DCIEM Diving Manual

Description

The Defence and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine is Canada’s centre of expertise for defence research and development in human performance and protection, human-systems integration and operational medicine. The DCIEM Tables are the result of more than 30 years of research and development. DCIEM pioneered the use of digital decompression computers and has used computer-decompression models since the beginning of the project. DCIEM has amassed a computer database containing information on thousands of dives.

The DCIEM Manual first published in 1992 contains decompression tables for air.   The air decompression tables were developed in the 1980’s for Canadian Forces operational use, these tables have also been adopted by foreign navies, commercial diving companies and other civilian organizations. The Sport Diving Tables were a result of the original air diving tables adapted for use by recreational divers and have had a wide acceptance by the sport diving community.

The tables have been developed and validated by the impressive Diving Research Facility resources. This facility includes a 7 foot diameter hyperbaric chamber that can be filled with fresh water and chilled to 3ºC and pressurized to simulate dives to 1800m below sea level. Since its installation in 1978 the facility has been used for more than 8,800 dives.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 1. Introduction

1. Background

2. Description of Decompression Tables

3. Definition of Terms

4. Dive Recording

Section 2. Decompression Procedures

1. Standard Air Decompression (Table 1)

2. Short Standard Air Decompression (Table 1S)

3. In-Water Oxygen Decompression (Table 2)

4. Short In-Water Oxygen Decompression (Table 2S)

5. Surface Decompression with Oxygen (Table 3)

6. Repetitive Diving Procedures (Tables 4A and 4B)

For no-decompression repetitive dives

Finding the minimum SI for a No-D dive

For repetitive dives requiring decompression

For Surface intervals less than 15 minutes

Repetitive Group adjustments

7. Multi-Level Diving

8. Depth Corrections for Diving at Altitude (Table 5)

Section 3 – General Procedures

1. Descent/Ascent Rates

2. Variations in Rate of Ascent

3. Oxygen Related Problems

4. Omitted Decompression

5. Violation of 7 Minute Surface Interval (SurD O₂)

6. Flying after Diving

7. Decompression Stress

Acknowledgements

References

Appendix A – DCIEM Air Diving Tables (Feet)

Table 1. Standard Air Decompression

Table 1S. Short Standard Air Decompression

Table 2. In-Water Oxygen Decompression

Table 2S. Short In-Water Oxygen Decompression

Table 3. Surface Decompression with Oxygen

Table 4. Repetitive Diving

A. Repetitive Factors/Surface Intervals Table

B. No-Decompression Repetitive Diving

Table 5. Depth Corrections for Diving at Altitude

Appendix B – DCIEM Air Diving Tables (Metres)

Table 1. Standard Air Decompression

Table 1S. Short Standard Air Decompression

Table 2. In-Water Oxygen Decompression

Table 2S. Short In-Water Oxygen Decompression

Table 3. Surface Decompression with Oxygen

Table 4. Repetitive Diving

A. Repetitive Factors/Surface Intervals Table

B. No-Decompression Repetitive Diving

Table 5. Depth Corrections for Diving at Altitude

Appendix C – Worksheets

Repetitive Diving Worksheet (Feet)

Repetitive Diving Worksheet (Metres)

Altitude Diving Worksheet (Feet)

Altitude Diving Worksheet (Metres)

Dive Chart (Feet)

Dive Chart (Metres)