Kevin Lapwood

1. 1. lack of training and awareness of medical requirements for volunteers

   “I am concerned about the level of training and awareness nationally - specifically of the medical requirements for volunteers involved in projects like [the deceased] was.”

2. 2. lack of awareness of immersion pulmonary oedema risk for divers with high blood pressure

   “I am concerned about the level of training and awareness around the risks of immersion pulmonary oedema('IPO') for divers with high blood pressure. Whilst the more common risks of hypertension will be better understood (such as heart attack and stroke), awareness of IPO appears to be less well understood.”

3. 3. uncertainty about shore support/surface cover responsibilities

   “I am concerned about whether there is sufficient guidance regarding what the role of shore support /surface cover entails. Specifically, should that include having eyes on the water?”

4. 4. ambiguous document title causing potential exclusion of volunteers

   “The title of the document - does this document adequately reflect that it also covers volunteers? Is there a risk that, on reading the initial heading of the document, it may be felt that it is not relevant to volunteers working in the capacity that [the deceased] did?”

5. 5. lack of direct access to associated guidance

   “Would the reference to "associated guidance" on the title page be better with the use of a hyperlink to guidance such as the volunteer diver guidance note?”

6. 6. ambiguous definition of "diver" limiting regulatory applicability

   “The definition of "diver" in the ACOP is "a person at work who dives". The definition of "at work" is (in summary) an employee or a self-employed person. Although the guidance does go on to deal separately with those in a diving role as part of a project, there is some potential ambiguity here.”

7. 7. legislation titles creating perception of exclusion of volunteers

   “All the titles of the relevant legislation and guidance refer to diving "at work". It is easily foreseeable that someone looking at this may assume that is not relevant for volunteers used as part of a diving project.”

8. 8. lack of mandatory risk communication by doctors conducting HSE medicals

   “I am concerned that there is currently no requirement for doctors conducting HSE medicals to confirm that they have advised patients who fail the HSE medical, for reasons similar to those in [the deceased]'s case, of the risks of IPO.”

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