IMCA Newsroom

Press Release

IMCA PUBLISHES UPDATED ROV CODE OF PRACTICE

The ROV industry is one of the most dynamic in the world. New equipment is constantly entering the market; and ROVs continue to find new applications. As the offshore industry moves increasingly towards diverless intervention, ROV's role in construction and maintenance will increase, along with their more traditional use for underwater inspection and observation.

The best-selling Code of Practice for the Safe and Efficient Operation of Remotely Operated Vehicles, originally published in 1997 by IMCA - The International Marine Contractors Association - has been updated with that dynamism in mind, aiming to provide the basis for safe and efficient operations on a worldwide basis.

"The completely updated version of this key publication, used successfully all around the globe, keeps in line with changes in technology; and for the first time contains all-important and essential guidance on minimum manning levels," explains IMCA's Technical Director, Jane Bugler. Copies of the updated Code of Practice (a sister publication to the Code of Practice for Diving, which is also used all over the world) are available from IMCA, Carlyle House, 235 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 1EJ, UK at £15 for members and £25 for non-members.

"Naturally the Code of Practice links into our groundbreaking Competence Assurance and Assessment Scheme. Our Remote Systems and ROV Division has taken great strides in implementing the scheme. Standards, which we refer to as performance criteria, have been agreed; these have now been circulated to members in the form of an information note. Use in real situations will test them to the full prior to final publications."

Four job functions have been identified within this Division - those of ROV Supervisor, ROV Senior Pilot/Technician, ROV Pilot/Technician Grade I, and ROV Pilot/Technician Grade II, and in each instance the performance criteria document clearly indicates, in a simple to understand grid format, competencies required, knowledge levels to be attained, and acceptance criteria . "There are criteria set out under a ‘demonstration' heading, these provide additional high-level guidance on how the demonstration of the various competencies identified in the scheme can be achieved," explains Jane Bugler. "The criteria are generic in format, to enable them to fit within individual companies' arrangements. Where necessary, individual companies can expand on the performance criteria to meet their own needs."

The other IMCA Divisions are working equally hard at implementing the Competence Assurance and Assessment Scheme as designed with their members and job functions peculiar to their divisional interests in mind. "Implementation of the scheme throughout the IMCA membership is an important step towards our goal of maximum safety and zero incidents," says Jane Bugler.

Notes to Editors (common)

• IMCA is an international association with over 450 members in more than 50 countries, representing offshore, marine and underwater engineering companies. IMCA has four technical divisions, covering marine/specialist vessel operations, offshore diving, hydrographic survey and remote systems and ROVs, plus geographic sections for the Americas Deepwater, Asia-Pacific, Europe & Africa and Middle East & India regions, as well as a core focus on safety, the environment, competence and training. IMCA seeks to promote its members' common interests, to resolve industry-wide issues and to provide an authoritative voice for its members.
• IMCA publishes some 200 guidance notes and technical reports. These have been developed over the years and are widely distributed. They are a definition of what IMCA stands for, including widely recognised diving and ROV codes of practice, DP documentation, marine good practice guidance, the Common Marine Inspection Document, safety recommendation, outline training syllabi and the IMCA competence scheme guidance. In addition to the range of printed guidance documents, IMCA also produces safety promotional materials, circulates information notes and safety flashes.
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