Statistically the number of fatal accidents clearly shows a diminishing amount of cases, this could of course be attributed to improved training and education. It must, at this point be noted that there is a comparable difference between commercial and recreational divers. The recreational diver does not engage in any kind of diving utilising a diving bell or any saturation techniques, neither does he engage in dives requiring decompression sessions or expose himself to adverse weather that would cause less than favourable diving conditions.

The development of well-established guidelines and codes of practice by all professional diving organisations can only help in the choice of an appropriate diving site for an easy and safe dive which can be enjoyed by divers at all levels.

Statistics (collected over a long period of time) have proven that diving accidents and fatalities have fallen considerably:

- In 1976 there were 8.62 fatalities per 100,000 divers.
- In 1992 the fatalities dropped to approximately 3 per 100,000 divers.

Improved education and understanding has meant that scuba diving has become a safer sport than e.g. skiing, climbing or biking etc. RSTC members clearly support no decompression diving, with a maximum depth of 40 metres.

A declaration by the European Directive E.P.I. (Equipment de Protection Individuelle) 89/686-CEE, which is involved in common regulations for the producer of sports/diving equipment as well as for the dealers includes the following:

Class 0: For medical use only;
Class 1: Directive of minimal standard;
Class 2: Official test according to CEE standards;
Class 3: Periodical re-testing/reviewing of the equipment.

Importing any sort of equipment requires:

a) The testing in accordance to CEE/89/686;
b) The documentation of the test completed.