Recently I was at a local scuba diving meeting club and the overall topic was diving safety. The presenter shared a concept that I think derives from the cave and tech diving world, that I had not previously heard about. He called it the scuba rule of three. Conceptually you can also think of it as a three-strike rule.
The scuba rule of three is a guideline that scuba divers can use to help assess and manage risk while diving. The rule states that for any given dive, a scuba diver should not have more than three new or significantly different risk factors. Risk factors can include things like diving with new scuba gear, diving with a new dive buddy, or diving in a new location.
If a scuba diver does have three or more new or significantly different risk factors for a given dive, then they should either take steps to mitigate the risks, or call the dive. This is a guideline that can be used by scuba divers of all experience levels, from beginners to experts.
I think this is a really useful guideline for scuba divers to keep in mind, especially when planning a dive. By taking into account the scuba rule of three, scuba divers can help make sure that they are managing the risks associated with their dive, and making decisions that will help keep them safe underwater.
Remember you never need a reason to call the dive, if you don’t feel comfortable at any time for any reason you don’t need to wait for three risks to appear. Just call the dive with no repercussions!
Check out this Infographic about Safe Diving!
Updated on: December 05, 2023