TRAINING
Direct Supervision – When Definitions Really Matter – by Al Hornsby, owner, Al Hornsby Productions, Singapore Al is regarded as one of the industry’s most experienced risk management litigation executives.
water skill performance and evaluation, direct supervision requires the student to be accompanied underwater. Unfortunately, a number of fatalities and serious injuries in diving have occurred on dives requiring direct supervision, yet the divers were without such proximity and the watchful eye of a qualified dive professional. What hasn’t been so sur- prising, however, when the facts were considered, was that these serious accidents might occur in the first place, and the probability that lawsuits soon resulted. And when the cases are reviewed, it also is not surprising that defense of the dive professionals and businesses involved was extremely difficult, and that large settlements or judge- ments all too often resulted. Especially with introductory scuba participants, studies and records show clearly that the overall safety record is very good, with such dives actually having among the lowest probabilities of serious accidents and fatalities (less than certified divers, in fact). However, when intro divers are left alone, the picture can change – the records are clear that too many fatalities among introductory divers have occurred without the re- quired supervision of a dive professional, and the likelihood of resultant litigation has been extremely high – with defenses difficult in such situations. Even should an incident involve a surprise medical event, with the dive professional close to the victim, saving the diver may be possible through quick action – taking him or her to the surface where appropriate medical response could be ini- tiated. And even if the victim does not survive the medical issue, potential litigation defense would likely be centered around the unforeseeable medical problem, with the instruc- tor having done the best he or she could under the difficult circumstances… On the other hand, if the instructor was not directly super- vising, the instructor’s defense would be seriously compro- mised, with a debate among the medical experts brought in most likely to ensue as to whether the fatality was from a med- ical cause or from drowning while incapacitated. Beyond this, however, is the sad occurrence of people com- ing to us to experience the wonder and excitement of the in-
While industry standards and the indi- vidual standards of the various dive training organizations are very clear (and virtually identical) when it comes to the needs/requirements for direct supervi- sion, it is surprising the number of seri-
ous accidents and fatalities that have occurred during dives when direct supervision was clearly required but wasn’t being
provided. What isn’t so surprising is the number of expensive lawsuits that have resulted – especially when involving non –certified divers during various forms of introductory scuba dives.
As a concept and definition, direct supervision is actually quite simple, and industry standards are straightforward and clear: Direct Supervision. Visual observation and evaluation of student skill performance and student diving activities by an instructor or certified assistant. Direct supervision requires personal observation and evaluation of the performance of the skills required for certification. During under-
credible world we have discovered and made our own, and being short changed by a lack of proper supervision. This is a standard that offers zero tolerance – nothing less.
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