Scuba Diving Safety Facts You Must Know

Are you concerned about scuba diving safety? Here’s an interesting fact. Statistically, diving is safer than driving, having a child, skydiving, or running a marathon.

Every human activity involves risks. So does scuba diving, an activity for which humans have no natural conditions. However, neither did we have them for flying, and more than 12 million passengers worldwide take more than five million flights a month, without forgetting, it is the safest public transport.

In today’s article, we turn to studies done by DAN (Diver Alert Network), the data from their research and we answer many questions about scuba safety

1. How safe is scuba diving?

1.1. Scuba Diving Safety Vs Other Activities

According to the latest DAN’s 2019 worldwide report, only 162 deaths related to recreational underwater diving were counted during 2017.

Seventy of them happened in the U.S. and Canada. The difference corresponds to the rest of the world. According to the CDC, about 90 people die every day in the U.S. from traffic accidents. Literally, taking your car to the mall is more dangerous than scuba diving.

The same goes for other daily and recreational activities as having a baby, or running. It does not mean divers should relax. Knowing which aspects jeopardize scuba diving safety allows us to improve processes and reduce risks.

This is the objective of the DAN report that indicates the triggers in the few accidents recorded.

1.2. Which Aspects Put Scuba Safety at Risk?

Running out of breathing gas 41%

According to scuba diving safety practices, it should never occur. In fact, this problem is easy to solve just by managing the gas supply properly.  Divers have to be aware of the gas available all the time and finish the dive with gas remaining in the tank.

Entrapment 21%

Diving in a cave, wreck, or under ice involves proper scuba diving safety training, experience, planning, and gear, because you are diving in an environment where you do not have direct, vertical access to the surface. In DAN’s words, “The way to decrease the risk of this trigger is simple: don’t enter closed environments without being qualified and prepared to do so.”

Gear problems 15%

In these cases, the gear did not fail or was not defective.

What really happened was the diver made mistakes due to unfamiliarity with the equipment, improper maintenance, or incorrect settings.

Dr. George Harpur, an experienced dive researcher, states: “Unlike in technical diving with sophisticated equipment, in recreational diving, we are not able to document a single case in which equipment malfunction directly caused the diver’s death or injury. It was the diver’s response to the problem that resulted in the pathology.”

The rest of the accidents had the following triggers

– Rough water 10%

– Trauma 6%

– Flotation 4%

– Buoyancy 4%

– Inadequate gas 3%

2. Scuba Diving Safety Tips

2.1. Scuba Diving Safety Measures

Here are some general scuba diving safety measures to keep in mind:

Make sure you are properly trained and certified. It is important to undergo proper scuba diving training and to only dive within your limits and level of experience.

Dive within your limits. Don’t push yourself beyond your comfort level or ability, and make sure you are aware of and respect any depth or time limits for the dive.

Never dive alone. It is important to always have a diving buddy with you, in case of an emergency.

Plan your dive and dive your plan. Before diving, make a plan for the dive and stick to it. This will help you stay safe and avoid getting lost or disoriented underwater.

 2.2. Safety Reminders in Scuba Diving During the Dive

Monitor your air supply. Always pay attention to your air gauge and never let it get too low. If it happens, ascend to the surface as soon as possible.

Stay aware of your surroundings. Be aware of any potential hazards or obstacles in the water, and always pay attention to your diving buddy and the other members of your group.

Know your emergency signals. It is essential to know and understand the standard emergency signals used in scuba diving. So, in case you need to communicate with your diving buddy or the dive leader, you will be able to do it.

Stay close to your dive buddy: It is vital to stay close to your dive buddy at all times during the dive. This allows you to assist each other in case of an emergency and to communicate easily.

Follow scuba diving safety procedures. Always follow good diving practices, such as ascending and descending slowly, avoiding touching or disturbing marine life, and being mindful of your buoyancy control.

2.3. Scuba Safety Gear

Always use proper diving equipment that is well-maintained and in good working order. This includes a regulator, buoyancy control device (BCD), wetsuit or dry suit, fins, mask, and tanks.

In addition to these essential pieces of equipment, there are also other safety items that are often used in scuba diving, such as a diving knife, compass, a scuba safety sausage, scuba light and signaling torch as well as a whistle.

Of course, check your equipment before diving. It is crucial to thoroughly check all of your gear just before jumping into the water. This includes checking for leaks, verifying your air supply, and making sure all of your gear is properly adjusted. We recommend reading this article Buddy Check: How to Do a Proper Scuba BWRAF?

2.4. Scuba Safety Stop

Doing a scuba safety stop is always a good idea. It is a pause that divers make during their ascent to the surface after a dive. It is typically done at a depth of 15 feet (5 meters) for a period of three to five minutes.

The purpose of the safety stop is to allow a diver to adjust to changes in pressure and to off-gas excess nitrogen that has accumulated in their body during the dive, even if it is recreational diving.

Safety stops are an essential part of dive safety, and for that reason, training agencies and dive operators include them in all their training programs. Divers should always shadow their dive plan and obey their divemaster or instructor’s instructions during a safety stop.

3. Scuba Diving Safety and Dressel Divers

Scuba diving safety is our top priority! It shows in our immaculate record of zero accidents in more than 27 years.

Each year, Dressel Divers certifies over 3,000 new divers and introduces over 30,000 people to the sport of diving. We could not maintain these scuba dive safety figures without specific accident prevention measures, internal quality control initiatives, and continuous monitoring of activities.

We are proud of our rigorous job training program. Most Dressel Divers instructors have graduated from our GO PRO Academy with the prestigious PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer certification. Our educational approach prepares future Divemasters and Instructors to prioritize scuba dive safety above all else. This is beneficial, not only for our customers and employees but also for scuba dive safety in general. Our students will enjoy their learning around the world with a well-grounded foundation in scuba dive safety principles.