Safety Concepts Review - Certification The PADI Scuba Diver certification is a limited certification...

Safety Concepts Review - Certification

The PADI Scuba Diver certification is a limited

certification

You need to be accompanied by a PADI

professional-level diver

You can dive to a maximum

of 12 metres/40 feet

Upgrade to a PADI Open Water Diver

by completing the remaining course sections

Section 1-1 Safety Concepts Review

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OPEN WATER DIVER

OP

E

NW A T E R

DI V

ER

Safety Concepts Review – Effects of Increasing Pressure

Air spaces most affected by increased

pressure – ears, sinuses and mask

As water pressure increases with descent,

volume decreases

If you continue to descend you will feel

a squeeze on your air spaces

To avoid discomfort –

equalize early and often


+



Safety Concepts Review – Equalization Techniques

Equalize every metre/few feet while descending

before you feel discomfort

Pinch your nose and blow gently - wiggle your jaw

If you have difficulty equalizing

Ascend a few feet

and attempt to equalize Be patient and gentle,

or end the dive




Safety Concepts Review – Effects of Decreasing Pressure

Expanding air can cause lung over expansion

–

lung rupture

Lung over expansion can lead to

severe injuries including

paralysis and death

To avoid this, permit the pressure

to equalize - breathe normally




Safety Concepts Review – Most Important Rule

The lungs can be injured by even minimal

pressure changes if you hold your breath

It’s important to always breathe continuously

when using scuba - even in shallow water

The most important rule in scuba diving is to

“Breathe continuously

and never, never

hold your breath”.




Safety Concepts Review – Tank Maintenance

Rinse your tank and valve with fresh water

Store tanks out of the sun

Don’t leave a tank standing unattended - secure it

Secure your tank when it’s lying down

Open tank valves slowly; close valves

gently and avoid over-tightening

Maintain your tank –

it contains the air you breathe




Safety Concepts Review – Compressed Air

Scuba tanks should only be filled with

compressed air for breathing – never pure

oxygen

Tanks should only be filled to the rated pressure

Overfilling can lead to metal fatigue and shorten

the life of the tank

Have your tank filled and serviced at –

a reputable dive operation




Safety Concepts Review – Submersible Pressure Gauge

The submersible pressure gauge (SPG) tells

you

how much air you have in your tank during a

dive

Use the SPG to plan and control your dive

It is a piece of mandatory equipment -

check your SPG frequently



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Safety Concepts Review – Heat Loss Underwater

Left unchecked, body heat loss can lead to

hypothermia

Hypothermia is a serious condition in which your

body cools so much it can’t function normally

To avoid hypothermia –

wear a wet suit or dry suit

suitable for the

environmental conditions




Safety Concepts Review – Uncontrollable Shivering

Continuous, uncontrollable shivering is your

body’s warning signal that heat loss has

reached a critical level

When you begin to shiver continuously –

get out of the water immediately,

dry off and seek warmth




Safety Concepts Review – Breathing Efficiency

The first air reaching your lungs is air left in dead

air spaces from your previous breath

With shallow breaths you re-breathe the air from

dead air spaces

With deeper breaths you draw in proportionately

more fresh air

For maximum breathing efficiency –

breathe slowly and deeply underwater




Safety Concepts Review – Overexertion

Know your limits and pace yourself to avoid

breathlessness

If you experience overexertion symptoms

underwater - stop all activity, breathe

deeply and rest

Hold onto an object for support, if possible,

and relax until your breathing returns to

normal




Safety Concepts Review – Airway Control

Proper airway control means to:

Always inhale slowly and cautiously if water

enters your regulator, snorkel, or mouth

Use your tongue as a splash guard

Always breathe slowly, deeply and

continuously when using scuba




Safety Concepts Review – Fragile Environment

Exposure protection doesn’t mean reef

protection

Minimize accidental damage by:

Swim next to reef rather than above it

Watch your buoyancy – don’t dive over

weighted

Turn sideways to look under ledges

Keep your hoses secured




Safety Concepts Review – Dry Suits

Diving with a dry suit requires some special

instruction

Add air during descents and release

expanding air during ascents

If you want to use a dry suit –

take a dry suit orientation

with your instructor during

a confined water dive




Safety Concepts Review – Exposure Suit Accessories

Select a hood that fits snugly - too tight can

compress arteries in your neck

Your brain perceives this as high blood

pressure and responds by signaling your heart

to slow down

This can cause light-headedness –

choose your hood based on

comfort and fit




Safety Concepts Review – Buddy System Procedures

All good buddies avoid problems by:

Agreeing on entry, exit points and dive

objective

Agreeing upon time and depth limits

Establishing and reviewing communications

Discussing how to stay together –

what to do if separated

Discussing emergency procedures




Safety Concepts Review – Local Wisdom

To dive in an area for the first time - get an

orientation to the local area

The PADI Discover Local Diving experience is

one way to do this

Find out:

