How can divers minimize their risk of decompression sickness?

Prepare for the SSI Decompression Diving Test with challenging multiple choice questions, detailed explanations, and in-depth study materials. Boost your chances of success!

Divers can minimize their risk of decompression sickness by adhering to their training and the capabilities of their equipment. This includes following established dive tables or dive computer guidelines, which take into account factors such as depth, time spent at depth, and ascent rates. By diving within these limits, divers ensure they remain within the safe operating boundaries that are designed to mitigate the risk of decompression sickness, which can occur when nitrogen absorbed in the body during the dive forms bubbles if a diver ascends too quickly.

The other options, while they may seem plausible, do not address the comprehensive approach necessary for ensuring safe diving practices. For instance, using enriched air (option B) can be beneficial in some scenarios, but it is not a universal solution to prevent decompression sickness, particularly if divers do not understand how to use it properly or exceed the limits associated with its use. Limiting dives to below 40 feet (option C) may offer a perception of safety, but depth alone does not guarantee safety without considering time, ascent rates, and dive profiles. Diving alone (option D) significantly increases risk because it eliminates the critical support and emergency assistance that a buddy system provides, which is essential in case of physical issues or emergency decompression procedures.

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