Scuba Diving and Dive Medicals

When considering scuba diving, it is important to understand the risks involved and undertake vital medical precautions so as to ensure an enjoyable experience rather than a fatal one. Scuba diving does involve health risks and some medical conditions increase the risk of death significantly. This is why Australia prides itself in having the strictest medical standards, regulations and requirements relating to diving in order to keep Australia one of the safest places to dive. 

What is required before diving?

A Dive Medical is generally a must to dive with Australian dive operators particularly those in Queensland. Only 1 in 430,000 Queensland dives results in a fatality compared to 1 per 120,000 dives in the rest of Australia and 1 per 100,000 in the US, ( ABS, 2010). These measures are taken for your personal safety and the results clearly demonstrate the benefit of being medically fit to dive.

Due to the severe consequences associated with diving, all recreational diving operators in Queensland generally require divers to have an AS 4005.1 compliant dive medical before diving. This is a strict requirement for dive operators to adhere to. These are especially important for:

-          advanced diving courses

-          open water diving courses

-          if you have a medical condition that may affect you during the dive

It is important to note that overseas dive medicals or diver fitness certificates will NOT be accepted unless the assessment certificate clearly and specifically states that the Dive Medical was carried out to the Australian Standard AS4005.1.

Dive Medicals MUST be dated less than 12 months prior to diving to be accepted.

A Dive Medical carried out by a Dive Medical Practitioner assesses the fitness and suitability of a person wanting to dive. Persons undertaking a “learn to dive” course will be required to meet the Australian Standards AS 4005.1 for recreational divers and AS/NZS 2299.1 for occupational divers.

What is a Dive Medical about?

A Dive Medical focuses primarily on cardiac, pulmonary and neurological conditions, and general health issues that can potentially put a diver at increased risk for decompression sickness, pulmonary over inflation syndrome with subsequent arterial gas embolisation, and other conditions such as loss of consciousness, which could lead to drowning.

The most common condition that will cause people to be declared medically unfit to dive is asthma. Numerous studies have shown that asthma increases the risk of death during diving by 10-20 times. In Australia, it is standard practice to exclude asthmatics from diving even though some people may wish to voluntarily undertake this serious risk.

Other common conditions that can affect fitness to dive are problems with hearing, sinus infections and ear infections. These can be temporary and do not place the diver at increased risk of death, so generally a warning is made of the risks involved, including permanent hearing loss.

These are serious warnings and decisions made by the dive medical practitioner who has been trained to do so. It is important to adhere to these procedures and obtain a Dive Medical before carrying out a dive.

Where can I get a Dive Medical?

Dr Alan Jones is a Dive Medical Practitioner and has carried out hundreds of these in the past. He will ensure you are fit and safe to dive before providing a Dive Medical certificate. Please call 3350 4222 to book a Dive Medical with him and let the receptionists know that you appointment is for a “Dive Medical”.