Product Overview

Summary: This specialised SOP sets out clear, practical steps for planning and conducting diving operations in low‑visibility or zero‑visibility conditions. It helps Australian organisations control the heightened risks associated with murky water, strong currents and entanglement hazards, while demonstrating compliance with WHS duties and diving regulations.

Diving in regions with limited visibility introduces a unique set of risks that go well beyond standard open-water operations. Murky water, silt, debris, vessel traffic and underwater structures can quickly turn routine tasks into high‑risk activities if not tightly controlled. This Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, step‑by‑step framework for planning, briefing, executing and reviewing dives where visibility is reduced, including inland waterways, ports, dams, stormwater systems and coastal environments affected by turbidity or low light.

Developed for Australian workplaces, this SOP supports businesses in meeting their WHS obligations by formalising how hazards such as disorientation, entrapment, separation, equipment failure and communication breakdowns are managed. It standardises how dive teams assess conditions, select equipment, establish tether and communication protocols, manage surface support, and respond to emergencies in low‑visibility scenarios. By implementing this procedure, organisations can lift safety performance, improve team confidence and competence, and provide clear, defensible evidence of due diligence to regulators, clients and insurers.

Key Benefits

• Enhance diver safety in high‑risk, low‑visibility environments through clear, repeatable work methods.
• Ensure compliance with Australian WHS legislation and commercial diving requirements when operating in challenging conditions.
• Reduce the likelihood of disorientation, lost divers, entanglement and uncontrolled ascents through robust planning and control measures.
• Standardise communication, tethering and search patterns to improve operational efficiency and team coordination.
• Strengthen incident preparedness with tailored emergency and recovery procedures for zero‑visibility situations.

Who is this for?

• Commercial Diving Supervisors
• Occupational Divers
• Scientific and Research Divers
• Public Safety and Emergency Service Divers
• Marine Construction Project Managers
• Ports and Harbour Operations Managers
• WHS Managers and Advisors
• Dive Contractors and Company Directors
• Aquaculture Operations Managers
• Environmental Consultancy Team Leaders

Hazards Addressed

• Disorientation and loss of situational awareness in turbid or dark water
• Diver separation from buddy, tender or umbilical
• Entanglement or entrapment in debris, nets, infrastructure or vegetation
• Impact with underwater structures, vessels, propellers or moving plant
• Inadequate or failed underwater communications in low‑visibility conditions
• Panic, stress and impaired decision‑making due to sensory deprivation
• Uncontrolled ascents or descents in confined or obstructed water columns
• Exposure to contaminated water and biological hazards not visible to divers
• Thermal stress and fatigue exacerbated by extended search or tactile work
• Failure to locate or recover a distressed diver promptly in zero visibility

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope – Diving in Limited Visibility Environments
• 2.0 Definitions and Abbreviations (including low‑visibility thresholds)
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Competency Requirements
• 4.0 Pre‑Dive Planning and Risk Assessment for Limited Visibility
• 5.0 Site Assessment: Environmental, Vessel Traffic and Contamination Risks
• 6.0 Equipment Requirements for Low‑Visibility Diving (tethers, lights, comms)
• 7.0 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Diving Dress Standards
• 8.0 Dive Team Configuration, Buddy Systems and Tender Arrangements
• 9.0 Communication Protocols and Line‑Pull Signals
• 10.0 Step‑by‑Step Diving Procedure in Limited Visibility Conditions
• 11.0 Search Patterns, Tactile Techniques and Work Methods in Zero Visibility
• 12.0 Control Measures for Entanglement, Entrapment and Confined Spaces
• 13.0 Surface Support, Standby Diver and Rescue Readiness
• 14.0 Emergency Procedures and Lost Diver Response in Low Visibility
• 15.0 Environmental and Contamination Management (including decontamination)
• 16.0 Fitness for Work, Fatigue Management and Psychological Considerations
• 17.0 Post‑Dive De‑briefing, Recording and Incident Reporting
• 18.0 Training, Induction and Competency Verification
• 19.0 Inspection, Maintenance and Pre‑Use Checks for Diving Equipment
• 20.0 Document Control, Review and Continuous Improvement

Legislation & References

• Model Work Health and Safety Regulations (Cth) – Part 4.8 Diving Work
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace (for underwater plant and structures)
• AS/NZS 2299.1: Occupational Diving Operations – Standard Operational Practice
• AS/NZS 2299.2: Occupational Diving Operations – Scientific Diving
• AS/NZS 2299.3: Occupational Diving Operations – Recreational Industry Diving and Snorkelling Operations
• AS/NZS 1715: Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment (for surface-supplied breathing systems interfaces)
• AS/NZS 4801: Occupational health and safety management systems (superseded but still commonly referenced in industry)
• Relevant State and Territory WHS Acts and Regulations relating to diving work (e.g. Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW), Part 4.8 Diving Work)