SAFETY continued
encouraged to increase their skill set gradually through regular diving activity and by taking specialty courses, such as rescue diver, buoyancy specialty courses and advanced diver training programs. Relying solely on certification can lead to a false sense of se- curity. While certification is essential for ensuring divers have received proper training to receive their certification card, it does not guarantee ongoing proficiency or suitability for all diving scenarios. It is merely a snapshot of their capabilities at that date and time. Qualification, however, is a continuous process. Divers must honestly assess their skills, keep their knowledge and skills up to date, and gain experience in varying conditions to remain qualified for safe diving. Dive operators and instructors often evaluate both certification and qualification when determining if a diver can participate in certain activities. For example, a diver with an advanced certification may not be allowed to join a technical dive if they have not recently used or practiced the required skills or demonstrated competency in relevant environments. We would hope that the divers we train and those who sign up for our dive charters and dive vacations would understand and appreciate the difference between certification and quali- fication. For that reason, we need to strongly emphasize in our training courses that receiving the certification card is not an end in itself. Certification is simply a gateway to gaining more experience. Just as critical as student’s reaching the ap- propriate level of skill proficiency in the courses we teach is instilling in them the understanding of how critical it is to: Maintain up-to-date qualifications through regular diving ▪ or through refresher courses and continuing education. Regularly assess your own qualifications based on recent ▪ experiences and comfort level in different dive conditions. Practice diving and emergency skills frequently. ▪ Seek supervised dives when exploring new environments ▪ or those requiring advanced skills or techniques. Communicate honestly with dive operators and buddies ▪ about your current skill and experience level. Never exceed your personal limits, regardless of your cer- ▪ tification level. Certification and qualification are both crucial for scuba diving safety, but they serve different purposes. Certification is the foundation, providing proof of training, while qualification is the ongoing measure of a diver’s real-world ability to dive safely. Understanding and respecting the difference is essential for every diver’s safety and enjoyment underwater. The reminder to "dive your experience, not your C-card" is truly a safety measure because in a real-life emergency or challenging
underwater situation, a diver’s certification level is far less im- portant than the diver’s practical competence and ability to handle the situation effectively. Making sure that the divers we engage with understand and appreciate the importance of being certified and qualified will help us create a culture of diving safety. By definition, a culture of diving safety is the enduring value and priority placed on safety by every diver from the diving professional all the way through to the student-diver. Every diver will commit to personal responsibility for safety; preserve, enhance and communicate safety concerns as soon as they are identified and actively learn from past mistakes and the mistakes of others, applying safe behaviors based upon lessons learned. After all, what we want from those we train, as well as those we dive with, is to safely enjoy the truly wonderful and trans- formational sport of scuba diving! Sources: Orr, D. and Douglas, E. Scuba Diving Safety. 2007. Best Publishing Company. Orr, D. and Orr, B. 101 Tips for
Recreational Scuba Divers. 2023. Wise Diver eBook Series and Best Publishing Company. Strauss, M. (with chapters by Dan Orr and others). 2023. Best Publishing Company.
email Dan Orr
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