No matter whether you are a beginner or a seasoned diver, the steps you take, and the procedures you follow, are going to influence the risks you face in a relatively safe sport.
Review these simple scuba safety tips. The free scuba refresher checklist is especially important if you've been inactive from diving for a while.
Diving Safety Tips: Making Your Dives Safer
Sharing a few tips for safer scuba diving is one of the primary roles for a dive instructor.
In fact, here are some of my own ("Scuba Steve") personal favourites that I like to share with new divers:
Scuba diving is a "safe" sport until the day you forget how dangerous it can be!
Plan the dive... then dive the plan!
Be a "SAFE" diver (Slowly. Ascend. From. Every. Dive.)!
For the most part, following some basic scuba diving rules will keep you out of harm's way. Even so, brushing up on some of the fundamentals is crucial if you've been away from diving for a while (let's say 6 months or longer).
Watch your ascent rate on "ALL" dives. Most dive computers recommend a maximum ascent rate of ten (10) metres per minute, and five (5) metres per minute for the final ten metres of the ascent (e.g. where the pressure change is greatest).
Perform an appropriate safety stop on all dives deeper than ten (10) metres. Safety stops assist with the reduction of excess nitrogen, which helps to avoid problems associated with decompression illness (DCI). The rule of thumb is 3 to 5 minutes around five metres of depth. An additional deeper stop of 2 to 3 minutes around ten metres may be beneficial if you make a deep dive.
Always dive with a buddy. In general, it enhances the safety aspect of scuba diving and the enjoyment of the sport! Hence, plan your dive depth, time, and safety stops "with" your buddy. Make an agreement to surface with a minimum of fifty (50) bar of air in reserve.
If you’ve been inactive from diving for a while, or you’ve been unwell, do some easier dives to regain your confidence and skill
Take a PADI Refresher if you're feeling a little bit rusty with the basics of scuba. It's good to practice mask clearing, regulator recovery, and some air sharing skills.