Product Overview

Summary: This Deep Sea Diving Practices Safe Operating Procedure sets out a clear, defensible framework for planning and conducting commercial dives at depth in Australian waters. It focuses on high-risk controls, emergency readiness and regulatory compliance so your diving operations protect workers, equipment and the marine environment while delivering reliable project outcomes.

Deep sea diving is one of the highest-risk activities undertaken in the marine and offshore sectors, involving complex equipment, extreme environments and very limited margins for error. This Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, step-by-step approach for planning, executing and closing out deep sea diving operations in line with Australian WHS expectations and recognised diving industry practices. It covers everything from dive planning and risk assessment through to decompression protocols, communication systems, emergency response and post-dive health monitoring.

By implementing this SOP, organisations can demonstrate that they have a robust and repeatable system in place for controlling the unique hazards of deep diving – including pressure-related injuries, entanglement, equipment failure and limited visibility. The procedure helps align dive teams, supervisors and vessel crews around a single, clear way of working, reducing confusion and inconsistency between jobs and contractors. It also supports businesses in meeting their duty of care, satisfying client and regulator expectations, and providing clear documentation to support audits, incident investigations and continuous improvement of diving safety performance.

Key Benefits

• Ensure deep sea diving activities are planned and executed in line with Australian WHS obligations and recognised diving practices.
• Reduce the likelihood and severity of incidents such as decompression illness, barotrauma and loss of diver control.
• Standardise dive planning, pre-dive checks and in-water practices across all teams and contractors.
• Strengthen emergency preparedness for lost diver, entrapment, equipment failure and medical emergencies at depth.
• Provide clear documentation to support training, inductions, audits and client or regulator verification of safe diving systems.

Who is this for?

• Commercial Divers
• Dive Supervisors
• Diving Contractors
• Offshore Construction Managers
• Marine Project Managers
• WHS Managers
• ROV and Dive Support Technicians
• Vessel Masters and Skippers
• HSE Advisors (Marine and Offshore)
• Port Authority Operations Managers

Hazards Addressed

• Decompression sickness (DCS) and decompression-related injuries
• Barotrauma to ears, sinuses and lungs due to pressure changes
• Nitrogen narcosis and oxygen toxicity at depth
• Loss of breathing gas supply or regulator malfunction
• Umbilical or line entanglement, snagging and tether failure
• Poor visibility and disorientation under water
• Thermal stress including hypothermia and cold shock
• Struck-by or crush injuries from vessels, ROVs or subsea structures
• Marine life hazards such as stings, bites and envenomation
• Manual handling and ergonomic strain from heavy diving gear
• Psychological stress and fatigue associated with confined, high-risk environments
• Communication failure between diver, surface and support vessels
• Emergency evacuation delays due to remote or offshore locations

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose, Scope and Application
• 2.0 Definitions and Regulatory Context
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Competency Requirements
• 4.0 Pre-Dive Planning and Risk Assessment
• 5.0 Medical Fitness, Dive Clearances and Fitness for Work
• 6.0 Equipment Requirements, Inspection and Maintenance
• 7.0 Vessel, Platform and Dive Site Preparation
• 8.0 Pre-Dive Briefing, Checklists and Communication Protocols
• 9.0 Deep Sea Diving Operational Procedures
• 10.0 Decompression Planning, Monitoring and Post-Dive Procedures
• 11.0 Emergency Response and Rescue Procedures
• 12.0 Environmental Conditions, Weather and Marine Hazard Controls
• 13.0 Incident Reporting, Investigation and Corrective Actions
• 14.0 Training, Induction and Competency Verification
• 15.0 Recordkeeping, Audit and Review of Diving Operations

Legislation & References

• Model Work Health and Safety Regulations (Australia) – Part 4.8 Diving Work
• Safe Work Australia – Guide to Managing Risks of Diving Work
• AS/NZS 2299.1: Occupational diving operations – Standard operational practice
• AS/NZS 1715: Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment
• AS/NZS 1716: Respiratory protective devices
• Marine Orders and relevant Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) requirements for commercial vessels and offshore operations
• Relevant State and Territory WHS Acts and Regulations (e.g. Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and associated regulations)