BSAC Rebreather Diving

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BSAC Rebreather Diving

• Managing Rebreather Divers

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Aims

• Qualifications
• Duty of Care
• Dive Manager
• Dive Managers Slate
• Boat Diving

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Qualification Considerations

• SCR
• 40 depth limit
• Generally, no stop deco dives
• CCR
• Basic Course (Level 1)
• 40m
• Normoxic mixed gas (Level 2)
• Typically 60m
• Full mixed gas (Level 3)
• BSAC limit to 70m
• Open Circuit
• Air
• 50m
• Normoxic mixed gas
• Typically 60m
• Full mixed gas
• BSAC limit to 70m

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Rebreather Divers

• Duty of Care
• Qualification and level of experience
• To advise the less informed
• Oxygen toxicity limits
• CNS and UPTDs
• PO2 lt 1.4
• Absorbent duration
• typically 3 hours or less
• Bailout requirements
• Self and buddy
• Emergency Aids
• Brief buddy on safety measures
• Hypoxia, hyperoxia, hypercapnia
• Unit pre-dive checks
• Other divers needs and wishes

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Dive Marshal

• Dive Manager or Deputy should be
• Nitrox trained
• Understanding of Rebreathers
• Advantages
• Low gas consumption
• Lower decompression obligation
• Warm moist breathe
• Use in oxygen therapy
• Disadvantages
• Increased difficulty in tracking divers
• 40m depth limit for basic level qualification
• 3 hour (or less) absorbent life
• Dive Manager should ensure
• Dives planned to benefit all concerned
• Appropriate safety aids carried understood
• Surface party briefed on emergency actions

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Managing Considerations

• Dive plans MUST respect most conservative case
• Qualifications and experience
• Minimum OC buddy qualification
• (lt 20m) Ocean Diver with DOs consent
• (lt 35m) Sport Diver
• (lt 50m) Dive Leader
• (gt 35m) Sport Diver technical qualification
• All gases analysed and recorded
• Absorbent duration to-date recorded
• Ensure sufficient bailout carried for planned
  dive
• CNS UPTD clocks monitored

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Buddy Pairing Considerations

• Rebreather pairs (CCR /or SCR)
• Ensure common time
• Maximum depth
• CCR or SCR Nitrox open circuit pair
• Maximum depth
• Consider decompression limits
• CCR mix gas mix gas open circuit pair
• Maximum depth limit 70m
• Bailout
• END
• CCR or SCR air open circuit diver
• (No) deco limits of o/c air diver

Dive plan bailout plan MUST suit both divers!
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Dive Manager Slate

• DM slate to include
• Set point
• Dive plan
• Cylinder(s) size
• Bailout capabilities
• Duration of Inspiration cylinders
• Time spent on absorbent material

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Large Boat Diving

• Rebreather divers on boats require
• Time for final checks pre-breathing
• Consideration if longer dive times planned
• Easy entry exit (heavy kit)
• Ensure rebreather properly stowed
• Keep units standing upright or leaning forward
• Hoses need protection - stow rebreathers
  separately if possible
• Cylinder valves units need protection from
  careless feet

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RIB Diving

• Ensure rebreathers assembled tested before
  loading onto boat
• Verify secured properly to avoid damage
• Ensure coxn/crew can (physically) assist
  rebreather diver pick-up or
• Consider using a line with karabiner to attach
  rebreather to boat
• Rebreather diver then recovers own kit once in
  RIB
• After a rough RIB ride allow sufficient time to
  check and pre-breathe unit

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Summary

• Qualifications
• Duty of Care Rebreather diver
• Dive Manager
• Dive plan must match most conservative needs
  include a bailout plan
• Diver pairings
• Ensure absorbent durations are rigidly respected

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