juhanbotha: Relax - Safety standards for recreational diving launched

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Relax - Safety standards for recreational diving launched

Above: Safety regulations for recreational diving were launched on Monday - the first time efforts are being taken to bolster safety in the increasingly popular sport.

SINGAPORE - Launched by the Singapore Standards Council and the National Water Safety Council, the regulations included the roles and responsibilities for participants involved in recreational diving, best practices for dive masters and diving instructors, and the safety requirements for diving activities.

Below is the press release about it:

The Technical Reference (TR) for Recreational Diving "TR 32:2012", was jointly launched today by the Singapore Standards Council and the National Water Safety Council (NWSC).

TR 32:2012 defines the roles and responsibilities of participants involved in recreational diving activities, including the safety requirements to be undertaken for specific diving activities, the minimum standards that dive operators should adhere to, as well as best practices for dive masters and diving instructors.

Diving enthusiasts can also refer to TR 32:2012 to understand the safety criteria expected of dive operators and shops selling dive equipment.

This would encourage them to take responsibility for their own well-being and that of those under their charge.

TR 32:2012 was developed by the Working Group formed under the Technical Committee on Workplace Safety and Health, which establishes standards under the guidance of the Singapore Standards Council.

The Working Group also comprises members of the Recreational Diving Safety Committee (RDSC) that was set up under the NWSC in Jan 2011 to look into enhancing safety standards in the local recreational diving industry.

In preparation of TR 32:2012, reference was made to various international standards and best practices for SCUBA diving and snorkelling. Reference was also made to SS 511:2010 Code of practice for diving at work, which provides a set of requirements to promote uniformity of practice in relation to the occupational safety and health in the commercial diving industry, but which does not cover recreational diving.

Guest-of-Honour Dr Teo Ho Pin, Chairman of the NWSC, explained that while recreational diving incidents have been few and far between, they can be prevented with better understanding and rigorous application of recreational diving safety requirements.

He said, "Recreational diving is an increasingly popular sports activity. The Recreational Diving Safety Committee (RDSC) was specifically set up two years ago to look into enhancing diving standards for the recreational diving industry, so that enthusiasts are able to enjoy the sport in a safe and responsible manner. All parties involved in recreational diving are encouraged to adopt TR 32:2012 to enhance the safety of training sessions and overseas expeditions."

Following the announcement of TR 32:2012, the Singapore Underwater Federation (SUF), the national sports authority for diving and underwater activities, will be launching DiveSafer in April 2013.

DiveSafer is a purposefully designed certification programme to accredit dive operators in accordance with safety standards for recreational diving in Singapore.

Consumers will be encouraged to approach operators that are DiveSafer certified.

More details will be made available prior to the official launch in April 2013.

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