Overview
EN ISO 24801-1:2014 (ISO 24801-1:2014) - “Recreational diving services - Requirements for the training of recreational scuba divers - Part 1: Level 1 - Supervised diver” defines the minimum competencies, evaluation criteria and training conditions required for a Supervised diver qualification. Published by CEN as a European adoption of the ISO text, the standard applies to training and evaluation in recreational scuba diving and complements the general service requirements in ISO 24803.
Key Topics
The standard focuses on clear, assessable requirements rather than prescribing a fixed course program. Core technical topics include:
- Competencies and evaluation: Defined outcomes a trainee must achieve to be awarded Level 1 (Supervised diver) and objective criteria for assessment.
- Training conditions: Organizational and instructional conditions required in addition to ISO 24803 service provisions.
- Prerequisites: Entry conditions such as age considerations, health screening and requirements for minors.
- Required theoretical knowledge:
- Diving equipment and safe use
- Basic physics of diving relevant to safety
- Medical problems related to diving and basic first aid awareness
- Diving environment characteristics and hazards
- Separation procedures and buddy/supervision protocols
- Use of breathing gases (air and mixtures with ≥20% oxygen)
- Required scuba skills:
- Confined-water (pool) skills for basic control, equipment handling and problem management
- Open-water skills demonstrating competence under natural conditions
- Practical training parameters and assessment: Minimum instructional structure, skills practice, and methods for evaluating both knowledge and practical abilities.
- Training organization requirements: Responsibilities for implementation, quality management and instructor qualifications (linked to ISO 24802 series).
Applications
EN ISO 24801-1:2014 is intended for:
- Training organizations and dive schools designing Level 1 (Supervised diver) courses
- Scuba instructors assessing and certifying beginner divers
- Dive operators verifying competence of supervised divers for guided dives
- Regulators and accreditation bodies comparing or benchmarking qualifications across programs
It is particularly useful when establishing consistent safety and competency baselines for entry-level recreational divers.
Related Standards
EN ISO 24801-1:2014 provides a practical, standardized foundation for safe, consistent entry-level scuba diver training and certification.
