DISINFECTION OF DIVING EQUIPMENT

DEAR DIVERS

 

Due to the pandemic emergency, you will spend the next few days at home with your families.
In these difficult moments we should remember to protect ourselves and our diving equipment.

In upcoming days we will not be able to enjoy our regular diving activities. If you have used your diving equipment recently, it is imperative that you subject it to proper disinfection.

This applies particularly to:

  • II nd stage regulators,
  • masks,
  • snorkels,
  • inflators,
  • SMB inflation outlets

All the above elements can be disinfected in a very simple way.

DISINFECTION

  1. Diving equipment should be immersed in ethyl alcohol (this may be rectified spirit) for 30 minutes. The alcohol may be diluted with boiled water (in room temperature) and/or hydrogen peroxide. It is recommended that the solution keeps minimum of 60% pure alcohol. Attention! Do notuse ultrasonic cleaners for this disinfection. The alcohol can rinse out lubricants from important elements of the 2nd stage regulators.
  2. We would like to encourage you to prepare a homemade disinfectant recommended by the WHO (link). This liquid can be used for everyday use.The recipe for this disinfectant is as follows: – 100ml ethyl alcohol (spirit), – 15ml of hydrogen peroxide, – 5ml of glycerine or aloe vera gel, – 50ml of boiled water (in room temperature).

PRECAUTIONS

We all hope that the situation will improve quickly and allow us to go diving again – at least in local waters.
If it will be the case, we encourage you to temporarily modify the procedures which involve any contact with the saliva of other people.

  • During the buddy-checks, present the equipment functioning at distance
    (the partner observes but does not check the regulator by taking any test breaths).
  • Do not rent/borrow a diving mask without prior disinfection.
  • Resign from “out of gas” situation exercises.
  • In a real “out of gas” situation follow the normal safety procedures. After the safe ascent, pay attention to the equipment used by the receiver, do not reuse it and subject it to full disinfection as soon as possible.

We hope that the coronavirus pandemic will be stopped shortly.
Looking forward to meet you soon at our favourite diving spots!

The author of the text is Wojtek A. Filip