WARNING OVER FORGED DIVER QUALIFICATION CERTIFICATE

22 Dec 2004 12:45 PM

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a warning to divers following a prosecution involving the forgery of a diving qualification certificate.

The warning comes after the prosecution of Nicholas Alfred Arrowsmith who had applied to HSE for a replacement Part II (AODC transitional certificate) commercial diving certificate. HSE carried out routine checks of Arrowsmith's qualifications and found he was only qualified to the lower Part I level. Further investigation revealed that the copy of the certificate Arrowsmith sent to HSE had been tampered with so as to make it appear that he had reached the Part II level.

A joint investigation was subsequently carried out in conjunction with Sussex Police, and Arrowsmith was charged with attempting to obtain property by deception. Arrowsmith pleaded not guilty, but a jury found him guilty at Hove Crown Court on 6 October 2004. Following an adjournment for reports he was subsequently sentenced to 12 months imprisonment on 1 November 2004.

In imposing a custodial sentence, the Judge highlighted that he had taken into account the fact that qualified divers could have been unwittingly exposed to extreme danger if Arrowsmith had succeeded in passing himself off as a Part II qualified diver.

Chris Sherman, HSE's Chief Inspector of Diving said: "This case shows the seriousness with which courts take forgery. The diving qualification certificate system is a crucial part of the UK's diving safety regime. HSE diving teams will investigate all cases where divers are found to hold forged documents or qualifications."

Notes to Editors

1. The AODC (Association of Offshore Diving Contractors) is now called IMCA (International Marine Contractors Association). For more information visit: www.imca-int.com

2. The HSE Part I qualification, (now the equivalent of HSE Scuba with HSE Surface Supply and HSE Surface Supply Top-Up) allows divers to work offshore using surface supplied diving equipment. The HSE Part II qualification, now called HSE Closed Bell, allows divers to dive using saturation diving techniques, and requires considerably more training and experience. Further information on diving qualifications can be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/diving/carr.htm

3. The transitional certificates were issued between 1 July 1981 to 31 December 1981 when the original Diving Operations at Work Regulations 1981 were introduced. This was to allow those already in the industry to continue to work without further training.

4. The Diving at Work Regulations 1997 (DWR), together with a series of five associated Approved Codes of Practice (ACoPs) seek to control the hazards associated with diving at work. For more information visit www.hse.gov.uk/hid/osd/diving/acop.htm.

5. The DWR and ACoPs apply to all dives in British waters where one or more divers are at work (including recreational instructors), whether employed or self-employed. They impose duties on everyone involved in a project, from the client to individual divers doing the work, to take measures to ensure the health and safety of those taking part.

6. General advice on diving at work can be found on the HSE website at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/diving/

PUBLIC ENQUIRIES: Call HSE's InfoLine, tel: 08701 545500, or write to: HSE Information Services, Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG.

HSE information and press releases can be accessed on the Internet: http://www.hse.gov.uk

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