To reduce the risk of decompression sickness, what limits must divers adhere to?

To effectively reduce the risk of decompression sickness, divers must adhere to limits regarding depth and time. As a diver descends deeper into the water, the pressure increases, which affects the absorption of gases, particularly nitrogen, into the body. The deeper a diver goes, the more nitrogen is absorbed. By adhering to specific depth limits, divers can manage how much nitrogen is taken up.

In addition, the time spent at depth is crucial because the longer a diver remains at a certain depth, the more nitrogen accumulates in the body. When a diver ascends, it is essential to do so at a controlled rate and to follow safety stops, allowing time for the body to safely off-gas the nitrogen. This combination of monitoring both depth and dive time ensures that divers can minimize the risk of experiencing decompression sickness as they return to the surface.