Product Overview

Summary: This Dive Site Risk Assessment Safe Operating Procedure provides a clear, step-by-step framework for assessing and controlling risks at Australian dive sites before anyone enters the water. It helps dive operations meet their WHS and duty-of-care obligations while protecting divers, crew, and clients from preventable incidents in dynamic and often remote marine environments.

Diving operations in Australia occur in some of the most diverse and challenging marine environments in the world, from coral reefs and offshore platforms to inland dams and harbours. Each site presents its own mix of environmental, equipment, and human-factor risks that must be assessed and controlled before a dive proceeds. This Dive Site Risk Assessment Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, repeatable process for identifying site-specific hazards, evaluating risk levels, and implementing control measures in line with Australian WHS expectations and industry best practice.

The SOP guides users through pre‑dive planning, on-site inspection, environmental and weather checks, vessel and access considerations, and diver competency and fitness review. It clearly sets out documentation requirements, communication protocols, and escalation triggers for when conditions become unsafe or change during the day. By standardising how dive site risks are assessed and recorded, this procedure helps businesses demonstrate due diligence, reduce the likelihood of incidents such as decompression illness, entrapment, or marine life injuries, and ensure that clients and staff can dive with confidence.

Whether you manage a recreational dive centre, a commercial diving operation, a marine research program, or a school or university dive program, this SOP supports consistent decision‑making about when to dive, how to dive, and when to call the dive off. It is designed to integrate with your existing dive plans, emergency plans, and equipment procedures, forming a key component of a comprehensive diving safety management system.

Key Benefits

• Ensure a consistent, defensible approach to dive site risk assessment across all locations and teams.
• Reduce the likelihood of dive-related incidents by systematically identifying and controlling site-specific hazards before entry.
• Demonstrate compliance with Australian WHS legislation and relevant diving standards and codes of practice.
• Improve communication and decision-making between dive supervisors, skippers, and divers regarding changing conditions and go/no-go decisions.
• Streamline documentation, record-keeping, and audit readiness for regulators, insurers, and internal safety reviews.

Who is this for?

• Dive Operations Managers
• Dive Supervisors
• Dive Instructors
• Dive Masters
• Commercial Diving Supervisors
• WHS Managers in Marine and Aquatic Operations
• Adventure Tourism Operators
• Marine Research Team Leaders
• Emergency Response Coordinators for Aquatic Activities
• Boat Skippers and Coxswains involved in diving operations

Hazards Addressed

• Strong currents, surge, tides, and unexpected changes in water movement
• Poor visibility and low light conditions affecting navigation and buddy contact
• Depth, overhead environments, entrapment and entanglement risks (wrecks, kelp, lines, nets, infrastructure)
• Boat traffic, propeller strike, and surface vessel interaction risks
• Hazardous marine life (stingers, venomous species, aggressive animals)
• Adverse weather, swell, and surface conditions impacting entry, exit, and recovery
• Thermoclines and cold water exposure leading to hypothermia or impaired performance
• Decompression illness and barotrauma risks due to site profile and planned dive profiles
• Slips, trips, and falls on vessels, jetties, rock platforms, or shore entries
• Equipment failure risks related to site characteristics (e.g. silt, entanglement, corrosion)
• Remote or isolated locations with limited emergency response capability
• Medical emergencies and fitness-to-dive issues among participants

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 References, Definitions and Abbreviations
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities (PCBU, Dive Supervisor, Skipper, Divers)
• 4.0 Pre‑Dive Planning and Information Gathering
• 5.0 Site Arrival and Initial Risk Assessment Checklist
• 6.0 Environmental and Weather Condition Assessment (tides, currents, visibility, temperature)
• 7.0 Access, Entry and Exit Risk Assessment (shore, vessel, jetty, platform)
• 8.0 Vessel, Plant and Equipment Considerations for the Dive Site
• 9.0 Diver Competency, Fitness and Briefing Requirements
• 10.0 Hazard Identification and Risk Rating Matrix for Dive Sites
• 11.0 Control Measures and Go/No‑Go Decision Criteria
• 12.0 Dynamic Risk Assessment During the Dive Day (changing conditions)
• 13.0 Communication Protocols and Surface Support Requirements
• 14.0 Integration with Dive Plans and Emergency Response Plans
• 15.0 Documentation, Record Keeping and Reporting Requirements
• 16.0 Training, Induction and Competency Requirements
• 17.0 Review, Audit and Continuous Improvement of Dive Site Risk Assessments
• Appendix A – Dive Site Risk Assessment Checklist and Forms
• Appendix B – Example Completed Dive Site Risk Assessment
• Appendix C – Emergency Contacts and Local Medical Facilities Template

Legislation & References

• Model Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) as implemented in relevant Australian jurisdictions
• Model Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth) – including provisions for remote and isolated work, plant, and high-risk work
• Safe Work Australia – Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice (for vessels and dive equipment used at sites)
• AS/NZS 2299.1: Occupational diving operations – Standard operational practice
• AS/NZS 4801: Occupational health and safety management systems (superseded but still commonly referenced in industry)
• ISO 24801 and ISO 24802 series – Recreational diving services (for alignment with training and supervision expectations)
• Relevant state and territory maritime safety regulations and marine park or protected area conditions of use