Competence

The following text is produced by IMCA (our trade association) and explains the why and how to report your competence and especially for freelance personnel, the benefits of utilising a common framework of competence assurance:

Competence Assurance & Assessment

Experienced Freelance Personnel

The IMCA guidance on competence assurance and assessment, launched in 1999 and fully updated in 2003, sets out a framework within which contractors can implement their own schemes to demonstrate the competence of personnel working in safety critical positions. While much early focus was on assessing directly employed personnel, IMCA has been working for some time now with agencies, particularly in the survey and ROV sectors where use of freelance personnel is commonplace, on how to integrate such personnel into company schemes.

It was identified that an information pack setting out the background to IMCA's guidance and providing specific information relating to each position would be useful. Following wide consultation with contractor members and agency representatives, this has now been finalised and is available for download (see below).

The aim is for freelance personnel to be able to assemble a portfolio of evidence, containing work records and details on assessments. This can then be provided to potential employers, who will be able to utilise the common format and understand how references to IMCA guidance fit in with their own company systems. This should benefit both the companies involved, through being able to use these records to assess potential personnel and avoiding potential unnecessary duplication of effort, and the individual personnel, who will hopefully find it easier to demonstrate their experience and move from company to company as required.

Text courtesy and copy write of IMCA - thanks to Hugh Williams and Nick Hough for their assistance

IMCA - freelance competence (121kb)	This IMCA document discusses competence assurance and assessment. It explains the IMCA framework principles and introduces the information packs which are available as downloads on this page
IMCA C 007 (199kb)	Guidance on assessor training
IMCA R09/99 (233kb)	ROV performance appraisal form
Pack insert R-01 ROV Supervisor (163kb)	Pack insert – ROV Supervisor
Pack insert R-02 ROV Senior Pilot/Technician (209kb)	Pack insert – ROV Senior Pilot/Technician
Pack insert R-03 ROV Pilot/Technician grade I (227kb)	Pack insert – ROV Pilot/Technician grade I
Pack insert R-04 ROV Pilot/Technician grade II (239kb)	Pack insert – ROV ROV Pilot/Technician grade II