Diving hazards and precautions

Divers face specific physical and health risks when they go underwater (e.g. with scuba or other diving equipment) or use high pressure breathing gases. Some of these conditions also affect people who work in raised pressure environments out of water, e.g. in caissons.

The ordinary features of diving
Click on the boldface links for more information about each topic.

Effects of relying on breathing equipment while underwater
Being unable to breathe fresh air naturally whilst submerged and relying on limited breathing gas supplies and fallible breathing equipment can have these effects. Click on the boldface links to find symptoms and more information for each topic.

Effects of barotrauma or pressure damage
See barotrauma and pressure for more information.

On descent
Air spaces within the body provide no support against greater outside pressure. This can happen from losing control of buoyancy causing excessive vertical speed during descent. Click on the boldface links to find symptoms and more information for each topic.

On ascent
Air spaces within the body expand when the outside pressure decreases. This can happen from holding the breath on ascent, or from losing control of buoyancy causing excessive vertical speed during ascent. Click on the boldface links to find symptoms and more information for each topic.

Effects of breathing gas at high pressure
Click on the boldface links to find symptoms and more information for each topic.

The term dysbarism describes Decompression sickness, arterial gas embolism, and barotrauma.

Divers face specific physical and health risks when they go underwater (e.g. with scuba) or use high pressure breathing gases. Some of these conditions also affect people who work in raised pressure environments out of water, e.g. in caissons.