PADI Age requirement for Nitrox

[RockRover]

I could have sworn that the minimum age requirement from PADI for enriched air was 15...Now I'm seeing on their site it's 12. When did this happen? My fam is heading to Provo for 18 days of diving. If my daughter (13yo, AOW/Rescue) can get the cert there all the better. It's just that EVERY outfit there has a min age requirement of 15....Hmmmmm.

--D

 

[Hawkwood]

Minimum age is 12, your daughter can take the course. The happened in 2011 - late I think. Twelve is in the Standards now.

 

[Crowley]

It was 15 until the standards update in the final quarter or 2011 - minimum age is, indeed, now 12 years of age. The slightly more complicated mathematics were removed in 2010.

Shops are able to implement their own standards, or, potentially, some local regulation may supersede the PADI minimum requirements, which is why some shops may still restrict it to ages 15+. It's entirely possible, however, that they simply haven't read their standards updates, in which case, I would look for a shop that has!

For the record, I have no problem with the reduction in the age limit.

Cheers

C.

 

[davetowz]

As long as the student can grab onto the why and how of diving Nitrox... i am glad to see the reduction. My 12 Y/O daughter is even more happy to see the change with the new Instructor Manual.

 

[RockRover]

Very nice! Last night, before my Rescue class session, I had a long discussion with my instructor...Several instructor candidates were in the room as well. I brought up the new standard, and the instructor was adamant that the standard was still 15. I then offered a "small wager" to those in the room who were vocally in disagreement (insert sound track "For a few dollars more" here!). The instructor disappeared for a few moments and came back with his 'official' on-line instructor print-out that indeed still showed 15. He wouldn't bend! He stated HIS liability starts and stops with the instructor manual AND the requirements associcated with that section of PADI. I get it. Sounds like the PADI policy group and thier web-masters need to coordinate a little better?

 

[Hawkwood]

If the instructor is that out of touch with changing standards, I'd go somewhere else. Like any "profession", it is up to the individual to keep up with changes in his/her "profession".

Tell them to look at Page 25, Key Standards, 2012 Instructor Manual. Enriched Air Diver - Min Age 12. It is actually very easy to do (sarcasm very much intended).

Sorry, the ability for this instructor to be aware of current information is easy. Between quarterly training bulletins and the Instructor Manual - all of which are available to him/her at no cost, the instructor has no excuse not to find out the minimum age. It is their responsibility. It leads one to wonder what other changes this instructor is not aware of.

"Sounds like the PADI policy group and thier web-masters need to coordinate a little better?" Nope, the information is there.

"He stated HIS liability starts and stops with the instructor manual AND the requirements associcated with that section of PADI." The minimum age requirement of 12 years is in the Instructor Manual!

Bill

 

[CuracaoJ]

Yeah, I just, I mean days ago, received my Specialty Instructor Manual direct from PADI. It states in there that the minimum age is 15. However, if I look at the copyright it is from 2010, and indeed if I look in my 2012 instructor manual the age is 12. I just had this same problem assisting with a Nitrox class a couple of weeks ago due to the changing standards for the number of required dives (or even if any). Three different manuals had three different answers. However, all it took was a 2 minute call to PADI to get the updated information, something anyone should be able to do. It would indeed be nice if there was an updated Key Standards page on the web to avoid these problems.

 

[Hawkwood]

Yeah, I just, I mean days ago, received my Specialty Instructor Manual direct from PADI. It states in there that the minimum age is 15. However, if I look at the copyright it is from 2010, and indeed if I look in my 2012 instructor manual the age is 12. I just had this same problem assisting with a Nitrox class a couple of weeks ago due to the changing standards for the number of required dives (or even if any). Three different manuals had three different answers. However, all it took was a 2 minute call to PADI to get the updated information, something anyone should be able to do. It would indeed be nice if there was an updated Key Standards page on the web to avoid these problems.

There is, it's in the 2012 Instructor Manual, which is on the web. The age information was there. Have you had a look at the accompanying document to see all the changes from 2011. They make it so easy.

I do agree, it would be nice if the Key Standards could be updated immediately upon changes and available just as those few pages.

 

[CuracaoJ]

Indeed, I agree, as I mentioned I found it in the 2012. You can also call for clarification, which is easy. I agree there is no reason for a professional instructor to not know what the current standards are. I was just thinking of something a little more simple/fast like a Key Standards page that is updated constantly (with the quarterlies as well -- or as often as they happen). It would just be nice to have it in one place that was the "ultimate authority." As I mentioned I have a 2012 Specialty Instructor Manual (which is apparently not updated) and a 2012 Instructor Manual and they disagree with each other.

 

[Peter Guy]

I agree there is no reason for a professional instructor to not know what the current standards are.

I disagree just a bit here for I would not be at all upset to find an instructor who didn't know the most current standard of "X" within PADI -- especially when it is a recent change.

OTOH, EVERY instructor needs to be open to idea that a standard MIGHT have changed and if there is any question, the solution is to "Look In The Book" -- which in this case is the 2012 IM.