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Diving| SAFETY & MEDICAL |
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 Diving is an exciting activity that is extremely safe when proper
techniques and limits learned during training are used. Like all adventurous
activities, diving could be dangerous if established safety procedures are not
followed. Your diving centre will ask you to sign a statement to say that you
agree to follow established practices.
Flying & diving
please note that according to medical recommendations, you should not dive for
24 hours before your flight home and before traveling to altitude e.g. St.
Catherine's Monastery.
Medical requirements for diving
you must be in good health and reasonably fit and able to swim 200m. If you are
taking a diving course, you will be asked to complete a medical self-
declaration (see below). If you are taking medication, or suffer from a medical
condition, you may be required to consult a diving physician before starting
your course (local charges apply).
Unfortunately, we cannot refund unused diving courses in the event that you are
refused medical clearance to dive. If you have any doubt about your fitness to
dive, we strongly advise you to see a doctor before leaving home and bring with
you a certificate stating your fitness to dive.
Medical Questionnaire
If your answer is yes to any of the following questions, you will need medical
clearance from a doctor before you can dive. Should you need to obtain
clearance for an ailment or medical condition prior to travelling, you can
print a copy of this questionnaire, along with the rest of the guidelines for
your medical doctor.
- Could you be pregnant or are you attempting to become pregnant?
- Do you regularly take prescription or non-prescription medications (with the
exception of Birth control)?
Are you over 45 years of age have one of more of the following:
- Currently smoke cigarettes, cigars or pipe?
- Have a high cholesterol level?
- Have a family history of heart attacks or strokes?
Have you ever had or currently have:
- Asthma, breathing difficulties, wheezing with exercise?
- Severe and frequent attacks of hay fever or any other allergy?
- Frequent colds, sinusitis, bronchitis?
- History of chest surgery?
- Any form of lung disease?
- Pheumothorax (collapsed lung)?
- Behavioural health problems?
- Agoraphobia or claustrophobia (fear of open or closed spaces)?
- Epilepsy, convulsions, seizures or under any medication to prevent them?
- History or recurrent back problems?
- History of back surgery?
- Recurring migraine headaches or take medications to prevent them?
- History of blackouts or fainting (full/partial) loss of consciousness?
- Motion sickness, seasickness, car sickness?
- History of Diabetes?
- History of back, arm, or leg problems following surgery injury or fracture?
- History of diving accidents or decompression sickness?
- Inability to perform moderate exercise (walk 1 mile within 10 minutes)?
- History of high blood pressure or take medicine to control blood?
- History of heart disease?
- History of heart attacks?
- Angina?
- History of ear or sinus surgery?
- History of problems equalising, popping ears with aeroplane or mountain
travel?
- History of any type of hernia?
- History of colostomy?
- History of drug or alcohol abuse?
Diving Safety Recommendations:
- Do Not over exercise before or after a dive.
- Do not be rushed into entering the water until you are ready & checked.
- If uneasy about a dive, do not proceed without liaising with the dive master
first.
- Do not be afraid to abort a dive, what ever the reason.
- Descent slowly and at the bottom stop and take a couple of minutes to get
your breathing & buoyancy under control.
- Always aim to surface with a minimum of 50 bar in you tank, even if you are
the first to do so.
- Rinse ears with fresh water after each dive to help prevent infection.
- Drink plenty of fresh water before and after the dive, as this is the best
prevention for decompression sickness.
- If you experience any abnormal physical problems after a dive, inform the
dive master immediately and assume it is decompression sickness related, until
a professional confirms otherwise.
- Anyone suspected of having decompression sickness (The bends), should be
immediately put on 100% oxygen, laid flat and kept hydrated with fluids. The
nearest dive chamber facility should then be alerted.
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