Basic Scuba Safety Rules
Most important scuba diving safety rules. From buddy checks and gas monitoring to safe ascents and dive planning.
Scuba Safety Guide: Risks, Human Factors & Emergencies
Every dive depends on preparation, clear thinking, and the ability to respond when something changes. This hub brings together the core safety topics every diver should understand, from risk awareness and human factors to emergency response, planning, and dive medicine. Use the guides below to study how real incidents happen, how divers get into trouble, and how to build reliable habits that keep you and your buddy safe underwater.
Human Factors in Diving
Recognize normalization of deviance, manage cognitive load, and replace rushed habits with checks and communication that keep teams safe.
Situation Awareness
What is your ability to notice, interpret, and anticipate what is happening during a dive. Improves with experience and makes you a more capable dive buddy.
Surface Intervals Matter
The computer may know the time, but only you know your body. Give yourself enough time between dives for safety, comfort, and longer bottom times.
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Safety and the Dive Otter Stages
The Dive Otter Stages describe how a diver's priorities change as control, awareness, and responsibility develop. The Safety section organizes the risks, habits, and preparation you can learn about, while the Stages help explain what deserves your attention at different points in your diving.
Explore the Dive Otter Stages