Last year the UK’s Health & Safety Executive (HSE) removed requirements for supervisors operating in UK waters to undertake an exam, and the examination was subsequently withdrawn. As a result, the previous route to certification – where Dutch candidates were able to convert their certificate by sitting the exam – is no longer available.
The changes mean NDC-CI certificate holders are now required to complete CPD to the same standard as IMCA-certified diving supervisors, with IMCA’s Diving CPD App the most user-friendly means of doing so.
Commenting on the changes, Peter Sieniewicz, Diving Consultant at IMCA said: “Following the withdrawal of the exam by the UK’s HSE, we’re delighted to have reached agreement with authorities in the Netherlands on the use of CPD as an alternative. This news means Dutch air diving supervisors can continue to work on international diving projects – which will be welcome – and ensures that everyone doing so meets IMCA requirements.
“We’ve developed the IMCA Diving CPD App as a flexible and user-friendly way for divers to demonstrate their CPD, and our online verification portal means anyone can check the authenticity and status of certificate holders.”
To register for the IMCA Diving CPD App, users must first prove they have the experience required in terms of time offshore and panel hours. They must then complete the required knowledge units to achieve recognition, with new units published and completed on a quarterly basis to remain ‘in-date.’
The authenticity of IMCA and IMCA-recognised diving supervisor certificates, as well as the CPD status of holders (‘in-date’ or ‘out-of-date’), can be checked using an online certificate verification portal: www.imca-int.com/verify.
IMCA Members can find out more about the changes in an updated version of IMCA information note 1394 – Diver and diving supervisor certification and explore more on the IMCA Diving CPD App at: www.imca-int.com/cpd.