THE NEW LAW IN DIVING 2020
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Hello AmetllaDiving family! Today, in this blog, we will explain the new regulations on recreational diving and the new document that replaces the medical certificate that we all know, along with more things you should know about this new Royal Decree 550/2020.
On July 1, the long-awaited new regulation for recreational diving went into effect. Let's talk about it:
WHAT IS DIVING?
That underwater activity consisting of a person staying underwater subjected to the hyperbaric environment, either with the aid of devices or means that allow the exchange of a breathable gas mixture with the outside, or of any system that facilitates breathing, or either without the aid of said devices, means or systems.
Here we have to differentiate between Recreational and SCUBA (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) diving:
RECREATIONAL DIVING
It is that modality that can have non-competitive sport, fun, recreation, hobby or physical exercise as its purpose.
SCUBA DIVING
The one that is carried out using respiratory means carried by the diver himself, allowing full autonomy of movement.
One of the novelties in this new regulation is the case of
THE DIVER'S HEALTHY
As indicated by the BOE, every diver will be responsible for ensuring that his health is adequate for the practice of the diving modality in question in safety conditions.
That is why the new standard now requires divers to sign a responsible statement about their health status.
That is, when you arrive at a diving center to do this practice, you must fill in an official health document that will provide it, either online or physically. Although a diver has previously obtained the medical certificate (the yellow paper that we all know), he must necessarily sign the medical questionnaire.
Here you can download it:
MINIMUM AGE FOR DIVING ACTIVITY
From 8 to 9 years: up to 6 m.
From 10 to 11 years old: up to 12 m.
From 12 to 15 years: up to 21 m.
From 16 to 18 years old: up to 40 m.IMPORTANT: minors cannot breathe gas mixtures, only air, whether in recreational diving or in scuba diving.
THE TRAINING: DO I NEED PREVIOUS TRAINING?
Well no. The boe says that prior experience on the part of the student is not required to take a diving course. Each diving course must include the necessary prior training. Training will not be required of participants in an initial training program, contact or discover scuba diving.
SUPPORT VESSEL?
In the recreational and sports diving modalities, it will not be necessary to have a support boat when its practice takes place at a distance not exceeding 200 meters from the beach or 50 meters from the rest of the coast and from these it is possible to provide assistance to divers.
FIRST ALL, SAFETY
The practice of the recreational diving modality in scuba diving will have a limit of 40 meters of depth, being able to use only air or nitrox.
At all times, you will have direct access to the surface and the minimum diving unit will be the couple in the water.
It will not be allowed:
- The completion of programmed decompression stops.
- The entry into caves, inside wrecks or any type of dives that take place indoors, whether real or virtual, in which the light is lost and whose depth of penetration is more than 30 meters.
THE DIVE INSURANCE
Any practitioner of the recreational diving modality must be in possession of accident and civil liability insurance, which can cover any type of incident or accident that may occur during the development of the same.
If you still do not have diving insurance, you can contract it with us with the best global insurance company DAN, which protects you worldwide and attends you 24 hours a day:
SIGNALING AND SAFETY DISTANCE
It will be mandatory to signal the diver's departure and stay on the surface, using the surface beaconing device included in the minimum equipment of each of the diving modalities, when diving operations are carried out without a boat or the area is not marked. where the activity takes place.
With the exception of the support boat, all vessels or boats must be kept at a minimum safety distance of 50 meters from the diving area.
MINIMUM COMPULSORY DIVING EQUIPMENT
This is the list of parts of the diving equipment that are mandatory:
1 BCD.
2 Diving face mask.
3 Fins.
4 Gas supply with two second stages.
5 Pressure gauge (manometre).
6 Knife or cutting object.
7 Depth gauge.
8 Dive Computer (decompression and time management)
9 Whistle or acoustic signaling device.
10 BuoyIS THE DIVE COMPUTER MANDATORY?
The dive computer is not mandatory to practice recreational diving, but it is the only device that easily and safely groups the 3 control devices required by the new standard published in the BOE:
1) Depth control device.
2) Time control device.
3) Device or tables for decompression management.So if you don't want to go overloaded, the best option is to buy a dive computer.
And here we finish with the most important aspects to highlight about the new 2020 diving regulations. We leave you a link to the official document of the regulations in case you want to take a look:
https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2020/06/26/pdfs/BOE-A-2020-6745.pdf
UNTIL THE NEXT BLOG!
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