What’s interesting about the site

What to watch for

Unique dive skills or procedures




Safety Concepts Review – Temperature

Water temperature often changes with depth –

often getting colder as you descend

Water tends to form distinct layers based on

temperature

To stay comfortable and avoid excessive heat

loss - base your exposure protection on the

water temperature at your planned depth




Safety Concepts Review - Limited Visibility

In limited visibility - it’s more difficult to stay

with your buddy and keep track of where you

are

Stay closer to your buddy, track your

compass and

note conspicuous features in these conditions

Ascend and descend using a reference line

or the bottom contours

to remain oriented




Safety Concepts Review – Clear Water

Diving in extremely clear water requires

some caution - the bottom may appear closer

than it really is

Watch your depth gauge/computer and

stay within your planned depth limit

You can experience disorientation

(vertigo) during descents and

ascents without a reference




Safety Concepts Review – Current

When there is a mild current at a dive site -

begin your dive by slowly swimming into the

current

Avoid long surface swims against even a mild

current

If you end up with a current carrying you past

your exit point - don’t try to swim against

it




Safety Concepts Review – Bottom Composition

Sometimes the bottom needs to watch out for you - delicate organisms can be damaged from a light touch

Effective buoyancy control provides the easiest way to avoid contact

Keep all your equipment secure – swim with your fins up to avoid stirring thesediment andreducing visibility




Safety Concepts Review – Aquatic Animals

Avoid potential problems with aquatic life:

Treat all animals with respect

Be cautious in extremely murky water

Avoid wearing shiny, dangly jewelry

Remove any speared fish from the water

immediately

Wear gloves and an exposure suit

Maintain neutral buoyancy – move slowly and

carefully

Avoid contact with unfamiliar animals




Safety Concepts Review – Overhead Environments

Overhead environments can pose hazards

Until you have the special training

and equipment you need,

do not enter overhead

environments –

it’s extremely hazardous




Safety Concepts Review – Rough Surf

Avoid diving in large and rough surf

You need specialized surf training before

attempting to dive in surf of any size

In surf training you learn:

To judge conditions

Correct techniques for entering and exiting

through waves




Safety Concepts Review – Dive The Plan

A dive plan:

Is not complicated – it’s very simple

Should be flexible

Takes only minutes to discuss

Can offer plenty of options depending on

what you find underwater

Plan your dive and dive your plan!




Safety Concepts Review – Surface Problem Management

Control or prevent surface problems by:

Diving within limitations

Relaxing while you dive

If you have a problem at the surface –

immediately establish positive buoyancy

by inflating the BCD or dropping weights




Safety Concepts Review – Entanglement

Prevent entanglement by:

Moving slowly and watching where you go

Keeping your equipment secure

Stop, breathe, think, and then

work slowly and calmly

to free yourself

Get your buddy to help you




Safety Concepts Review – Contaminated Air

If air tastes or smells bad –

do not use it

If you feel ill or get a headache during a dive –

end the dive immediately

Breathing exhaust fumes aboard a boat –

can also result in contaminated air




Safety Concepts Review – Oxygen

Oxygen may become toxic if breathed under

pressure

Tanks filled with pure oxygen can cause

oxygen toxicity (poisoning) in shallow water

Special training and

equipment is required

to dive with enriched air




Safety Concepts Review – Nitrogen Narcosis

Nitrogen narcosis:

Impairs a diver’s judgment and

coordination

May cause a false sense of security

May cause a disregard for safety

May cause anxiousness and poor decisions

Immediately ascend to shallower depths

to relieve the narcosis




Safety Concepts Review – Decompression Sickness

Bubbles blocking blood circulation (blood flow)

in your body after a dive is a very serious

medical condition called decompression

sickness (DCS)

Depth and dive time are the primary variables

Use extra caution if any of the secondary

factors apply to you

Dive within the limits of dive tables

and computers




Safety Concepts Review – Within Limits

Based on mathematical decompression models

– the RDP tracks the theoretical nitrogen you

have in your body before, during and after

diving

Theoretical models cannot account for

variations from one individual to the next

It is prudent, therefore, to stay

well within the limits a table

or computer predicts




Safety Concepts Review – Hyperventilation

Hyperventilation suppresses your urge to

breathe

Excessive hyperventilation – more than three

or four breaths – can be dangerous

You can lower your carbon dioxide levels so far

that your body runs out of oxygen before you

get the urge to breathe

This would lead to sudden unconsciousness –

without warning – and drowning




Safety Concepts Review – Safety Stops

A safety stop provides extra time for your body

to eliminate nitrogen – a good idea on any

dive

A safety stop is required if:

The dive is 30 metres/100 feet or deeper

Within three pressure groups

of a no decompression limit

You reach any limit on the

RDP or your computer




Safety Concepts Review – Emergency Decompression

If a no decompression limit is exceeded by:

5 minutes or less - ascend to 5 metres/15

feet and remain there for 8 minutes, do not

dive for at least 6 hours

More than 5 minutes – ascend to 5

metres/15 feet and remain there for no less

than 15 minutes, do not dive for 24 hours

Stay within safe dive limits




Safety Concepts Review – Flying After Diving

Flying after diving recommendations:

Wait a minimum surface interval of 12

hours prior to ascent to altitude

If you plan to make daily, multiple dives for

several days or make dives requiring

decompression stops, you should wait for

an extended surface interval beyond 12

hours



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