Help is available to Equipment Auditors who are faced with difficult decisions or uncertainty.

When faced with uncertainty, which is guaranteed to happen from time to time, Equipment Auditors are encouraged to take advantage of the network of help available to them.

•    First discuss with the person in charge of the boat. Where judgement is required to audit the compliance of an item, an Equipment Auditor shall rely primarily on the opinion of the person in charge of the boat.
•    Get a second opinion from another Equipment Auditor.
•    Ask any one of the Senior Equipment Auditors. These people have the seniority and experience to help by advising on how something should be treated in an audit.
•    If the Senior Equipment Auditor is uncertain or wants further help they will draw upon the Sub-Committee of Senior Equipment Auditors they sit on and seek a group opinion.
•    The National Safety Committee can play a role in issuing formal interpretations. This function certainly closes matters, but is a level of escalation that is rarely needed.

Melanie Peasey and Glen Stanaway are the staff responsible for this area and can play a role by coordinating communication with these groups of support people. Melanie and Glen also have the role to explain what the Special Regulations are seeking in their requirements.

The policy on the responsibility of the person in charge can be read at https://www.sailingresources.org.au/news/responsibility-of-the-person-in-charge-policy/
The Senior Equipment Auditors are listed at https://www.sailingresources.org.au/officials_home/equipment-auditors/

By Glen Stanaway https://www.sailing.org.au/about/ourstaff/