If you are an active or avid diver, it is easy to get out of the habit of making safety in diving a priority. The more often we dive, the more complacent we can get with our diving attitude. However, this is where we can get ourselves into a lot trouble. If you ever get to the point were you are so comfortable with scuba diving that you start to think the normal safety practices don't apply to you, proceed with caution! Most diving accidents are preventable and many of accidents that occur happen to seasoned divers, not beginners.
In Part 1 of our "Bad Diver Habits" series we broke some of the myths surrounding cylinder care, hopefully making you a safer diver and cylinder handler. In this second part we'll list some safety rules and practices you need to always put first in diving whether you've just logged your first dive or your 100th.
4 Safety Minded Things To Do On EVERY SINGLE DIVE:
1. Don't Dive Alone!
Diving in the same ocean does not count as diving with a buddy! Unless you are technically trained on solo diving, do everyone a favor and get a buddy! And stick with them throughout the dive. If you do not have a specified buddy and an emergency arises, the likely hood of a successful rescue is slim.
2. Don't Skip Your Buddy Check!
No matter how seasoned of a diver, do your loved ones a favor and do a buddy check on EVERY SINGLE DIVE! This is where you will catch any gear malfunctions BEFORE you enter the water. It could save your life. It takes less than a minute so grab your buddy and do one right before jumping in the water. If you've never been taught one before, here's an easy acronym to remember:
Begin With Review And Friend: B - buoyancy (check that your BCD holds air and inflator works) W - Weights (do you have your weights?) R - Releases (know where yours and your buddy's quick releases are and how they work) A - Air (is your air on and is it full?) F - Final Ok (do you have your mask, snorkel & fins?)
3. Have An Emergency Assistance Plan on EVERY Dive.
Your Emergency Assistance Plan does not have to be super complicated and detailed at all times, but you should have one every time you go diving. It can be as easy as knowing where the Emergency Oxygen and First Aid kits are and who to call for emergency assistance. If you don't bring these things, however, it is very hard to use them in case of an emergency. Therefore, bring your O2 Kit and First Aid Kit, or make sure the dive operator has one, on every dive!
4. Don't Dive With A Cold!
Yes, you may have been planning this dive for months and don't want to miss out but no dive is worth compromising your health. If you are congested please, DO NOT DIVE! You may think that Sudafed will do the trick but if it wears off during your dive you will end up with a reverse sinus squeeze that can do serious and permanent damage. Diving with a cold is both dangerous and painful!
Don't get sloppy with your safety. No matter how many times you dive, be it every day, every week or only a couple times a year, safety always needs to come first. Your fellow divers and your loved ones will thank you for it.
