Recreational technical diving

Recreational technical diving involves the use of gases other than air or when a decompression stop is required.

As well as the risks generally associated with recreational diving, recreational technical divers can be at risk from the effects of exposure to high or low partial pressures of the different breathing gas constituents, carbon dioxide toxicity and catalytic reactions from rebreather scrubber units.

Recreational technical diving includes:

• breathing enriched air nitrox (EANx) or mixed gas
• using rebreathers
• decompression stop diving using air or other gases.

Generally the requirements for technical diving are similar to the requirements for recreational diving using air.

Additional requirements for recreational technical diving include:

• Decompression diving
  Where decompression diving is taking place the employer/self-employed person should ensure there is a diver surface support station.
• Diving using EANx
  Diving using EANx therefore requires additional skills, equipment, procedures, training and supervision.
• Diving using mixed gas
  Mixed gases are breathing gases other than air or EANx used by divers to dive to greater depths.