If an incident occurs you should take the following steps to deal with the situation:
Step one: deal with the emergency
In the event of any diving incident of suspected decompression illness or barotraumas, contact:
- Sea diving: call the coastguard, DSC or VHF channel 16 or dial 999 (24 hours).
- Inland diving in England, Northern Ireland and Wales: call the BHA/RN Diver helpline 07831 151523 (24 hours)
- Inland diving in Scotland: call Aberdeen Royal Infirmary 0345 408 6008 (24 hours)
Step two: contact the BSAC team
Should an accident occur in which lives are lost, serious injuries sustained or property damaged, the Diver Resources Team (DRT) at BSAC must be notified at the earliest possible opportunity.
For BSAC assistance or advice following an incident please call Sophie Heptonstall on +44 (0)151 350 6207 - this number is available 24 hours. You can also ask for advice by email.
BSAC will notify the Incidents Adviser and the Insurers who, if necessary, will appoint legal specialists and other experts (see – Conditions of Insurance).
Serious accidents may result in a claim on the Membership Liability Insurance policy. It’s essential – and a condition of the insurance policy - that the insurers are advised quickly that a claim is a possibility; otherwise the cover could be invalidated.
Step three: report the incident
BSAC will notify the relevant Regional Coach, whose duties include the investigation of accidents and incidents. The Coach can help the branch/club with its own internal enquiry and with the completion of the Incident/Accident Report Form.
It should be stressed that except in the initial enquiry at branch/club level or in the Courts (if the matter ever gets that far), BSAC will not publish the names of those persons involved: anonymity is assured. The report to the Diving Conference makes no reference to the branch/club involved and refers only to 'Diver A', 'Diver B', etc.
