Ontario Governing Body

[divebuddydale]

I was at The Dive Center in Stittsville yesterday (which BTW is another good store to frequent in the area for whoever was asking a few days back).

Fred and I were talking, we don't need more Gov't regulators, we need to come up with a set of Ontario Standards, and set up a voluntary organization that Divers and Dive Shops can belong to, that promote these standards. (Kinda like the Better Business Bureau of diving standards). Basically the certification agency has it's minimum requirements, but to have this affiliation, the shop's training must meet the Ontario Group Standards.

All it will take then is promotion of the group, (make it so divers only want to frequent shop's affiliated with the Ontario agency)

what are your thoughts on this??

Dale

 

[weight_for_me]

It sounds like something that the Ontario Underwater Council should be involved in. I don't know to what extent the standards would reach, but it should include a "No Pink Equipment" clause. (just kidding...)
Randy...

 

[SneakyB'tard]

Sounds Good

It would have to be a well thought out proceedure backed by a couples years of planning.
Unfortunatly, dive store and charter operator meetings tend to get nothing done and usually take 2 steps forward and 1.5 steps back.

It would have to be governed by a semi detached body of professionals with an array of credentials such as quality management, human resources, government regulatory proceedures and bodies, civil and business law, human rights, dive medicine, medicine, Labour Law, Ontario Health and Safety law, Employment equity, Workers compensation board, Dive education, recreation, Transport canada, canada revenue etc.....

When a list of standards are implemented they must be reasonable, unbiased, attainable and beneficial to the consumer as well as the industry.

Most important of all ...they must be enforced!

Good idea, you have my support.

 

[mglasspo]

Hi all,

I'm not opposed or for this idea, but I'll throw in something to make you all think. When does regulation become too much? I see it everywhere now, people imposing regulations "for my safety" such as NCC patrols in Gatineau Park kicking me out of a swimming area because there was no lifeguard. Being told I am not allowed to go 10 feet outside of the ropes area to get a ball that went too far by accident, when the lifeguard is there, because they wouldn't want to have to rescue me if I got into trouble 10 feet away from the swimming area. Things like that. I go many places and find there are too many constrictive rules that override a persons free choice. I would hate for this to happen to scuba diving. I think, if implemented properly, this would be a good idea, if implemented poorly it could become cumbersome and we'd all wish it away.

Mike

 

[SneakyB'tard]

people imposing regulations "for my safety" such as NCC patrols in Gatineau Park kicking me out of a swimming area because there was no lifeguard. Being told I am not allowed to go 10 feet outside of the ropes area to get a ball that went too far by accident, when the lifeguard is there, because they wouldn't want to have to rescue me if I got into trouble 10 feet away from the swimming area. Things like that. I go many places and find there are too many constrictive rules that override a persons free choice.

Thats a good point Mglasspo. As I see you are a CF member and an Officer at that! You must then be well versed in the QRO, CATO and SOP's that rule everything you do on the job. It is a pain I agree, but in Civie world it boils down to one word -

Liability

Everyone is afraid of being sued or publicly denounced for their actions or inactions, they impose rules. Unfortunatly it is our new way of life so we must change with the times.

 

[mglasspo]

Hey sneaky,

Yeah, unfortunately I am all too well versed in all the military acronymed rules sets, QRO, CFAO, CATO, CRSCO, CRCO, etc. etc. (I have a bunch more because I work with cadets)

I have never understood why courts or people don't just abide by the "swim/dive at your own risk" signage. I mean, the way I see it, if I were to get into trouble outside the swimming area, the lifeguard shouldn't be obligated to help me. As I am swimming outside the monitored area. If they're afraid of people swimming, drowning and suing them, we should be up signs every 2 feet along every waterway saying no swimming. But we don't. People ought to know better. But unfortunately due to a few bad apples, we're forced to live by the "better put some bubble wrap around the knife, lest it actually cut something" mentality.

Fittingly, the episode of the Simpsons last night was where Homer went on a rampage of making babies safe, and in the end, all you see is kids in the park and each one of them and all the park toys are wrapped in bubble wrap. I think Matt Groening hit the nail on the head for that one.

Everybody be careful, the coffee is hot.

 

[RICHinNC]

For what it is worth.....the lady with the hot coffee in her lap by McDonalds.....she got less than $1000......her lawyer cleaned up.

 

[mglasspo]

Really, that's all she needed or should have gotten, is a napkin, if you don't know the coffee is hot and will burn you, then too bad for you. The $1000 reward for stupidity is what I'll call that.

Man I'm pessimistic today.. sorry guys!

BTW: If anybody's around Prescott Sunday and sees me, say hi! I'll be down there doing a couple of dives and still haven't met anyone from the board.

 

[divebuddydale]

weight_for_me once bubbled...
It sounds like something that the Ontario Underwater Council should be involved in. I don't know to what extent the standards would reach, but it should include a "No Pink Equipment" clause. (just kidding...)
Randy...

OUC would be a great org to get involved, however Fred was mentioning to me yesterday, that he heard they were in the midst of going Belly Up (Bankrupt).


As for the pink thing, I agree

Dale

 

[SneakyB'tard]

Requirements for recreational diving facilities (CEN project)


The aim of this working group and CEN/TC 329/WG 3, Recreational Diving Services, is to set up standards specifying safety requirements for diving centres, scuba diving
instructors and their assistants. DIN, as an independent body, is well suited to coordinate and focus the existing activities at national level. In the light of the inconsistencies in the market situation, the future standards could make a valuable contribution to increasing market transparency, consumer safety, quality of services as well as to improving and ensuring adequate qualifications on the part of those performing the services. They could also provide a basis for negotiations between suppliers and customers and for the certification of diving schools.

A corresponding certificate could serve as a criterion for selection by tour operators and other contract parties. The standards are to be understood as recommendations and minimumrequirements that can be “bettered” in practice. Against the background of a multiplicity of representative organizations in the recreational diving industry, the standards committee will take on the difficult task of achieving mutually acceptable positions and then present these at European level.