Safe Diving Rules

"Decompression rules are not meant to be bent"

"Only fools stretch the rules"

BSAC Rules

The BSAC Rules that apply to diving and training are:

Number Rule Text
5 B Activities of BSAC or of Branches shall be undertaken only with the authority of Council or of a Branch committee as appropriate. Activities involving diving shall required the appointment by Council or Branch committee as appropriate of a person to control and supervise that activity who shall be called the Expedition Leader.
5 C To secure safety and discipline on diving expeditions the Expedition Leader may suspend for the duration of the expedition any member who fails to obey orders given by such leader for the said purpose. All such suspensions shall be promptly reported to the Branch Committee.
5 D No member may take part in any aqualung or open water activity unless they have complied with the requirements for medical examination as laid down by Council from time to time.
5 E All watercraft (other than hand-propelled watercraft) used by a Branch or by any other member of the Club on Branch or Club activities must be insured for Third Party risks with a minimum indemnity limit of an amount stipulated by Council from time to time. All policies in existence now or in the future must be endorsed to indemnify Council for the time being and any employer of BSAC and affiliated Clubs and Branches.

Branch Rules

The set of rules below are not necessarily exhaustive. The full Branch Rules is the definitive reference

The Branch Rules that apply to diving and training are:

Number Rule Text
1.2 Members of CRABBSAC shall at all times abide by The Rules of The British Sub-Aqua Club as published by that organisation.
1.3 Members of CRABBSAC shall at all times observe The Diver's Code of Conduct as published by the BSAC.
2.2 No member shall participate in CRABBSAC authorised open water diving activities unless the appropriate standard of training and qualifications, as defined by the Diving Officer, and in accordance with BSAC recommendations has been reached.
2.7 All open water aqua lung tests must be authorised by the Diving Officer or Training Officer prior to the activity taking place, and personally supervised by a BSAC Nationally Qualified Instructor.
3.1 All members shall be bound by the regulations of the Crawley Authorities and Horley Swimming Pool Authorities insofar as they affect CRABBSAC.
3.2 All pool training shall be carried out under the supervision of a nominated Training Officer, who may be assisted at each session by Instructors or other members. Members using the pool must comply with instructions issued by any of these officials .
3.7 No snorkellers or free swimmers shall share a supply of air from an aqua lung.
3.9 All equipment used in the pool shall be of suitable design and in good condition, so as not to be a hazard to other users of the pool. All weights shall be plastic coated or covered with a protective sheath. No aqua lungs may be used without tank boots. No knives shall be worn. No emergency audible signal may be used.
4.1 Any dive that uses Club equipment in the organisation or execution of that dive must be authorised by the Diving Officer or Equipment Officer or their duly authorised deputies.
4.2 'Club, or Branch, dives' are defined as - any 'Authorised Dive / Activity' as defined in the BSAC Safe Diving Practices, or - any dive publicised, advertised or organised using Club facilities, or any dive that uses Club equipment in the organisation or execution of that dive.
4.6 No member may participate in aqua lung diving unless they possess a valid certificate of fitness to dive.
4.8 All divers, crew, and other persons traveling in a Club boat must wear lifejackets, buoyancy aids, diving suits, or other suitable clothing that will guarantee their positive buoyancy should they fall overboard. Drysuits must be zipped up when members are at sea in a Club boat.
4.11 All members of a diving party, and all crew members, must carry a knife when on a Club boat.
4.13 The approximate location of each dive team must be known to the Dive Marshal at all times during a diving session. The coxswain of a dive boat must also be aware of the approximate position of all divers whilst underwater. The Dive Marshal shall request the use of Surface Marker Buoys (SMB) if there is any doubt regarding the maintenance of contact. All Sports Divers and above shall carry delayed SMB’s and an appropriate deployment device on all dives, and must be practiced in its use.
4.14 During the use of a club boat or hired boat in Open Water Activities, there shall always be a trained boat handler on board when underway.
4.15 All branch diving activity must be supervised by an Advanced Diver
4.18 Divers shall at all times follow the BSAC recommendations regarding depth limits for, and the making of enforced decompression stops, while participating in CRABBSAC authorised dives, in accordance with the BSAC Safe Diving Practices. Divers using computers shall provide to the Diving Officer or Dive Marshal on demand, specific computerised dive information to validate dive records
4.19 Diver using any mixed gas other than air must hold a recognised qualification and shall inform the dive marshal before the dive. This may take the form of notification on a dive planning sheet or verbally at least 24 hours before the dive
4.20 Dive leaders should carry a buddy-line for use in poor visibility conditions
7.5 The Club compressor equipment may only be operated by persons whose names appear on the register kept, and published, by the Equipment Officer. Said persons shall be responsible for maintaining records of use of the Club compressor equipment, and for collection of moneys associated with their use.
7.7 Operators of the Club compressor equipment will ensure that it is never left running unattended for any reason, and will ensure that only cylinders marked with a valid test stamp are filled

Other Rules and Regulations

The following rules and regulations may apply to Branch Diving Operations