The buddy check is a procedure carried out by scuba divers using the buddy system where each dive buddy checks that the other's diving equipment is configured and functioning correctly just before the start of the dive. A study of pre-dive equipment checks done by individual divers showed that divers often fail to recognize common equipment faults. By checking each other's equipment as well as their own, it is thought to be more likely that these faults will be identified prior to the start of the dive. The correct use of a well designed written checklist is known to be more reliable, and is more likely to be used by professional divers, where it may be required by occupational health and safety legislation, and by technical divers, where the equipment checks are more complex. The wide variety of types of buoyancy compensator, diving suits and types of scuba equipment means that it is important for each buddy to understand the other's equipment configuration in case one has to help or rescue the other. The buddy check is a last minute opportunity to become familiar with the dive buddy's equipment. Since many buddy pairings are arbitrarily assigned by the diveing service provider just before the dive, this may be the only time the buddy pair get to familiarise themselves with each other's equipment. Other systems are used by technical team divers and professional divers with the similar goal of ensuring that the divers are ready to safely enter the water. Professional divers may be required by organizational policy to use an itemised checklist.

Purpose

The basic buddy check is a pre-dive equipment check intended to reduce the risk of the diver entering the water with life-support equipment which has not been checked to be functioning correctly. The extended buddy checks include dive planning information sharing to improve the ability of the divers to co-operate usefully both during the planned dive and in case of a contingency, and may include a review of the current conditions and a basic risk assessment. Checklists have been shown to be highly effective at reducing operator error in several fields where the correct completion of a series of tasks is of critical importance.

Effectiveness

Although generally not a written checklist, a simple buddy check can be effective in avoiding major problems due to failure to prepare critical equipment correctly. Effectiveness can vary depending on the completeness of the checks, and the attention given, and can be reduced by distractions, interruptions, and time pressure.

Procedures

There are several formats of buddy check, but almost all cover these four aspects: Buddy checks may be extended to include aspects of dive planning, to ensure that the divers are agreed on the intended activity and contingency plans. When larger groups and more complex dive plans are involved this would be considered part of the dive briefing. To be effective, all safety critical items must be checked, and shown to be functional within specification, and preferably all items that could cause a premature termination of the dive if not set up correctly should be verified to be correct. This requires some attention by the diver to ensure that all the checks are done, particularly if the sequence is interrupted to make corrections.

Breathing apparatus checks

For rebreathers the list is longer and may include:

Buoyancy and weighting equipment checks

Harness security and release function checks

Presence and condition of required equipment

Mnemonics

There are several mnemonics for the buddy check taught by the various training agencies. All have the intended function of ensuring that the pre-dive checks are done effectively. The equipment and procedures used by recreational divers tends to be much the same between agencies, but the mnemonics vary considerably, even in the number of groups listed, and the scope of the checks. No data on the relative effectiveness of these mnemonics has been published, and well designed written checklists have been shown experimentally to be consistently more reliable.

BWRAF

The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) use the formula BWRAF to represent the following checks: PADI teach the mnemonic Begin With Review And Friend, but many divers have their own.

BAR

BAR is another acronym for the parts of a buddy check, used by the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC):

SEABAG

The National Association of Underwater Instructors uses the acronym SEABAG to address all pre-dive preparations: The first part relates to dive and contingency planning, and the second part to the equipment checks

DIR equipment checks

The equipment check is the DIR diving equivalent of a buddy check procedure. Before the dive, all members of the diving team in turn examine and announce to other team members the presence, configuration, functionality, place and form attachment of each item of their standardized diving equipment. The complete dive plan review uses the mnemonic SADDDD: In 2006, SADDDD was replaced within the Global Underwater Explorers organisation with GUE EDGE which stands for: