Writing for the latest issue of Underwater Magazine, Aaron Lay recently examined why undergoing an audit from the Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI) might help individual operators.
One of the key advantages to doing this is the vote of confidence it gives clients: this, in turn, may lead to more trust and a better business relationship between contractor and employer. Furthermore, Lay notes, underwriters come out of an audit with hard evidence of the contractor's performance when it comes to regulations.
Underwriters come out of an audit with hard evidence of the contractor's performance
"Essentially, when a client has full assurance that a contractor has been fully vetted through a formal auditing process conducted by the ADCI, the opportunities for lasting relationships between client and contractor are fortified significantly," Lay writes.
First, the basics: the ADCI maintains an auditing requirement for general members, a process which formalizes the process of complying with safety issues. The sample self audit report form features seven sections for review, including personnel requirements, accident reporting and "Health, Safety and Environmental System Management (Company Process)."
The longest of these is the fourth, "Equipment and Systems," which features 11 subsections for diver's dress, gauges, relief valves and other vital pieces. Auditors have a field to keep track of the last safety audit conducted.
In a video on the ADCI auditing process from the organization itself, auditor Jon Hazelbaker described the thorough observation an audit requires. Visiting professionals consult documentation, such as personnel files and guidance manuals, to verify that all employees working for a contractor have had appropriate certification themselves.
Commercial diving contractors may prefer to work with an appropriate insurance provider that anticipates regulations and policy requirements.