Reminder to submit diving incident reports

A reminder for divers and instructors submit any diving incidents by the 17th October 2018

The reporting year for collection of data for the Annual Diving Incident report runs from 1 October through to the 30 September the following year. Consequently, the 2018 reporting year closes at the end of this month and any reports for inclusion should be submitted by Wednesday 17 October to allow compilation of the report.

Safety Talk - Time to report 2018 

The purpose of the Annual Report is to bring together details of diving incidents and to share the information to help all divers learn and assist them in planning and preparing to avoid similar incidents themselves.

The obvious focus of many is the more serious incidents but thankfully, due to training, practice and using the right equipment these are thankfully rare. We are confident that the report captures some detail on the most serious incidents, fatalities, but the level of reporting as you go down the scale of seriousness the numbers reduce. That does not mean that the information is unimportant and the data collected over the years allows a representative sample to be recorded.

Naturally, the more information that can be collected helps to develop a better understanding of trends and in particular how developments in training and other aspects of diving are helping to improve things for the benefit of everyone.

What to report

• We have highlighted previously in these articles that any abnormal circumstance whilst out diving can be reported.
• There does not need to be an injury or for damage to occur to warrant a report be submitted.
• Individuals (or groups) should not be concerned that a report might open them up to ridicule or embarrassment (or internet abuse) because all reports are treated in the strictest confidence and no identifying features such as names or locations are included in any published report.
• You should also not be too concerned that an incident may or may not be relevant as it is part of the role of the NDC Incidents Advisor to make an informed judgement on including particular information submitted.

Near miss

• Perhaps where the greatest value can be found is when an out of the ordinary occurrence happens but is successfully resolved and so does not lead to a physical ‘incident’.
• The mechanism by which the incident was recognised, assessed and action taken to resolve it can all be highly valuable information that may very well be of value to others, not least in informing training development.

Prevention

• Further to the near miss scenario, there may well be times when action has been to consider a particular risk and action taken, perhaps by a Dive Manager that prevented a situation arising in the first instance.
• There is value in reporting even a near miss as above - if in doubt please report and please do so by 17 October 2018.