May 9, 2024 STANDARD SAFE SCUBA DIVING PRACTICES STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING Please read carefully before signing. This is a statement in which you are informed of the established safe diving practices for skin and scuba diving. These practices have been compiled for your review and acknowledgement and are intended to increase your comfort and safety in diving. Your signature on this statement is required as proof that you are aware of these safe diving practices. Read and discuss the statement prior to signing it. If you are a minor, this form must also be signed by a parent or guardian.
I, , understand that as a diver I should:
1. Maintain good mental and physical fitness for diving. Avoid being under the influence of alcohol or dangerous drugs when diving. Keep proficient in diving skills, striving to increase them through continuing education and reviewing them in controlled conditions after a period of diving inactivity, and refer to my course materials to stay current and refresh myself on important information.
2. Be familiar with my dive sites. If not, obtain a formal diving orientation from a knowledgeable, local source. If diving conditions are worse than those in which I am experienced, postpone diving or select an alternate site with better conditions. Engage only in diving activities consistent with my training and experience. Do not engage in cave or technical diving unless specifically trained to do so.
3. Use complete, well-maintained, reliable equipment with which I am familiar; and inspect it for correct fit and function prior to each dive. Have a buoyancy control device, low-pressure buoyancy control inflation system, submersible pressure gauge and alternate air source and dive planning/monitoring device (dive computer, RDP/dive tables—whichever you are trained to use) when scuba diving. Deny use of my equipment to uncertified divers.
4. Listen carefully to dive briefings and directions and respect the advice of those supervising my diving activities. Recognize that additional training is recommended for participation in specialty diving activities, in other geographic areas and after periods of inactivity that exceed six months.
5. Adhere to the buddy system throughout every dive. Plan dives – including communications, procedures for reuniting in case of separation and emergency procedures – with my buddy.
6. Be proficient in dive planning (dive computer or dive table use). Make all dives no decompression dives and allow a margin of safety. Have a means to monitor depth and time underwater. Limit maximum depth to my level of training and experience. Ascend at a rate of not more than 10 metres/30 feet per minute. Be a SAFE diver – Slowly Ascend From Every dive. Make a safety stop as an added precaution, usually at 3 - 6 metres/10 - 20 feet for three to five minutes or longer or as directed by your dive computer.
7. Maintain proper buoyancy. Adjust weighting at the surface for neutral buoyancy with no air in my buoyancy control device. Maintain neutral buoyancy while underwater. Be buoyant for surface swimming and resting. Have weights clear for easy removal, and establish buoyancy when in distress while diving. Carry at least one surface signaling device (such as signal tube, whistle, mirror).
8. Breathe properly for diving. Never breath-hold or skip-breathe when breathing compressed air, and avoid excessive hyperventilation when breath-hold diving. Avoid overexertion while in and underwater and dive within my limitations.
9. Use a boat, float or other surface support station, whenever feasible.
10. Know and obey local dive laws and regulations, including fish and game and dive flag laws.
I understand the importance and purposes of these established practices. I recognize they are for my own safety and well-being, and that failure to adhere to them can place me in jeopardy when diving. Scuba Diving is dangerous, so to minimize your risk, you as a diver should: Be trained in scuba diving by a certified open water instructor and certified by a nationally recognized certifying organization. Maintain good physical and mental condition for diving. Only dive when feeling well. DO NOT USE ANY INTOXICATING OR DANGEROUS DRUGS BEFORE DIVING. Get a regular medical examination for scuba diving. Use reliable, complete and well maintained diving equipment which you check before each dive. You will deny the use of your equipment to a non-certified diver unless you are an instructor and the individual your student. When scuba diving, use a functional buoyancy controlling device (BCD), plus a submersible pressure gauge, and all other equipment as required by your certifying agency. Know the limitations of yourself, your buddy, and your equipment. Use the best possible judgment and common sense in planning each dive. Allow a margin of safety in order to be prepared for emergencies. Set moderate limits for depth and time in the water. Enter overhead environment only if properly trained e.g. cavern, cave, or wreck specialty. Control your buoyancy to make diving as easy as possible. Be prepared to clear your mask, mouthpiece, or take other emergency action if needed. In an emergency: STOP, BREATH, THINK, AND GET CONTROL - THEN TAKE ACTION. Never dive alone. Always buddy dive - know each other's equipment. Know and review hand signals and stay in close contact with your buddy. Together, plan your dive, and then dive your plan.
