livendive 8 #1 October 28, 2005 Safety & Training Newsletter A Bulletin for the training community Vol. 5, Issue 6 October 28, 2005 New Manuals The 2006 versions of both the Skydiver’s Information Manual and Instructional Rating Manual are now available through the USPA Store. A complimentary copy of the SIM has been shipped to each current S&TA or Instructor Examiner. Volume discounts start at only five manuals for the IRM and ten manuals for the SIM. Free shipping and handling to U.S. addresses is included. Many course directors, drop zones, skydiving schools and gear distributors choose to take advantage of the lower prices for bulk orders. The manuals can be ordered online at http://www.uspa.org/shop/coursemat.htm or by calling the Store at 703-836-3495. Cooler Weather Now that fall is here and winter is approaching, skydivers across most of the U.S. will need to get out the warmer clothes to keep jumping. For many students and newly licensed jumpers, this may be their first experience with colder temperatures. Many will be wearing gloves and heavier clothes for the first time. S&TAs and Instructors should make sure that jumpers at the drop zone are using gloves that provide adequate protection against the cold, and still provides for enough flexibility to feel and grab the handles for the main pilot chute as well as the cutaway and reserve ripcord handles. Jumpers using full face helmets should be made aware of fogging and icing problems that can occur in colder temperatures. Those who choose to wear a full face helmet should be prepared for reduced vision which can occur due to fogging or freezing face shields and be prepared with a back up plan in the event visibility is reduced to a dangerous level. Some helmet designs allow for the face shield to be raised, but this is typically done while under canopy. However, raising the face shield may be the only option available to allow a jumper to see while still in freefall. Fatalities On The Rise At 21 fatalities for the year, 2004 had the lowest number of skydiving fatalities ever recorded. So far this year, the U.S. is at 25 fatalities, and we still have the end of the year boogie season to get through. The sun belt drop zones typically get busy from now through the end of the year. Let’s all do what we can to make the end of the year a safe one for all skydivers. Make sure visiting jumpers from colder climates are current, or get some refresher training before making a jump. Gear checks and promoting safe canopy flight should also be a top priority. Zero fatalities for the final two months of the year would be a nice away to finish 2005 and bring in the new year. The USPA Waiver System Below is an article written by Mike Perry, Chairman of the Safety and Training Committee, that describes the USPA waiver system and how to approach requesting a waiver. Have you ever wondered how someone with night blindness can get a D license without making a night jump? Perhaps you operate a DZ that often experiences steady winds above 14 miles per hour and has a large open area with no major landing obstacles. You know you could safely conduct student operations in steady winds up to 16 mph but don’t want to violate one of USPA’s Basic Safety Requirements (BSRs). Perhaps you have a tandem student with a disability that prohibits him from meeting all the requirements for an A license. You want him to have a USPA A license and you really believe he has done all his disability will permit. All of these issues can be addressed with a waiver to a BSR or requirement. Waivers and USPA What is a waiver? A waiver is a request to deviate from the USPA BSRs and other USPA policies and procedures. Generally waivers are requested on matters of safety and training or the policies and procedures contained in the Skydiver’s Information Manual (SIM) or the Instructional Rating Manual (IRM). Waivers can also be requested on matters governed by the Skydiver Competition Manual (SCM). This article address those waivers requested on matters of safety and training. Why do we allow waivers? Waivers came into being when USPA developed the BSRs. In fact waivers were initially only applied to the BSRs. USPA has understood from the beginning that there are exceptions to most rules, regulations and policies. USPA has also recognized the difficulty of codifying all conditions and situations. The waiver process provides procedures to document these exceptions. The Skydiver’s Information Manual (SIM) acknowledges this with the following statement: “The Basic Safety Requirements represent commonly accepted standards necessary to promote safety in average conditions.” There are generally two reasons to request and grant waivers: First, a waiver can provide relief to an individual member or drop zone when the BSR presents an unnecessary burden. Second, a waiver may be issued to allow for the responsible research and development of improved techniques and methods. Who may approve waivers? Waivers to the Basic Safety Requirements are filed at three levels: o the USPA Safety & Training Advisor (S&TA) or USPA Instructor Examiner o the Executive Committee of the USPA o full Board of Directors of the USPA Each paragraph of the BSRs identifies who is required to grant the waiver. The Capitalized letters enclosed in [] at the end of each BSR corresponds with the following key: o [-S] - S&TA or Instructor Examiner only. As the “on the ground” official responsible for safety at the DZ, the Safety & Training Advisor or Instructor Examiner has the ability to grant waivers to several BSRs, based on their personal knowledge of the conditions and personnel at the DZ. An S&TA may not file a waiver outside their area of responsibility. If there is a disagreement between a local S&TA and an IE with regard to a waiver, the S&TA has the final say. o [ E ] - Executive Committee of the USPA Board. The Executive Committee can issue waivers to most of the BSRs. Often these BSRs have had waivers granted in the past. The Executive Committee may consider these waiver requests at any time between board meetings. Waivers to the BSRs or an IRM requirement must first be considered by the Safety and Training Committee. If the committee recommends approval it will present a motion at the Executive Committee to grant the waiver. The Executive Committee may endorse or reject the recommendation of the Safety and Training Committee. o [ FB ] - Full Board of Directors. BSRs requiring full board approval have seldom been granted. Generally these waiver requests are considered and processed two times a year during the semi-annual USPA board meetings. Waivers to the BSRs or an IRM requirement must first be considered by the Safety and Training Committee. If the committee recommends approval, it will present a motion at the board meeting to grant the waiver. The full board may endorse or reject the recommendation of the Safety and Training Committee. o [ NW ] - May not be waived. These BSRs may not be waived without the full board first changing the waiver authority. This seldom occurs but should not be a deterrent from requesting a waiver. C. Procedures for filing waivers In all cases waivers are to be filed only when the person(s) filing the waiver is assured that there will be no compromise of safety. How do you process a waiver? Waivers granted by local S&TAs may be in any format as long as it clearly identifies the specific requirement or policy for which the waiver is granted. The more detail the better. For waivers requiring Executive Committee or full board approval USPA has developed a form that can be filled out electronically or in writing. The form may be emailed, faxed or mailed to USPA headquarters. It is important to fill out the form completely. This is where you clearly identify what USPA requirement or policy for which you are requesting a waiver. It also allows you to limit the waiver to an individual(s), location(s) as well as date(s). There is room to discuss the burden or developmental procedure for which the waiver is needed. The form also provides for a discussion of any mitigating factors you may initiate if the waiver is granted. The waiver form is presented to the regional director for endorsement and the Safety and Training Committee for consideration. If the committee feels the waiver is warranted they will forward it to either the Executive Committee or the full board, as appropriate, as a motion recommending approval. The appropriate body will act on the motion and inform the applicant of the result. Can waivers change rules and recommendations? Waivers can serve as a mechanism for changing USPA rules, recommendations and procedures. Feedback from the field is the best measure of the usefulness of any rule, recommendation or procedure. When a significant number of waiver requests are processed for a specific rule, recommendation or procedure, it is often an indication that a change has become necessary. The board may then decide to change or eliminate the rule, recommendation or procedure. Examples of waivers Wind SIM Section 2-1 F.1.a requires a limit of 14 miles per hour for students using ram-air canopies and is waiverable by the local S&TA. Perhaps a DZ has an extremely large and open area free of obstacles and objects that could generate turbulence. If the S&TA and DZ management agree that there specific situation would allow them to safely conduct solo student operations in steady 16 mph winds he/she can file a waiver. In this case they would allow winds up to 16 mph as long as the winds remain steady. Water SIM Section 2-1 K.5 requires skydiver’s using round main or reserve canopies and all students to wear flotation gear when the intended landing area is within one mile of an open body of water. Perhaps a DZ has prevailing winds that would seldom if never place the body of water on the wind line and perhaps it is only a small creek. The S&TA could file a waiver allowing only experienced jumpers using round reserves to jump without water gear as long as the conditions do not compromise safety. Coach supervising IAD / SL Freefall Students SIM Section 2-1 E.4.c requires that all students must jump under the direct supervision of an appropriately rated USPA instructor until demonstrating stability and heading control prior to and within five seconds after initiating two intentional disorienting maneuvers involving back to earth presentation. If a static line DZ has insufficient static line instructors and feels that several of their coaches have sufficient observation and supervision skills, they may request a waiver to this section to permit coaches to supervise static line progression jumps following a student’s first successful clear and pull. The Executive Committee has waiver authority over this section and may grant the waiver by name and may place some additional ground instruction requirements on the students that will be working with these coaches. Restricted A license Restricted D license Waivers to requirements for USPA licenses have also been granted. Waivers to license requirements require approval by the full USPA board of directors. USPA has received numerous requests for waivers to specific A license requirements by USPA members who have disabilities that prevent them from performing specific tasks such as packing. Waivers to the requirement to complete night jumps to obtain a D license have been granted to members who have medical documentation showing they have poor night vision. Mike Perry is the USPA Eastern Regional Director, Vice President of USPA and Chairman of the Safety and Training Committee. *** Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
