page_title: Diving procedures
section_title: Routine diving procedures
hierarchical_section_title: Diving procedures / Routine diving procedures
caption_attribution_description: English: HACHINOHE, Japan (March 25, 2011) Explosive Ordnance Disposal 1st Class Dillon Mudloff, assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 5, from Yerington, Nev., checks diving equipment before a salvage operation. Navy assets are assisting the Japanese Coast Guard with salvage relief efforts in the surrounding waters of Hachinohe. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Devon Dow/Released)
context_page_description: Diving procedures are standardised methods of doing things that are commonly useful while diving that are known to work effectively and acceptably safely.
  Due to the inherent risks of the environment and the necessity to operate the equipment correctly, both under normal conditions and during incidents where failure to respond appropriately and quickly can have fatal consequences, a set of standard procedures are used in preparation of the equipment, preparation to dive, during the dive if all goes according to plan, after the dive, and in the event of a reasonably foreseeable contingency. Standard procedures are not necessarily the only courses of action that produce a satisfactory outcome, but they are generally those procedures that experiment and experience show to work well and reliably in response to given circumstances. All formal diver training is based on the learning of standard skills and procedures, and in many cases the over-learning of the skills until the procedures can be performed without hesitation even when distracting circumstances exist.
context_section_description: These are the procedures that the diver uses during the course of a planned dive, where everything goes to plan, and there are no contingencies. Consequently, experienced divers tend to become expert in these procedures due to adequate practice. Some procedures may seldom be needed, or only be relevant to specific equipment, which is not often used, so refresher exercises are frequently required before dives using unfamiliar equipment, unusual tasks or unfamiliar conditions are expected.
  Dive planning, the pre-dive briefing. and selection, inspection, preparation and pre-dive checking of diving equipment, may be considered diving procedures, as they are essential parts of the normal diving operation, though they are done before entering the water.
  In-water procedures in this grouping include entry to the water, surface swimming, descent, buoyancy and trim control, equalisation of pressure in air spaces, maneuvering in midwater and at the bottom, monitoring the dive profile, gas supply and decompression obligations, normal ascent and exit from the water. For some divers, gas switching, deployment of a decompression buoy and staged decompression may be added, or navigation under an overhead. Communications procedures depend on equipment and mode of diving, but are also in this group.
  After-dive maintenance and storage of equipment, debriefing and logging the dive are also procedural parts of the normal diving operation.
  Clearing a flooded demand valve is both a routine procedure and an emergency procedure. It is an emergency procedure because if the DV is not cleared, the diver could aspirate water and choke, but it can easily happen, and will happen when a diver switches to a different gas supply delivered through a different DV, and there are two easy ways to deal with it, so it should not be a problem on a dive which runs according to plan.
  Routine scuba diving procedures (order may vary slightly, and some are also relevant to surface supplied diving, though details may vary):
  Dive planning – The process of planning an underwater diving operation
  Selection of equipment – A diver is expected to be able select appropriate equipment and check it for fit and function.
  Preparation of equipment – Assembly and function checks of personal diving equipment
  Scuba assembly – Assembly and function check of the scuba set
  Site inspection and setup
  Pre-dive briefing – Meeting of the dive team to discuss details before the diving operation
  Kit-up/dressing in the diver - Dressing into the diving suit, breathing apparatus, harness and accessories
  Pre-dive checks - Check that all necessary equipment is correctly fitted and functioning
  Entering the water - Use of an appropriate water entry technique
  Surface checks - Final function checks and reports before descent.
  Breathing from the demand valve – The pattern of breathing can affect work of breathing and effective dead space, both of which must be limited, and preferably minimised. Mouthpieces must seal against the lips when used to prevent aspiration of water.
  Demand valve clearing – Expelling water from the interior of the demand valve.
  Descent – A generally consistent increase in depth until the operational depth is reached.
  Equalisation – Balancing pressures in air spaces with the ambient pressure.
  Equalise dry suit squeeze – Injecting sufficient gas into the dry suit for comfort and insulation
  Ear clearing – Equalising of pressure in the middle ears
  Buoyancy control – Adjustment of the gas content in buoyancy compensator and dry suit to achieve appropriate buoyancy
  Trim control – Control of attitude in the water to suit the circumstances.
  Depth monitoring and control – Observation of current depth and ensuring it is appropriate
  Standard dive activities
  Communications – Methods used by underwater divers to communicate
  Mask clearing and demisting – Discharge of water from the mask, and rinsing off condensation from the inner surface
  Maneuvering and mobility – Self-propulsion in the water column
  Monitoring decompression status – Keeping track of personal decompression obligation
  Monitor
caption: Checking equipment function before use
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