We don't need no education....

[Ana]

Welcome to Australia, perhaps the only country in the world more litigious than the US! It's a CYA situation.

Very bright, it happens in the US also, I'm hoping to get a real reason why.
I can't believe it is a matter of liability, I think the operators in general get carried away and most of the people go along like good little lambs, is all about their "safety" so if someone doesn't go along with the silliness, then that person is either uneducated or just "an accident waiting to happen"

Not only is lame, but is not even efficient.
How can an operator KNOW for sure what is inside anyone's tanks?

I understand if the operator is supplying the gas but why go farther?

 

[Ana]

I believe the situation would not change. Because you are a guest on the boat we would have a
duty of care. Someone would need to see evidence of cert to meet safety standards.

Guest is an ambiguous term. A guest in a hotel is a client, a guest in a private house tends to be a friend. To be clear I'm referring to a commercial boat with paying divers.

So, do you analyze the air of every diver that shows up with his own tanks? Even if they are diving plain air, how would you know the compressor used had clean filters or if that air is from such a crappy compressor they are about to die at the 17th breath?

I'm pushing the issue to absurd extremes I know, but is just a way to show how this "duty of care" is just a pretension of caring. To think that an operator can protect a diver only creates a false sense of security on naive divers, and for sure open the doors of lawsuits. You are actually setting yourself up for failure, sooner or later one of your divers will have an issue that you could not possibly prevent. Wouldn't it be healthier to leave the responsibility where it belongs, on each diver.

 

[captain]

I ran charters in 1980's. I had a release drawn up by a lawyer. Basicly it said by signing you know how to dive and the consequences there of and once you are underwater you are no longer my responsibiliy until you surface. I never asked to see a card. What would it have told me, nothing, but after watching them gear up and exit the boat I could fairly well determine their ability.

 

[marinediva]

The code of practise is there to protect all stakeholders in the Industry.

Here is a link and you read for yourself.

http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/workplace/resources/pdfs/rectecdiving_code2001.pdf


In reference to divers using their own compressed air, I would tend to say a good operator would
at some stage check the air, would tend to think it may be subtle, may be at the same time they are checking to see the tank is in date for use.

These regulations are for recreational scubadiving operators, their employees and self employed contractors.

 

[Sas]

Just as a note if you did not have a nitrox cert, you should not expect to be using it nitrox on my boat. There are also a number of wreck sites in Aust that require a wreck certification to be able to dive it.

Which wreck sites are those?

 

[ptyx]

As a trainer, and not just recreational scuba diving but also hospitality and first aid, I learn that everyone is different. Students have different abilities and potential capabilities. Everyone learns in a different way.

That I can agree with. Good teachers/mentors/instructors can be a lot of help. Hiring someone with more experience to work on buoyancy/wrecks/photography/air sharing drills/ascents/cold water diving/anything makes sense. I don't get the 'card' thing, but if it sells...

There are also a number of wreck sites in Aust that require a wreck certification to be able to dive it.

That makes me cringe. What's next? Preventing people to boat dive without the 'boat diver' card? What about a 'back buoyancy diver' or a 'split fins' diver?

If the emphasis on cards continues, Mark Twain's quote about "never letting schooling interfere with one's education.” will be applicable to diving soon :depressed:

 

[AndyNZ]

Which wreck sites are those?

I would guess Northern Queensland. It is the most heavily regulated dive industry around.

If the emphasis on cards continues, Mark Twain's quote about "never letting schooling interfere with one's education.” will be applicable to diving soon :depressed:

There must be a line somewhere. For example, does a charter just allow any old person to jump onboard and do trimix dives to 80m? Personally, I don't think any charter anywhere would do that without some form of evidence that the person is capable of doing those dives.

Some places maybe draw the line too early, I agree.

 

[Sas]

I would guess Northern Queensland. It is the most heavily regulated dive industry around.

Ok. I was wondering which wrecks more specifically, but yes I have heard N QLD is heavily regulated. Given that it costs more than going overseas to dive and it is so regulated I have been avoiding that place.

 

[AndyNZ]

and it is so regulated I have been avoiding that place.

Me too.

 

[Ana]

The code of practise is there to protect all stakeholders in the Industry.

Here is a link and you read for yourself.

http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/workplace/resources/pdfs/rectecdiving_code2001.pdf


In reference to divers using their own compressed air, I would tend to say a good operator would
at some stage check the air, would tend to think it may be subtle, may be at the same time they are checking to see the tank is in date for use.

These regulations are for recreational scubadiving operators, their employees and self employed contractors.

I believe you... I'm sure there are a lot of rules and guidelines on that link. Also I don't mean to single you out or Australian operators either; there are plenty of similar rules and guidelines in the US and many other countries.

Now l can't stop seeing holes in those practices. You say

"... a good operator would at some stage check the air."

Sorry but I don't see it.... to see a hydro stamp or a VIP sticker you don't need a good operator, just need good eyesight. It is a totally different thing to figure out what is inside the tank. Some people label their tanks with lots of info about their mixes, but what about the ones that use always 29% or 36% (or whatever) and don't feel the need to actually place a label, is their tank after all . How would an operator even suspect there is anything besides plain air? I'm not even going to ask about the subtle way to do it.