Diving Medicals

Recreational and Occupational Diving

Scuba diving can involve an element of risk and some medical conditions can increase the level of risk whilst underwater.

Under the Australian Standards, there are strict medical requirements which must be adhered to ensure personal safety.

Occupational dive medicals have an expiry date, and must be dated less than 12 months prior to diving.

The purpose of a the dive medical is to assess the medical risks of diving and communicate these risks to the diver, and or their legal guardian, and the diving organisation that will have responsibility for them.

This includes the assessment of general risks relating to breathing in high pressure environment and specific risks relating to the health of each individual.

The medical risk assessment should only be conducted by a medical practitioner who has successfully competed a post graduate course approved by the South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society Incorporated (SPUMS).

What is involved in a Dive Medical?

SPUMS does not recommend diving for children under the age of 14 years. Any medical risk assessment of children under the age of 16 should include parents or guardians.

From the Age of 45 years, all divers should have regular assessments at no longer than 5 yearly intervals, with emphasis on evaluation of cardiovascular fitness and pulmonary reserves.

Overview of fitness criteria:

• General fitness
• Weight
• Vision
• Ear, nose and throat
• Dental
• Central Nervous system
• Mental health disorders
• Cardiovascular system
• Respiratory system
• Gastro-intestinal tract
• Musculoskeletal
• Pregnancy
• Diabetes mellitus

Company Medical Services has been conducting both recreational and occupational dive medicals for years and have experience of all ages.

Our doctors are SPUMS accredited.

We recognise that your time is important, so for efficiency and scale, we can perform onsite medicals if numbers permit.