STANFORD UNIVERSITY SCIENTIFIC DIVING PROGRAM STANDARDS FOR SCIENTIFIC FREE DIVING
Individuals planning to use free diving (i.e. breath-holding as the sole means to make excursions below the water’s surface) as their mode of data collection or observation must meet the following free diving standards and must have had specific free diver training/orientation.
Participant qualifications:
Must be medically fit for free diving (see Free Diving Medical History Form)
Must be current in CPR, First Aid, and Emergency Oxygen provision
Must demonstrate watermanship skills including:
o Swim underwater without swim aids for a distance of 25 yards without surfacing o Swim 400 yards in less than 12 minutes without swim aids o Tread water for 10 minutes without swim aids o Rescue and transport another person of equal size a distance of 25 yards while simulating rescue breathing o Appropriate weighting for free diving o Enter and exit water from shore and vessel o Clear facemask and snorkel o Perform effective surface dive o Perform safe ascent, clear snorkel with blast and displacement methods, resume breathing without lifting face from water o Inflate and deflate vest o Ditch and recover weight belt in at least 8’ of water
Procedural Standards:
• Divers must objectively evaluate their own level of personal fitness and swimming/diving ability and experience, as well as the nature of the task, prior to entering the water. Individuals should exercise good judgment and err on the side of caution when they judge conditions and/or tasks to be near or beyond the limits of their ability and experience. A diver may refuse to dive, without fear of penalty, whenever they feel it is unsafe for them to make the dive. It is the individual’s responsibility and duty to refuse to dive if, in their judgment, conditions are unsafe or unfavorable, or if they would be violating the precepts of their training
• A “lead diver” shall be designated for the free diving team. It is the lead diver’s responsibility to compile emergency contact information for all participants, and to create and submit to the Diving Safety Office a Free Diving Plan in advance of the project, which includes details of the work to be done, personnel involved, anticipated hazards and mitigation measures, and a detailed emergency management plan.
• A first aid kit and oxygen kit must be readily available at every dive site.
• Divers must be weighted such that they are slightly positively buoyant at the surface and can achieve positive buoyancy at any time by dropping their weights. The use of a free diving vest is strongly encouraged, for visibility as well as in case of diver fatigue.
• Any weights used must be in a standard quick-release ditchable configuration.
• Always use the buddy system, 1 up/1 down (i.e. only one team member submerged at a time, with the buddy acting as safety diver at the surface). Buddies should be comparably equipped and skilled.
• Do not free dive when water conditions prohibit constant visual contact between divers. Free dive during daylight hours only.
• Monitor local weather forecasts and be aware of changing weather and water conditions.
• Be aware of and monitor vessel traffic in the area of operations. Use a dive flag or float.
• Follow safe pre-dive breathing procedures; do not hyperventilate.
• Limit free diving tasks/activities to observation only, avoid excessive work, tasks, or equipment loading. Consider having trained and authorized personnel use scuba for tasks beyond the safe limits of free diving.
• Take appropriate rest intervals between dives.
• Do not free dive after any compressed-air diving activity.
• Each diver must carry an easily-accessible cutting implement in case of entanglement.