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Recreational diving today: decompression habits, DAN Europe database insights

Authors:
Costantino Balestra at HE2B - Haute Ecole Bruxelles-Brabant
Costantino Balestra
Cialoni Danilo at Apnea Academy Research
Cialoni Danilo
  • Apnea Academy Research
Peter Buzzacott at Curtin University
Peter Buzzacott
Walter Hemelryck at Haute Ecole Paul-Henri Spaak
Walter Hemelryck
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Abstract

Compared with other sports, SCUBA diving remains a relatively safe activity but precisely defining risk is important. Diving databases such as the Diving Safety Laboratory (DSL) collection by Divers Alert Network (DAN) Europe can provide new insights into the causes of diving accidents, including decompression sickness (DCS) incidence with respect to the dive profile. Data from the DSL shows that in the recreational setting diving with a dive computer may be used by as many as 95% of divers. This points to the need of validating these tools with respect to DCS incidence, a difficult task.
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Table of Contents
•264 Pages
•11 Chapters
•16 Tables
•63 Figures
•“Food for thought” interludes
The Editors and Co-editors :
Costantino
BALESTRA
Jean
-Eric BLATTEAU
Alain BOUSSUGES
Francois BURMAN
Peter BUZZACOTT
John CHATTERTON
Danilo
CIALONI
Zeljko
DUJIC
Robert J. ECKERSLEY
Murat S. EGI
Emmanuel GEMPP
Peter GERMONPRE
Francois GUERRERO
Walter HEMELRYCK
Jean
-Pierre IMBERT
Thodoris
D. KARAPANTSIOS
Jacek
KOT
Pierre LAFÈRE
Kate LAMBRECHTS
Cecile LAVOUTE
Dennis MADDEN
Alessandro MARRONI
Aleksandra MAZUR
Tamer OZYIGIT
Virginie
PAPADOPOULOU
Massimo PIERI
Georgi
POPOV
Miroslav
ROZLOZNIK
Adel TAHER
Meng
-Xing TANG
Guy THOMAS
Frauke
TILLMANS
Yurii
TKACHENKO
Qiong
WANG
The Authors :
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... The two square-wave profiles were run for all the personal factor settings to give the dive-times at which the NSDL was reached; the EANx dives used the same dive-times as for the non-modified computers. Hempleman's Exposure Factor (EF) 17 was used to make comparisons: ...
... Another method by which dive computers can be modified by the user to generate more conservative dive profiles is through the use of gradient factors. 17,29 Gradient factors are another way of modifying the background decompression algorithm in the computer to best suit the diver's own diving preferences; however, similarly to personal factors, gradient factors have yet to be validated in a scientific study. Whereas personal factors appear to be relatively simple proportional re-adjustments made at one to five set levels, gradient factors are used in pairs with, theoretically, dozens of combinations (although there are a much smaller number of typical settings). ...
User settings on dive computers: Reliability in aiding conservative diving
Article
Full-text available
  • Jun 2016
Introduction: Divers can make adjustments to diving computers when they may need or want to dive more conservatively (e.g., diving with a persistent (patent) foramen ovale). Information describing the effects of these alterations or how they compare to other methods, such as using enriched air nitrox (EANx) with air dive planning tools, is lacking. Methods: Seven models of dive computer from four manufacturers (Mares, Suunto, Oceanic and UWATEC) were subjected to single square-wave compression profiles (maximum depth: 20 or 40 metres’ sea water, msw), single multi-level profiles (maximum depth: 30 msw; stops at 15 and 6 msw), and multi-dive series (two dives to 30 msw followed by one to 20 msw). Adjustable settings were employed for each dive profile; some modified profiles were compared against stand-alone use of EANx. Results: Dives were shorter or indicated longer decompression obligations when conservative settings were applied. However, some computers in default settings produced more conservative dives than others that had been modified. Some computer-generated penalties were greater than when using EANx alone, particularly at partial pressures of oxygen (PO2) below 1.40 bar. Some computers ‘locked out’ during the multi-dive series; others would continue to support decompression with, in some cases, automatically-reduced levels of conservatism. Changing reduced gradient bubble model values on Suunto computers produced few differences. Discussion: The range of possible adjustments and the non-standard computer response to them complicates the ability to provide accurate guidance to divers wanting to dive more conservatively. The use of EANx alone may not always generate satisfactory levels of conservatism. © 2016, South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society. All rights reserved.
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