Scuba Diving Safety Tips

Experience and modern technology has made scuba diving what it is today - a respected profession, and a safe and fun recreational pastime. But accidents can and do happen. Some of the most common and serious risks to scuba diving are drowning, oxygen toxicity, contact with marine life, decompression sickness, and more. Although there are no guarantees that the most feared cases won't happen, the right preparation, and following safe scuba diving safety tips offered by certified training experts greatly improve your chances of having a safe and wonderful scuba diving adventure.

Understanding and adhering to safe diving practices

Borrowing from Standard Safe Diving Practices, published by Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) at www.padi.com, and information from the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) at www.naui.org, the following is a general guide to scuba diving safety.

Maintain good health and fitness, and stay proficient in diving skills

Recreational underwater diving can be tailored to most any fitness level, but even the easiest of guided dives demands a certain amount strength and stamina. Anyone in a reasonably good state of health and fitness should be able to meet the challenges of underwater diving. The following are suggestions for being your best before you dive:

• Do not drink alcohol before or after diving to maintain good judgment and proper levels of hydration, and to avoid other potential health risks
• Avoid drugs that may interfere with your ability to remain alert
• Avoid diving under certain health, mental, and neurological conditions that could put you at risk

Know your dive sites, or dive with a guide

Avoid or postpone any dive site that you're not completely familiar with or which may put you at risk, and choose an alternate site. Your diving experience should be consistent with your scuba diving training and experience.

Use only reliable, familiar equipment and proper-fitting gear

Advancements in technology is why scuba is what it is today, a safe and rewarding adventure. Having the right equipment and scuba gear will by far minimize your chances of descending into a disaster. You can avoid any technical malfunction by:

• Carefully inspecting your gear before using
• Restricting certain equipment to certified divers

Diving equipment and gear includes:

• buoyancy control device (BCD)
• low-pressure buoyancy control inflation system
• submersible pressure gauge
• alternate air source
• diving planning and monitoring system
• diving computer and dive tables
• dive watch
• weight system
• scuba fins
• dive light
• dive knife
• dive flag
• surface float
• signaling devices
• underwater digital cameras
• mask
• snorkel
• dive regulator
• cylinder
• well-fitted wet suit
• compass
• underwater whistles

Pay careful attention to diving briefings and directions given by guides and follow their advice

• Get additional scuba training for specialty diving, and diving in non-familiar geographic locations

Follow the buddy system

• Plan your dives with a buddy: maintain good communications, and agree to a strategy for reuniting

Plan your dives

• Use dive tables
• Perform only no-compression dives
• Monitor depth and time underwater
• Time and depth should be consistent with experience and training
• Be a S.A.F.E. Diver: Slowly Ascend From Every dive, and make safety stops

Maintain correct buoyancy

• Adjust weighting as is needed

Carry at least one signaling device, such as a whistle, mirror, or signaling tube

Breathe correctly underwater

• Don't hold your breath or "skip-breathe" compressed air
• Avoid hyperventilation
• Avoid overexertion
• Dive within limits

Use a surface support station, such as a boat or float

Being able to safely surface if there is trouble underwater is critical. Visible diving stations, such as boats, floats, and other markers ensure that your diving field is visible and clear of other water crafts.

Know and obey your local diving laws

While some of the world's top scuba training organizations, such as PADI and NAUI, provide standard safety rules and tips such as diving age limits, certification requirements, and the use of equipment, along with extensive training and support, be sure you understand your local rules and regulations before heading out to a site. And have a great diving experience!