HSE Professional Scuba

The HSE approved Professional Scuba qualification is required by all professionals who wish to extend their work underwater including media personnel, archaeologists, marine biologists, oceanographers and inspection engineers.

It is an intensive 3 weeks course undertaken on the completion of the HSE First Aid at Work and Oxygen Provider Course.

Initial training commences in the Academy’s 3m deep indoor tank where mask clearing, buoyancy control, and air changeover drills are exercised.

Students are introduced to the benefits of wearing the Interspiro and Kirby Morgan full facemasks which are fitted with the same hardwire communications systems worn by many working divers.

During the open water phase of the course many new skills are attained including search and survey techniques, risk assessing, rescue procedures, report writing, rigging and hand-tool use.

A fresh water dive is carried out in beautiful Loch Eck to familiarise students with the negative effect on buoyancy compared to diving in a seawater location. This dive also teaches students how to overcome the reduced visibility normally found in this type of environment.

The intensive theory section of the course is taught in one of our spacious classrooms. Practical procedures such as treating the effects of decompression illness are practiced using our substantial twin lock base recompression chamber which is located only a few yards away. The base chamber facility is also utilised to carry out a dry 50m chamber dive which allows students to appreciate the narcotic value of air at increased pressures. Nitrogen narcosis is normally experienced at depths greater than 30m and for the unwary diver it can present several dangers as the symptoms can sometimes induce the same uninhibited behaviour normally associated with having too much alcohol!

The stand alone SCUBA course also provides students with the following equipment package.

Equipment Package Provided with Stand Alone SCUBA Course:

Use of, 5mm Drysuit. Use of, Undersuit. Use of, Two Piece Flotation Suit. Coveralls and Polo Shirt. IMCA Divers Logbook. Course Manuals and Carry Bag.