Beware of breath holding. Breathe continuously throughout a scuba dive. Exhale during any ascent. Know your limits and allow for a margin of safety. Be sure to equalize pressure early and often both during ascent and descent. If you are cold, tired, injured, low on air, or not feeling well, then get out of the water. Diving is more risky and no longer enjoyable at that point. If any abnormality persists, get medical attention. Know decompression procedures, tables, and emergency procedures as established by your scuba agency. Make all scuba dives within no decompression limits for the depth you dive. Continue your scuba training by taking advanced open water or specialty courses. Log your dives and try to make at least 12 dives each year. BE A RESPONSIBLE DIVER. NOTE: Your signature on this agreement is required as proof that you were made aware of these STANDARD SCUBA DIVING PRACTICES. Diver's initials
LIABILITY RELEASE AND THE ASSUMPTION OF RISK WAIVER AND RELEASE AGREEMENT
Please read carefully before signing. I, , hereby affirm that I am aware that skin and scuba diving have inherent risks which may result in serious injury or death.
I understand that diving with compressed air involves certain inherent risks; including but not limited to decompression sickness, embolism or other hyperbaric/air expansion injury that require treatment in a recompression chamber. I further understand that the open water diving trips which are necessary for training and for certification may be conducted at a site that is remote, either by time or distance or both, from such a recompression chamber. I still choose to proceed with such instructional dives in spite of the possible absence of a recompression chamber in proximity to the dive site.
I understand and agree that neither my instructor(s), GARY L. GOODMAN OR CHRISTINE SHOUROT, nor the facility through which I receive(d) my instruction, nor UNDERWATER ADVENTURES, INC., nor HAMPTON ROADS DIVE CLUB, nor PADI Americas, Inc., nor NAUI Worldwide, nor their affiliates and subsidiary corporations, nor any of their respective employees, officers, agents, contractors, or assigns (hereinafter referred to as “Released Parties”) may be held liable or responsible in any way for any injury, death or other damages to me, my family, estate, heirs or assigns that may occur as a result of my participation in this diving program or any dive related events or any club members events or as a result of the negligence of any party, including the Released Parties, whether passive or active.
In consideration of being allowed to participate in Dive Club activities (and optional Dives), hereinafter referred to as “events,” I hereby personally assume all risks of these events, whether foreseen or unforeseen, that may befall me while I am a participant in these events including, but not limited to, the academics, confined water and/or open water activities, and all related dive events.
I further release, exempt and hold harmless said events and Released Parties from any claim or lawsuit by me, my family, estate, heirs or assigns, arising out of my enrollment and participation in these events, including both claims arising during the events or after I receive my certification. I also understand that skin diving and scuba diving are physically strenuous activities and that I will be exerting myself during this program, and that if I am injured as a result of heart attack, panic, hyperventilation, drowning or any other cause, that I expressly assume the risk of said injuries and that I will not hold the Released Parties responsible for the same.
I further state that I am of lawful age and legally competent to sign this liability release, or that I have acquired the written consent of my parent or guardian. I understand the terms herein are contractual and not a mere recital, and that I have signed this Agreement of my own free act and with the knowledge that I hereby agree to waive my legal rights. I further agree that if any provision of this Agreement is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be severed from this Agreement. The remainder of this Agreement will then be construed as though the unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.
I understand and agree that I am not only giving up my right to sue the Released Parties but also any rights my heirs, assigns, or beneficiaries may have to sue the Released Parties resulting from my death.
I further represent I have the authority to do so and that my heirs, assigns, or beneficiaries will be estopped from claiming otherwise because of my representations to the Released Parties.
I, , BY THIS INSTRUMENT AGREE TO EXEMPT AND RELEASE MY INSTRUCTORS, GARY L. GOODMAN AND CHRISTINE SHOUROT, THE FACILITY THROUGH WHICH I RECEIVE(D) MY INSTRUCTION, AND UNDERWATER ADVENTURES, INC., AND HAMPTON ROADS DIVE CLUB, AND PADI AMERICAS, INC., AND NAUI WORLDWIDE, AND ALL RELATED ENTITIES AS DEFINED ABOVE, FROM ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY WHATSOEVER FOR PERSONAL INJURY, PROPERTY DAMAGE OR WRONGFUL DEATH HOWEVER CAUSED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE NEGLIGENCE OF THE RELEASED PARTIES, WHETHER PASSIVE OR ACTIVE. I HAVE FULLY INFORMED MYSELF AND MY HEIRS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS STANDARD SAFE SCUBA DIVING PRACTICES STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING AGREEMENT AND LIABILITY RELEASE AND THE ASSUMPTION OF RISK WAIVER AND RELEASE AGREEMENT BY READING BOTH BEFORE SIGNING BELOW ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND MY HEIRS. Copy and paste the body of your waiver here. | 