TThe ASSET Committee will appoint a Chief Engineer who will be responsible for assembling and supervising a small team of experienced Engineers or Technician Engineers who will be appointed as Inspectors. The Inspectors will carry out the required Centre Approval visits and report back to the Chief Engineer. The ASSET Committee on the recommendation of the ASSET Chief Engineer will grant Centre Approval. The Centre may then style itself “An ASSET Approved Centre for…”
There will be five types of Approved Centre:
- A Centre Approved for the Maintenance or repair of Open Circuit Underwater Breathing Apparatus.
- A Centre Approved for the Periodic Inspection and Testing of Transportable Gas Containers.
- A Centre Approved for the Preparation and Dispensing of Oxygen Enriched Breathing Mixtures.
- A Centre Approved for the Maintenance or Repair or Conversion of Open Circuit Underwater Breathing Apparatus for use with Oxygen Enriched Breathing Gases.
- A Centre Approved for the Cleaning and conversion of Transportable Gas Containers and their valves for use with Oxygen Enriched Breathing Gases.
Centre Action
A Centre seeking one or more of the 5 approvals will initially contact ASSET and will be sent an approval pack containing the relevant information.
The centre may purchase individual copies of the Code’s of Practice and write their own procedures accordingly or alternatively purchase an outline procedure to simplify the documentation process.
When Centre management are satisfied that the Centre should pass an Approval Inspection(s), they will send an inspection request form together with the appropriate fee(s)* to ASSET.
ASSET Actions
On receiving the application the ASSET Chief Engineer or a designated Inspector will telephone the Centre to arrange an inspection visit and to discuss the Approval process in an attempt to ensure the visit will not be wasted due to simple errors and misunderstandings.
An ASSET Inspector will visit the Centre and carry out an inspection according to a prepared checklist relating to the applicable Code(s) of Practice.
The Inspector will fill out the checklist and add appropriate comments.
The Inspector will agree any outstanding items and actions to be taken with the Centre Management
Outstanding Items and Re-inspection
The Inspector and Centres representative will sign the inspection form.
A list of any outstanding items will be left with the Centre Management.
Any disagreements will be referred to the ASSET Chief Engineer for further discussion or referral to the ASSET Committee whose decision will be final.
Where the number of items is few and of a non-serious nature, the Chief Engineer may decide that a re-inspection will not be required. In such circumstances the centre will be required to furnish supporting evidence e.g. photographs documents or signed statements as proof of compliance.
After discussing the inspection report with the Inspector a satisfactory report will result in approval being granted.
If the Chief Engineer decides that the items outstanding warrant, then a re-inspection will be scheduled with the Centre at a mutually convenient time and date.
Every effort within reason will be made to assist the Centre to achieve approval
The Centre may request an inspection by a different inspector.
The cost of any re-inspections will be born by the Centre.
Where any item remains unresolved the Chief Engineer will bring the matter before the next scheduled ASSET committee meeting whose decision shall be final.
Approved Centre Status
When approval is granted the Centre will be sent a Wall Certificate and Window Decal(s) stating which approvals the centre has.
It is a condition of approval that these and the Technicians Qualifications are prominently displayed on the premises.
The Approved Status lasts for one year and must be renewed.
A re-inspection will be required biannually.