Careers - Health and Safety Advice
Are you medically fit?
Professional diving is a very demanding career. It requires a high degree of physical and psychological fitness that means you will need to be very fit initially and will need to keep yourself in top condition. Training is also expensive, especially if you are paying for it yourself. Under the Diving at Work Regulations 1997 (DWR) you will need to pass a thorough medical examination by an Approved Medical Examiner of Divers (AMED), before starting training. AMEDs are approved by the HSE and are trained in diving medicine.
Medical examination
Before beginning training and or assessment you must pass an initial medical examination carried out by an AMED to ensure you are medically fit to dive. The AMED also needs to make you aware of any underlying health problems, which could affect your fitness in the future. If you pass the medical you ill be issued with a certificate of medical fitness to dive, which is valid for up to 12 months. This must be renewed annually and will include a fitness test.
The cost of the examination may vary depending on any further tests an AMED may have to carry out. The AMED may state restrictions about the types of diving work you can do, for example, the depth to which you can dive. Any person who fails a medical or who is given a restricted certificate has he right to appeal to HSE for a review of the decision. In such circumstances, you will need to apply in writing to HSE within 28 days of the decision. Further information can be obtained from HSE’s Diving Medical Adviser, Employment Medical Advisory Service, Health and Safety Executive, 375 West George Street, Glasgow G2 4LW Tel: 0141 275 3029. For details of AMEDS please see Further Information below.
The questionnaire is designed to help assess whether your medical history would exclude you from diving or potentially shorten your planned career. Once you have completed it, you may wish to discuss the questionnaire with your General Practioner (GP) to determine whether you have any medical conditions which could cause you to fail the AMED’s examination or prove a problem during your future diving career. Your GP will also need to see the accompanying ‘Notes to General Practitioner’. There may be a charge for this so check ith your GP. You will need to ask your GP to sign the questionnaire. You should then take it to your initial medical examination by an AMED.
Some medical conditions that used to be an automatic failure, such as mild asthma, may now be allowable for some forms of diving. These conditions would need to be assessed by an AMED, not your GP. If in doubt, please contact HSE’s Diving Medical Adviser (see above for contact details).
It should be emphasised that seeing your GP, with this questionnaire, is entirely optional. However, the initial discussion with a GP could save the unnecessary expense of a full medical examination by an AMED, as the GP might advise that you would have difficulty passing the examination. Return to top. Effects of diving on health The hazards of a diving career include a number of specific acute and chronic medical conditions, such as decompression illness (‘the bends’) and bone necrosis. Compliance with accepted diving procedures reduces these to a very small risk.
Effects of diving on health
The hazards of a diving career include a number of specific acute and chronic medical conditions, such as decompression illness (‘the bends’) and bone necrosis. Compliance with accepted diving procedures reduces these to a very small risk.