How long should a safety stop be performed on every dive?

A safety stop is a crucial practice in diving aimed at reducing the risk of decompression sickness as divers ascend from deeper depths. The duration of the safety stop typically recommended is 3 to 5 minutes. This allows sufficient time for the body to off-gas nitrogen that has been absorbed during the dive.

During this time, divers usually ascend to a depth of about 15 to 5 meters (50 to 15 feet) and remain there for the specified duration. This practice helps provide a margin of safety by allowing any excess nitrogen in the body to safely come out of solution. Although shorter stops can still provide some benefits, adhering to the 3 to 5-minute recommendation maximizes the effectiveness of this precaution.

While other durations are mentioned, the 3 to 5-minute mark strikes a balance between being thorough in safety without unnecessarily extending the dive beyond limits, especially after a normal recreational dive.