Rebreather Education & Safety Association Rebreather Standards
CCR DIVER INTENT
The CCR Diver program provides divers with the knowledge and training necessary to independently plan and conduct unit specific no decompression closed-circuit rebreather (CCR) dives to a maximum depth of 30 meters, using a manufacturer-approved CCR unit with air as diluent utilizing CCR Diving procedures with a dive buddy diving on a rebreather or diving open circuit.
REQUIRED INSTRUCTOR RATING
An active status unit-specific CCR Instructor or higher may conduct the unit-specific CCR Diver program.
TEACHING RATIOS
The maximum number of students for CCR training is 3:1
The maximum number of students for no-decompression CCR training where one (1) student is making a crossover or doing a refresher is 4:1
STUDENT PREREQUISITES
Nitrox certification.
Have logged 20 open water dives.
Minimum age: 18 DURATION
Recommended hours for course completion: 40
Minimum number of days: 4
Minimum number of hours for Academics and Dry practicals: 8
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
The minimum required student and Instructor equipment for this program includes:
A complete CCR Unit that Is compliant with local laws, is approved by the training agency and is properly functioning, and has no non-manufacturer-approved modifications.
A single off-board bailout gas suitable for a safe return to the surface from the planned maximum depth including all safety and decompression stops in the event of an emergency
For Open water and lake environments with the exception of daylight cavern environments a Delayed Surface Marker Buoy (DSMB) and a spool/reel are appropriate for the planned dive depth.
A cutting device
Access to an appropriate gas analyzer
All skills must be demonstrated by the instructor on the specific unit being trained.
The minimum required student and instructor materials for this program includes:
Manufacturer‘s unit-specific user manual
Agency student training manual or online training course
Agency instructor manual (electronic instructor manuals meet this requirement)
Course liability release and assumption of risk (in accordance with local laws) 5
Training agency-approved medical document
Unit-specific checklist (units equipped with a built-in electronic checklist, meet this requirement)
Manufacturer’s sign-off sheet/course completion document
REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPLETION
Academics Students shall have sufficient understanding and knowledge in the following subject areas listed.
They should be capable of planning dives in the typical local conditions and environment and be able to plan for typical emergency situations.
1. Practical mechanics of a CCR Assembly and disassembly
Unit-Specific Checklist
Design and overview of the unit
Absorbent canister
Breathing loop
Manufacturer‘s supported add-ons: BOV, ADV, etc
2. Loop volume – minimum / optimum
3. Gas Physiology
Oxygen risks, Hypoxia, Hyperoxia
Carbon dioxide (CO2) toxicity, Hypercapnia
Nitrogen absorption
4. Proper scrubber filling; in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendation
Manufacturer‘s recommended scrubber medium
5. Electronic or Manual Systems Design and Maintenance
Oxygen (O2) metabolizing calculations
Oxygen Sensors, limitations, care, and replacement regime
System electronics functionality and calibration procedures
6. Dive Tables
Constant partial pressure of oxygen (PPO2) theory
Central nervous system (CNS) and Oxygen Tolerance Unit (OTU) tracking and awareness
7. Dive Computers
Mix adjustable
Constant PO2
Decompression conservatism / Gradient factor selection
Oxygen (O2) integrated 8. Dive Planning
Operational planning
Gas consumption
Scrubber duration
Gas requirements including bailout scenarios
8 Oxygen limitations
Nitrogen limitations
9. Emergency Procedures
Flooded loop
Cell warnings
Battery warnings
Electronic failures Skills
1. Pre-dive checks
Specific Unit Checklist
Unit build-up
Scrubber canister filling
Breathing loop check including mouthpiece one-way valves and positive and negative check
2. Verify diluent and oxygen (O2) cylinder contents using gas analyzers
3. Demonstrate correct pre-dive planning procedures including
Limits based on system performance
Limits based on oxygen exposures at chosen PO2 levels
Limits based on nitrogen absorption at planned depth and PO2 set point
Appropriate selection of decompression conservatism/gradient factors for the planned dive
Thermal constraints
4. Mouthpiece familiarity skills
5. Stop at 3-6 meters on descent for a leak bubble check
6. Counterlung & Over Pressure Valve adjustment, if applicable
7. Emergency procedures
Practical bailout skills
Gas shutdowns and loss of gas
Broken hoses
Flooded absorbent canister
Carbon dioxide (CO2) breakthrough
Low oxygen drills
High oxygen drills
Flooding loop
Electronics and battery failure
8. Practice transferring to open circuit bailout
9. Rescue skill session as outlined by the training agency
10. Use of a buoyancy control system
11. Electronics systems monitoring for PO2 levels (SETPOINT) and setpoint switching using manual and preprogrammed methods when available.
