Product Overview

Summary: This Ice Diving Safety Measures SOP sets out a rigorous, step-by-step framework for planning and conducting ice dives safely in Australian and polar expedition contexts. It helps organisations control extreme cold-water hazards, manage emergency response under ice, and demonstrate due diligence under WHS legislation when operating in remote or specialised diving environments.

Ice diving presents a unique combination of hazards: overhead ice cover, extreme cold, restricted access to the surface, complex emergency response, and frequently remote locations. This Ice Diving Safety Measures Safe Operating Procedure provides a comprehensive, structured approach to managing these risks before, during and after every dive. It translates specialist diving and WHS requirements into clear, practical instructions that can be applied consistently by dive teams, supervisors and support personnel working in or from Australia.

The SOP covers the full lifecycle of an ice diving operation, from site selection, ice assessment and hole cutting, through to diver briefing, tethering systems, communications, emergency extraction, and post-dive health monitoring. It addresses common failure points such as inadequate pre-dive checks, poor line management, cold-related impairment, and unclear rescue roles. By implementing this procedure, organisations can standardise how ice dives are planned and controlled, reduce the likelihood of serious incidents such as entrapment or hypothermia, and provide documented evidence of safe systems of work aligned with Australian WHS duties of care. This is particularly valuable for commercial, scientific and educational programs needing robust, auditable documentation for regulators, clients and insurers.

Key Benefits

• Ensure a consistent, best-practice approach to planning and conducting ice dives across all teams and locations.
• Reduce the risk of diver entrapment, hypothermia, equipment failure and other critical incidents under ice.
• Demonstrate compliance with Australian WHS legislation and recognised diving safety standards for high-risk activities.
• Strengthen team readiness through clear role definitions, communication protocols and emergency response procedures.
• Support training, inductions and competency assessments for divers, supervisors and surface support personnel.

Who is this for?

• Diving Safety Officers
• Commercial Dive Supervisors
• Scientific Divers and Expedition Leaders
• Outdoor and Adventure Activity Coordinators
• WHS Managers and Advisors
• Emergency Response Team Leaders
• Remote and Wilderness Program Managers
• Defence and Police Dive Team Coordinators
• University and Research Station Managers
• Tour and Adventure Tourism Operators (cold-water and alpine environments)

Hazards Addressed

• Entrapment beneath ice due to lost or fouled tether lines
• Restricted or blocked access to the surface and exit holes
• Hypothermia and cold stress in divers and surface crew
• Cold shock response and impaired decision-making in frigid water
• Regulator and equipment freeze-up or malfunction in low temperatures
• Reduced visibility and disorientation under ice
• Slips, trips and falls on icy or snow-covered surfaces around the dive site
• Drowning due to equipment failure, entanglement or panic
• Carbon monoxide poisoning or fume exposure from generators and vehicles near the ice hole
• Manual handling and musculoskeletal injuries when moving heavy dive gear and ice-cutting equipment
• Ice instability, cracking or collapse around the dive entry/exit area
• Communication failures between divers and surface support
• Delayed emergency response due to remote or isolated locations

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Terminology (Ice Diving Context)
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Competency Requirements
• 4.0 Pre-Dive Planning and Risk Assessment
• 5.0 Site Selection, Ice Assessment and Environmental Considerations
• 6.0 Equipment Requirements and Pre-use Checks (Diving and Surface Support)
• 7.0 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Thermal Protection
• 8.0 Ice Hole Cutting, Marking and Securing Procedures
• 9.0 Diver Line-Tending, Tethering and Communication Systems
• 10.0 Step-by-Step Ice Diving Operational Procedure
• 11.0 Environmental and Weather Monitoring During Operations
• 12.0 Fatigue, Cold Stress and Health Monitoring of Personnel
• 13.0 Emergency Response, Rescue and Evacuation Procedures
• 14.0 First Aid, Hypothermia Management and Post-Rescue Care
• 15.0 Equipment Decontamination, Maintenance and Storage After Dives
• 16.0 Incident Reporting, Investigation and Corrective Actions
• 17.0 Training, Induction and Competency Verification
• 18.0 Document Control, Review and Continuous Improvement

Legislation & References

• Model Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations (as implemented in relevant Australian jurisdictions)
• AS/NZS 2299.1: Occupational diving operations – Standard operational practice
• AS/NZS 1715: Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment (relevant to surface support using breathing apparatus in confined or fume-affected areas)
• AS/NZS 1891 series: Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices (for work on ice edges and platforms)
• Safe Work Australia – Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice
• Safe Work Australia – Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace Code of Practice (for fuel, lubricants and gas cylinders used on site)
• Safe Work Australia – First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice
• Australian Antarctic Division and scientific diving guidelines (as applicable to research and expedition operations)