
to hour while on a dive site, so changes must be made and recorded. One piece of sound advice is
“KEEP IT SIMPLE” don’t get bogged down with pages and pages of writing.
Listed at annex a. is an example of a Generic/Specific risk assessment document.

These are examples of potential hazards. Looking at who is at risk, the control measures either
Generic or Specific and the relevant assessments put into place to minimise the risk of injury.

Annex a. Example Risk Assessment Document

Annex b. Blank Document
Annex c. Blank on going document/Aide Memoir (Double sided waterproof document)

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Pool Training EXAMPLE RISK ASSESSEMENT Appendix a

No Hazard Who is at Control measures put in place to reduce risk Update and Review
Risk
1 Trip Slip or Fall All Divers Pool discipline, no walking in fins, all briefed on how to carry equipment,
the buddy system.
2 Pressure Damage Trainee’s Trainees to receive specific instruction for equalization
to: Ears Mask

3 Falling Equipment All Correct stowage of equipment briefing of trainees.

Open Water Diving

No Hazard Who is at Control measures put in place to reduce risk Update and Review
Risk
1 Cold water All Pool discipline, no walking in fins, all briefed on how to carry equipment,
the buddy buddy system.
2 Low Visibility All Divers Trainees to receive specific instruction for equalization

3 Net entanglement All Divers Correct stowage of equipment briefing of trainees.

Boat Diving
No Hazard Who is at Control measures put in place to reduce risk Update and Review
Risk
1 Propeller Injury Divers Qualified boat handler, Propeller guard fitted,
Use of SMB or delayed SMB Correct entry and exit to boat.
2 Lost Divers Divers Qualified boat handler, Propeller guard fitted,
Use of SMB or delayed SMB correct entry and exit to boat.
NOTE: The above lists are taken at random of potential Hazards from a variety of diving activities and do not constitute a full Risk
Assessment document.

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BLANK ASSESSMENT Appendix b

Name……………………..…………………..…….Date…….………………..Location…………………………………………………………...………………………………..

No Hazard Who is at Risk Control measures put in place to reduce risk Update and Review

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ON GOING RISK ASSESSMENT Appendix c

Hazard Who is at Risk Control Measures Review And Update

Put Into Place

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RISK ASSESSEMENT CHECK LIST

□ Identify The Hazard □ Who is at Risk □ Evaluate the Risk
□ Record Your Findings □ On going/Update Regularly □ (Generic or Specific)

POOL/TRAINING OPEN WATER BOATS

□ Slip Trip or Fall □ Access to Water □ Propeller Injury
□ Pressure Injury □ Running out of Gas □ Lost Divers/ Boat
□ Run Out of Air □ Return to Entry Point □ Other Boats
□ Falling Equipment □ Weather Change □ People Unwell
□ Equipment Malfunction □ Low Visibility □ Engine Malfunction
□ Panic □ Depth □ Weather Conditions
□ Flooding Mask □ Water/Air Temp □ Stowage of Kit
□ DCI □ Entanglement □ Current
□ Use of Buddy Lines □ Free Flow □ Wet Decking
□ Apprehension □ Cramp/Exhaustion □ Loss of Communications
□ Separation □ Injury from Sharp Metals □ Entry and Exits
□ Exhaustion □ Bites and Stings □ Run out of Fuel
□ Cold □ Dehydration
□ Inversion □ Sun Burn
□ Rapid Ascents
□ Over Weighted

NOTE! This is NOT a complete Risk Assessment guide, plus any hazard may fall into one or more categories

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Futher Information:

1. Approved Code of practice (ACOP) Recreational Diving

Projects Books L105-ISBN 0-7176-1496-4

2. Diving at work regulations 1997(Statutory Instruments

1997 No 2776) –ISBN 0-11 - 065170-7

3. HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk

4. Are you involved in a Diving Project? HSE leaflet

INDG266 and Five steps to Risk Assessment – HSE leaflet
IND163 (rev 1)

5. To order HSE Regulations: To order HSE publications:

The Stationary Office, HSE Books
PO Box 276 PO Box 1999
London SW8 5DT Sudbury, Suffolk
Tel: 0870 600 5522 CO10 2WA
www.hmso.gov.uk www.hsebooks.co.uk

Useful Web Sites

www.sita.org.uk
www.directlearning.net
www.hse.gov.uk/diving
www.hsebooks.co.uk
www.hmso.gov.uk
www.freesafety check.co.uk (courses)
www.hse.gov.uk/research/crr_pdf/1997/c97140.pdf complete quantative scuba
diving risk assessment

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