SAFETY What Does Age Have To Do With It? – by Dan Orr, President, Dan Orr Consulting
Since 2022, I have offered nearly 100 free webinars on a number of diving safety-related topics to any interested group. One my most popular webinar topics is “Safety Issues for the Older Diver.” And just about every time I do
submit a medical certificate signed by a physician. Most ex- pedition visitors to Greenland have been totally unaware of this requirement but it has just recently become an enforced requirement. The expedition ship company we travel with now includes the Greenland Medical Certificate as part of their required paperwork for those passengers 66 years old and older. Over the years there have been numerous reports of tour operators, some associated with cruise lines and some not, either denying guests the opportunity to dive if they are be- yond a certain age or requiring them to submit a medical his- tory questionnaire, possibly requiring a physician’s signature, to be able to scuba dive or snorkel. I have heard reports that the age of concern can be as low as 60 but most frequently work’s credit, even though they at one time, told their mem- bership that diving accident insurance could not be sold to those 70 and over, have since publicly stated that they would not deny coverage for any insured member regardless of age. In my opinion, DAN did the right thing for their member- ship, especially the older diver. Unfortunately, other diving accident insurance carriers may not be so understanding. It’s critical to check with the provider of your diving accident in- surance to make sure that your coverage is intact and does not have any restrictions due to age. Some travel or trip insurance policies may have age limits or exclusions for pre-existing conditions for those over a cer- tain age, usually 70 or 75 according to some travel insurance websites. It's crucial to review all policy details carefully and potentially seek specialized travel insurance for older travelers. Why, you may ask, are divers seemingly being discriminated against simply based on their age? This is partly due to the actuarial data insurance companies use to decide upon cov- erage limitations. However, when you look at the actual diving accident data when it comes to decompression illness (de- compression sickness and arterial gas embolism), the older diver is not over-represented in those accident statistics. There may, however, be some travel benefits that come with age. Passengers 75 and older may be eligible for expedited the age of concern seems to be 70 or beyond. As you may know, some diving accident in- surance companies decided that the cut off age for diving acci- dent insurance coverage would be 70. To Divers Alert Net-
this webinar or conduct a seminar on that subject at a diving consumer show, I get questions about real or perceived limi- tations due to a diver’s age. I also help lead expeditions for a company called Blue Green Expeditions to places around the world including the Antarctic and Arctic. On an upcoming expedition, we are planning to offer diving and snorkeling at Silfra (www.dive.is) in Iceland. Silfra is a unique dive location where the North
American and Eurasian tectonic plates are very close together as they slowly move apart. It is one of the world’s most unique div- ing locations where you can ac- tually put your hands on both tectonic plates simultaneously. It
has been designated as some of the clearest water in the world with visibility measured at nearly 1,000 feet (305 meters). During one of the webinars on “Safety Issues for the Older Diver,” someone said they had “heard” (probably on the in- ternet) that divers 60 years old and older were not permitted to dive or snorkel at Silfra. My response was that I had not heard of any such a restriction, but I would certainly find out. I called the dive center at Silfra and was told that there was no such restriction BUT every diver and snorkeler must fill out the Diving Silfra Medical Statement AND divers 60 and older must have that form signed by a physician. The Diving Silfra Medical Statement is available from the diving/snor- keling tour operator in Iceland. The upcoming expedition that I am helping to lead for Blue Green Expeditions to the Arctic includes a few days of diving at Silfra. As required, I filled out the Diving Silfra Medical Statement, had my physician evaluate my health status and sign the form allowing me to snorkel at Silfra. The itinerary of this expedition to the Arctic, also includes a few days of diving and snorkeling in Greenland. The coun- try of Greenland has had a requirement on the books for years that expedition participants aged 66 or over or those with a disability or medical condition(s) wishing to enter Greenland territory (diving, snorkeling or just touring) must
PAGE SEVEN | SCUBA DIVING INDUSTRY
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker