Dive safety !!

[albasmi]

The following summarizes the safe diving practices you will practice,& keep them in mind when diving

preparation:


* stay healthy and fit for diving.Eat right,exercise regulary and get adequate rest.
* Have approval for diving from a physician who has given you a thorough medical examination and have one every two years.
* Be recently trained in first aid and cariopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).To acquire training in these areas,take the emergency first response program.
* maintain your dive skills by diving as often as you can,by continuing your diver education.Refresh your knowledge and skills with scuba review after long periods of inactivity.
*Get an orientation to new diving conditions,activities or areas.When planning a dive in a new,unfamiliar area,participate in a Discover Local Diving experience.Remember that you should have special training for some activites.
* Always have and use all the equipment needed for the conditions and environment.
* have your scuba equipment serviced annually,or as recommended by the manufacturer.Have scuba tanks visually inspected regularly and pressure tested at required intevals.Maintain your equipment in good condition and inspect it before diving.
* only fill scuba tanks with pure,dry compressed air from reputable air stations.

Predive

* Dive only when feeling well,both physically and mentally.You should feel confident about the dive.Be sure the dive and its activities are within your capabilities.Remember-diving is supposed to be fun.If you dont think it will be safe or fun,dont make the dive !!
* know the dive site.Evaluate conditions and check for possible hazards.
* check the weather forecast before diving.Evaluate the dive conditions,those present and expected,and dive only when the conditions are as good as or better than those in which you have experience and training.Dont dive in poor conditions.
* refrain from alcohol,smoking or dangerous drugs before or immediately after diving.
*plan your dives with your buddy.Agree on objectives,direction,and dpth and time limits.Review underwater communications,emergency procedures and what to do if you become seperated.
* always plan for no decompression diving.Comsult the recreational dive planner and allow for a margin of safety.Avoid diving to the maximum time limits of the RDP or your computer.Make your deepest dive of the day first.Know how to perform an emergency decompression stop,but avoid having to do so.Plan to make safety stops whnever possible.Be aware of the effects of flying after diving and diving at altitudes greater than 300meters/1000 feet.
* inspect both your and your buddys equipment.Know how to operate each other equipment.Always conduct a predive safety check.
* be prepared for emergencies.Have local emergency contact information on hand,just incase.

Diving

* properly weight yourself for natural buoyancy.Check your buoyancy at the surface and avoid being overweighted.If you check bupyancy with a full cylinder,add enough weight to offset the air you use.
* always wear a proper buoyancy control device(BCD).Use your buoyancy control device to regulate your buoyancy.Avoid contact with the bottom by staying neutrally buoyant-for your benefit and the benefit of the aquatic environment.Inflate your BCD at the surface to provide ample positive buoyancy.
* Display the appropriate local dive flag and stay near it.
* begin dives against the current,and take into consideration the effect the current will have during the dive.Plan your dive so you dont have to fight the current to reach your exit point.
* equalize pressure early and often during descents.If you feel discomfort in a body air space,ascend until the discomfort goes away,equalize,then continue the dive.If you cant equalize,abort the dive.
* stay with your buddy throughout the dive.know how to reunite if you accidentally seperate.
* limit your depth to 18 meters/60 feet or less as a new diver.remember that 18meters/60 feet is the recommended limit for new divers.Shallower diving conserves your air,increases your bottom time and helps reduce the risk of decompression sickness.
* spear guns are dangerous weapons.do not load them out of water and always unload them before leaving the water.treat them as though they're always loaded-never point them at another person.
* avoid contact with unfamiliar aquatic plants and animals.
* be alert for possible problems and avoid them.check your equipment frequently while underwater,especially your gauges:depth gauage,timing device and submersible pressure gauge,compass and dive domputer.
* exit the water with a minimum of 20-40bar/300-500 psi in your tank,or more if the dive plan or conditions warrant an extra margin of conservation.
*pace yourself.avoid overexertion and breathlessness.If you become breathless,stop,rest and recover before proceeding.
* breath properly- slowly,deeply and continuously.Never hold your breath while scuba diving.exhale slowly and continuously any time the regulator is not in your mouth.avoid excessive hyperventilation when skin(breath-hold)diving.
* in an emergency,stop,think,get control and then take action.act based on your training,dont react based on instinct.
* ascend carefully and correctly.reach up and look up during the ascent.come up no faster than 18meters/60 feet per minute.plan a 3 minute safety stop at 5meters/15feet whenever possible.Listen for boats as you come up,and establish buoyancy as soon as you reach the surface.Be a S.A.F.E diver-slowly ascend from every dive.
* stop diving when you're cold or tired.dont overextend yourself.
* stick to your dive pland underwater.dont revise a dive plan underwater.
* stay out of overhead envirnments unless you're properly trained and equipped for that overhead environment.