Diving officer responsibilities

[Maxco]

Few questions regarding the role of diving officer..........There is no guidebook, no rules to follow or best practice, every DO does things their own way and its all open to interpretation

How does a diving officer know their responsibilities, the job description is very vague and its to ensure safe diving?

Dive approval - some need full dive info prior to approval others just want to know your going diving and a text once safe.

Welfare officer - if a WO is in place does that mitigate any WO issue and all responsibility is owned by the WO

Training - if a training officer is in place with lead officer does the DO only provide safety governance ?

Is there a DO course to attend where all this is ironed out?

 

[Nickorossa]

Are you a newly elected DO, or someone considering standing for the position or asking for another reason..?

Some of the information you ask for is on the BSAC web site, I'll have a look for some of the links.

As a recently elected DO (still in 1st year), I've asked some of the questions you are asking and still don't have good answers.

I can tell you that there is no DO course. Some of the regions run workshops for DO related updates and Q&As. When I asked a similar question; the answer was to go to your regional leadership, and that the NDO was looking to do something more widespread but that hasn't happened yet.

Nick.

 

[Edward3c]

Have a look at this page on the BSAC website, Branch Officer guidance.

If you state spacific questions I'll answer as best I can.

I used to author the Branch officers' Handbook which had a whole section for Diving Officers. And I'm the DO of Fyne-divers.

Remember as the DO your a facilitator to get members diving.

 

[Maxco]

Are you a newly elected DO, or someone considering standing for the position or asking for another reason..?

Some of the information you ask for is on the BSAC web site, I'll have a look for some of the links.

As a recently elected DO (still in 1st year), I've asked some of the questions you are asking and still don't have good answers.

I can tell you that there is no DO course. Some of the regions run workshops for DO related updates and Q&As. When I asked a similar question; the answer was to go to your regional leadership, and that the NDO was looking to do something more widespread but that hasn't happened yet.

Nick.

Hi Nick, possibly considering standing, however its such a vague job description its hard to know the correct way......... and of course just because the last DO did XYZ doesnt mean its correct.

 

[Maxco]

Have a look at this page on the BSAC website, Branch Officer guidance.

If you state spacific questions I'll answer as best I can.

I used to author the Branch officers' Handbook which had a whole section for Diving Officers. And I'm the DO of Fyne-divers.

Remember as the DO your a facilitator to get members diving.

Ok question 1. Please show me from the BSAC site where it states approval to dive is needed from DO and the information required to be supplied.

Question 2. If a welfare officer is in place, do they own the entire job and any governance, or is the DO suppose to be a welfare and child protection expert and oversee the welfare officer

Question 3. Assuming a training officer is in place, does the training officer submit plans to train to DO including risk assessment. Is the DO suppose to understand risk assessments to decide if the TO has been thorough enough?

 

[Edward3c]

Ok question 1. Please show me from the BSAC site where it states approval to dive is needed from DO and the information required to be supplied.

First a Diving Officer (DO) is not God. The DO in a club is the NDO’s representative and their authority cascades down. The DO is responsible for the safety of diving and training within the club. They are not responsible for ‘private’ diving outside the club. See Diving Officer (DO) and diving member responsibilities

The DO may delegate to a Dive Leader or above the authority to be Dive Manager for club diving or training operations. If Advanced Diver training is being done the Dive Manager should be an Advanced Instructor or National Instructor.

Within my own club, I’ve granted all my Advanced Divers the authority to organise club diving or training without having to notify me first. All I ask is a Dive Manager Sheet be provided so I can keep a record of training being undertaken.

Question 2. If a welfare officer is in place, do they own the entire job and any governance, or is the DO suppose to be a welfare and child protection expert and oversee the welfare officer

The Club Welfare Officer (CWO) is not fully understood. For most it means ensuring those under 18 are not taken advantage of, in reality the CWO should be able to provide support to any club member who requires support. The Equalities Act 2010 means clubs need to be responsive to people’s needs and support diversity, equality and inclusiveness, hence the requirement for a CWO. If there is an incident in the club, people should be able to turn to the CWO for support, if there isn’t a CWO the DO ends up providing the support (with assistance from BSAC HQ).

No the DO does not oversee the CWO.

Question 3. Assuming a training officer is in place, does the training officer submit plans to train to DO including risk assessment. Is the DO suppose to understand risk assessments to decide if the TO has been thorough enough?

The Training Officer is not a club committee appointed position, they are appointed by the DO, if they want one; the DO still retains the ultimate responsibility for training. Risk Assessment, see Risk assessments; yes the DO should be familiar with diving/training risk assessments, hence why the required diver qualification for a DO is Advanced Diver, ideally they should be at least an Open Water Instructor.

 

[Dave Whitlow]

Ok question 1. Please show me from the BSAC site where it states approval to dive is needed from DO and the information required to be supplied.

Qualified divers don't need DO approval to dive outside the branch. Diving done within the branch should be sanctioned by the DO but this generally means finding a Dive Leader, or above, to act as Dive Manager, and then delegating responsibility for safe conduct to them. As DO I never run trips as there's always some premise I can invent to get someone else to do the work, and support them to make sure it works out for me. I think of this as mentoring

Question 3. Assuming a training officer is in place, does the training officer submit plans to train to DO including risk assessment. Is the DO suppose to understand risk assessments to decide if the TO has been thorough enough?

As Edward said, a training officer only exists of the DO wants one, can find someone they have confidence to fill the role, and if the club actually needs one.

 

[Dave Whitlow]

First a Diving Officer (DO) is not God.

In my branch the DO is God

The Training Officer is not a club committee appointed position, they are appointed by the DO, if they want one; the DO still retains the ultimate responsibility for training. Risk Assessment, see Risk assessments; yes the DO should be familiar with diving/training risk assessments, hence why the required diver qualification for a DO is Advanced Diver, ideally they should be at least an Open Water Instructor.

The recommendation is that DO is an AD but the need to be an OWI is more clear.

As DO of my branch I am not an AD, as I stopped progressing toward AD long ago, in a previous branch, when the only AI in the branch wanted to add extra barriers and I asked myself why I was doing it. My conclusion was that for the diving I wanted to do AD added nothing and the stuff within AD is not difficult.