Course: Open Circuit Decompression Diver

Course objectives: This course develops in the participant, the required abilities, knowledge and techniques to responsibly conduct open circuit SCUBA decompression dives using best mix Nitrox as bottom gas to a maximum depth of 40m.

Course pre-requisites: The participant must: 1. Be at least 18 years of age. 2. Prior to commencing practical training, provide proof of a current diving medical not older than two years for participants below 40 years of age and for participants over 40 years of age not older than one year. 3. 3. Be certified as an IART Advanced Nitrox Diver or hold an equivalent qualification from a recognised training agency. 4. 4. Have completed at least 50 logged dives including at least 10 logged Nitrox dives.

Course content/duration: All theoretical and practical aspects of decompression diving. The classroom sessions explain the physical and physiological hazards of deep diving, the decompression planning, equipment considerations for decompression diving, the need of bail-out gas, and all procedures involved. An important point is dive planning using computer-based dive tables such as VPM, Z-Plan, V-planner or ProPlanner etc. The practical part of the course includes 1 confined water session and 4 open water dives over at least 3 days with a minimum accumulated open water dive time of 180 minutes. The instructor-to-student ratio is 1:3

Support material: IART OC Decompression Diver manual, NOAA 0₂-exposure tables, and computer-based dive tables such as VPM, Z-Plan, ProPlanner, etc., flash-cards, and Instructor presentation materials.

Required equipment:

Complete diving equipment including drysuit with undersuit and gloves or thermal protection appropriate to the environment – 2 stage cylinders with means of attachment (quick-snap or cam-band) (Size of the cylinders MUST take into account actual gas usage plus an appropriate reserve) – Twin tanks with isolator valve (minimum 2 x 10 Litres) – 4 regulators (one suitable for Nitrox in excess of 40% mixes and one with an octopus hose length of 210 cm) all fitted with manometers – Dive computer, an additional watch and depth gauge or a back-up dive computer – Writing slate – Reel with at least 40 m of line – Lifting sack with at least 25 kg buoyancy – 2nd mask – Cutting implement (knife or clippers) – Diving lamp (recommended) – Inflator hoses – Various karabiner clips, tie-wraps and silicon bungy-hosing

Limits: The minimum/maximum depths during training are : OW dive 1 20-30m no stop, OW dive 2 25-35m max. 5 mins deco, OW dive 3 30-40m max. 5 mins deco, OW dive 4 35-40m max. 10 mins deco

Practical skills: The dives should include the proper planning, including calculation of dive profile, gas analysing and labelling, equipment familiarization (Stage bottle removal/replacement, oxygen bail-out regulator use), emergency and out-of-air procedures (gas sharing, rescue ascent, etc.), ascent reel and lift bag deployment, and proper decompression techniques.

Certification requirements: The student must satisfactorily complete a written exam. Once training requirements are met at the Instructor’s discretion, it is necessary to submit an application in order to obtain the corresponding IART certification card. In accordance with IART quality control, the student and Instructor are required to fill in the training protocol form. The instructor must retain this form with the student file.

Certification: IART HQ

Certification Renewal: n/a