Safe Diving

Introduction | Index | Code of Conduct | Rebreathers

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This document is an alphabetical guide to the safe practices of sports diving as recommended by the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) - the Governing Body of the sport of sub-aqua diving and snorkelling in the UK. The ideas expressed within reflect the current thinking of the National Diving Committee and the advice on which it is acting.

The recommendations cover both normal and ‘technical’ diving. However, not all items relate to both of these differing types of diving. So, where a recommendation is specific to a particular type of diving an appropriate annotation is shown in the subject heading or in the text.

All technical divers should be aware that mixed gas diving increases the element of risk. To minimise this risk the mixed gas diver should adhere to the BSAC safe diving practices as well as those of the training agency that they qualified under if this was not BSAC.

Diving is an adventure sport and like all adventure sports its participants require differing levels of enjoyment and challenge. At one extreme we have the equivalent of the Himalayan mountaineer who, in peak condition accepts the challenge of new routes and exploration. At the other extreme we have the equivalent of the weekend summer rambler who follows well marked trails through the countryside. What is safe diving practice for the former may well be very perilous for the latter and so the contents of this booklet are not a set of rigid rules but recommendations for safe diving practices. These recommendations can be amended depending upon the particular type of diving being planned and the experience and capabilities of the divers carrying out the dive.

Where appropriate the advice in this document is also applicable to snorkel diving.

The Diver's Code of Conduct is appended to the end of this booklet. It contains sensible advice on the conduct of all dives, and is seen as complementary to the guidance given here.

Brian Cumming

Safety and Incidents Advisor
BSAC National Diving Committee

Whilst I, as BSAC Safety and Incidents Advisor, am responsible for collating and preparing this guidance the development and production of the advice is the result of the input and hard work of a large number of people within BSAC and the National Diving Committee.