What is the recommended practice regarding safety stops after dives?

Safety stops are an essential practice in diving to help prevent decompression sickness as divers ascend to the surface. The best practice is to include a safety stop for all dives, regardless of depth or other conditions. This stop usually occurs at a depth of around 15 to 20 feet for a duration of 3 to 5 minutes after completing the ascent from a dive.

For deeper dives, the necessity of safety stops is even more pronounced due to residual nitrogen in the body from increased pressure. However, the recommendation to perform safety stops for all dives serves to instill good diving habits, making it a regular part of dive protocols. This consistency helps divers manage their ascent rates and understand the importance of allowing their bodies time to off-gas nitrogen safely.

The other options either limit the application of safety stops to specific scenarios or suggest that safety stops can be skipped based on time considerations. This overlooks the critical role that safety stops play in enhancing diver safety on every dive.