Underwater foraging uk  Training & Safety Standards

(UK Operations)

1. Purpose & Scope

This document defines the training, safety, and operational standards adhered to by UNDERWATER FORAGING UK Spearfishing School.

These standards exist to ensure participant safety, instructional consistency, and professional risk management within the discipline of recreational and educational spearfishing.

Spearfishing in the United Kingdom does not currently fall under a single accredited government body with formalised training standards. In the absence of such regulation, UNDERWATER FORAGING UK has developed and enforces its own comprehensive standards, aligned with recognised best practice in aquatic risk management, breath-hold diving safety, and maritime activity instruction.

These standards apply to:

All instructors, assistant instructors, and safety personnel

All training courses, guided sessions, and assessments

All students and participants enrolled in school activities

2. Core Principles

All training and operations are governed by the following principles:

Safety First – No activity proceeds if safety margins are compromised

Progressive Skill Development – Students advance only when competency is demonstrated

Conservative Diving Practices – Avoidance of competitive or performance-driven behaviours

Environmental Responsibility – Respect for marine ecosystems and local regulations

Clear Supervision & Accountability – Defined roles, ratios, and emergency authority

3. Participant Eligibility & Screening

3.1 Minimum Requirements

Participants must:

Be at least 18 years of age (or 16 with written parental consent where applicable)

Be able to swim 200 metres unaided

Be comfortable floating and treading water for 10 minutes

3.2 Medical Declaration

All participants must complete a medical self-declaration prior to training.

Individuals declaring relevant conditions (including but not limited to respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, or ENT conditions) must provide written medical clearance.

3.3 Pre-Course Briefing

Prior to any in-water activity, participants receive a mandatory briefing covering:

Risks specific to breath-hold diving and spearfishing

Equalisation awareness

Shallow-water blackout education

Emergency procedures and signals

4. Instructor Qualifications & Responsibilities

4.1 Instructor Competency

All instructors must:

Demonstrate advanced personal spearfishing competence

Hold current First Aid 

Be trained in breath-hold safety protocols and rescue techniques

Maintain ongoing professional development

4.2 Instructor Duties

Instructors are responsible for:

Conducting safety briefings

Assessing environmental conditions

Enforcing depth, time, and behavioural limits

Supervising students directly at all times

Terminating activities when safety margins are reduced

5. Student-to-Instructor Ratios

Maximum ratios are strictly enforced:

Confined / shallow water training: 4 students : 1 instructor

Open water spearfishing sessions: 4 students : 1 instructor

Depth or advanced skill sessions: 2 students : 1 instructor

A dedicated surface safety role is implemented where conditions require.

6. Diving & Spearfishing Standards

6.1 General Diving Rules

No solo diving under any circumstances

One-up, one-down system enforced

Surface recovery time minimum 2x dive time

No hyperventilation permitted

6.2 Depth & Time Limits

Depth limits are conservative and course-specific.

Students are never required to exceed comfort or demonstrated capability.

6.3 Breath-Hold Safety

All training includes:

Blackout prevention education

Active surface observation

Immediate response protocols

7. Equipment Standards

7.1 Mandatory Equipment

All participants must use:

Low-volume mask

Snorkel

Appropriate fins

Exposure protection suitable for UK waters

Weight system with quick-release mechanism

High-visibility float with dive flag

Knife or cutting tool

High visibility vest

7.2 Spearfishing Equipment

Spearguns are inspected prior to use

No loaded spearguns out of water

No pointing spearguns at any person

Bands disengaged when not actively diving

X1 speargun per pair

8. Environmental & Site Assessment

Prior to each session, instructors assess:

Weather and sea state

Tides and currents

Visibility

Boat traffic

Entry and exit points

These are filled out and documented, everyday before the course takes place. 

Sessions are cancelled or modified if conditions exceed safe limits.

9. Emergency Procedures

9.1 Emergency Readiness

All sessions include:

Designated emergency leader

Accessible first aid kit

Emergency oxygen where appropriate

Pre-planned evacuation route

9.2 Incident Response

In the event of an incident:

Diving activity ceases immediately

Emergency services are contacted when required

Incident is documented in an internal report

10. Risk Management & Documentation

The school maintains:

Participant waivers and declarations

Equipment check logs

Incident and near-miss reports

Instructor records

All documentation is retained in accordance with UK data protection standards.

11. Review & Continuous Improvement

These standards are reviewed annually or following any significant incident, regulatory change, or operational development. Updates are communicated to all instructors and applied immediately.

12. Declaration of Compliance

UNDERWATER FORAGING UK Spearfishing School commits to enforcing the standards outlined in this document and recognises them as the minimum operational requirements for all training and guided spearfishing activities.