12. Manual PO2 control
13. Use and adjustment of Head Up Display(s) –
position/brightness/color
14. Use and adjustment of PO2/depth/time display(s) – position/brightness/color
15. Use of lift bag / DSMB and reel (where relevant and applicable)
16. Mask removal and replacement
17. Proper execution of the dive within all pre-determined dive limits
18. Demonstration of safety stops at pre-determined depths
19. Constant loop volume management
20. Cell validation checks with appropriate use of diluent and oxygen
21. Post-dive cleaning of the unit
Mouthpiece and hoses
Clean and disinfect unit
Inspect components of the unit
22. Diver maintenance of the unit
Cell removal and replacement
Mouthpiece care
Replacing or re-charging batteries
EXTRA REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPLETION
Demonstrate an adequate level of fitness by completing a minimum of a 50m surface diver tow with both the rescuer and the victim wearing a complete CCR diving system and bailout cylinder(s) applicable to their specific program.
Complete all academic sessions and unit-specific assessments as specified in the training material of the Training Agency and the Manufacturer.
Fulfill at least 7 training dives, with a minimum of one hour of confined water skill development, plus 6 core open water dives, each of which should take at least 30 minutes.
Complete at least a minimum of 420 minutes of total in-water time on the applicable CCR unit.
Be able to independently complete a full dive plan
Complete a final course exam as set out by the training agency and/or manufacturer with a required minimum pass rate of 80% with 100% remediation.
When the feature is available on a rebreather, download the student’s dive logs of all training dives and retain them for a minimum of five years.
If the feature is not available on a rebreather, download the dive logs from the student’s dive computer and retain them for a minimum of five years
Fill in and sign a course completion form confirming all academics and practical sessions have been completed Dive logs and student-signed course completion forms are to be submitted to the manufacturer of the specific unit on request
DEPTH LIMITATIONS
Open Water Training Dives shall be initially shallow, progressively increasing in depth.
Two (2) dives must be deeper than 20 meters for certification
All dives must be conducted at a depth shallower than 30 meters.
NOTES
All training dives must be planned within the no-decompression limits of the Combined Air/EAN Tables or the student’s personal dive computer or computer-generated decompression profiles.
Bailout cylinder gas is to be based on a maximum PPO2 of 1.6 at the maximum depth of the dive.
Divers should not carry an onboard diluent gas with a ppO2 higher than 1.1 bar at the bottom.
The maximum loop set point is 1.3 bar.
Diving in an overhead environment
This course shall not be conducted in an overhead environment
Subject to training agency approval certain dive sites can be deemed suitable for the CCR Diver course under the following conditions:
The student must remain in the daylight zone where there is no need for the use of a dive light and never be a distance of more than 132 linear feet / 40 linear meters from the surface
SEQUENCE Open Water Training
Dives 1 and 2 may only be conducted after completing the equipment configuration section, the surface diver tow, and all confined water sessions.
CERTIFICATION
The unit-specific CCR Diver certification entitles the holder to dive with a buddy, diving on a rebreather or diving open circuit, utilizing CCR diving procedures to make nondecompression dives to depths of up to 30 meters, providing that dives are conducted in environments similar to those of the diver’s training and experience.