DAN Southern African Announces the DAN Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA) Programme for Scuba diving Service Providers 

The primary mission of DAN is to offer assistance to injured recreational scuba divers. An important secondary mission is to prevent diving injuries. Recent events have reinforced the importance of a pre-emptive approach to safety – the DAN DIVING SAFETY PARTNERS – HAZARD IDENTIFICATION and RISK ASSESSMENT programme (DSP-HIRA)

A major step in this direction was the creation of the basic DAN Diving Safety Partners (DSP) programme.

The DSP programme recognizes diving operations that self-report compliance with essential diving emergency preparedness – appropriate first responder training for all staff; pre-dive briefings; a practical emergency assistance plan; and an effective lost diver recovery procedure. However, this needs to be taken one step further – towards preventing diving injuries! Building on the success of the DSP programme, DAN has undertaken the important mission of promoting and supporting a culture of safety amongst divers and participating diving service providers. The expanded Diving Safety Partners programme will include Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA) components to – actively prevent diving injuries! This will empower dive operators to ensure that their activities are undertaken with the appropriate awareness, control and mitigation of relevant health and safety risks, whether these affect dive clients, instructors or support staff.

Program vision: To create, promote and build a culture of safety at all SCUBA diving schools, charters and operations around the world.