Product Overview

Summary: This Underwater Photography and Videography SOP sets out safe, consistent methods for planning and conducting imaging work below the surface. It helps Australian organisations manage diving, marine and equipment risks while capturing high‑quality footage in line with WHS obligations and industry best practice.

Underwater photography and videography combines diving, electrical equipment, pressure systems and often remote or offshore conditions – a mix that can create serious safety and operational risks if not tightly controlled. This Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, WHS‑aligned approach to planning and executing underwater imaging work in Australian waters, whether in open ocean, inland waterways, aquariums or controlled training environments. It outlines clear expectations for dive planning, equipment selection, pre‑dive checks, communication protocols, and emergency response so that operators can focus on capturing the required footage without compromising safety.

The SOP is designed for organisations that rely on underwater imagery for research, inspection, media, tourism or compliance documentation. It helps you manage hazards such as entanglement, limited visibility, decompression illness, battery and lighting failures, and vessel interaction, while also addressing practical issues like data management, chain of custody for footage and client deliverables. By standardising how underwater photography and videography is performed, your business can demonstrate due diligence under Australian WHS law, reduce variability between operators, support competency‑based training, and protect both people and equipment in challenging marine environments.

Key Benefits

• Ensure underwater imaging operations are conducted in line with Australian WHS legislation and recognised diving standards.
• Reduce the likelihood of diving incidents, equipment failures and near misses during photography and videography tasks.
• Standardise planning, briefing, shot execution and post‑dive processes across teams and projects.
• Improve the quality, consistency and evidentiary value of underwater footage collected for research, inspection or media purposes.
• Support efficient induction and competency assessment of new underwater photographers and videographers.

Who is this for?

• Commercial Divers
• Scientific Divers
• Underwater Photographers
• Underwater Videographers
• Marine Ecologists and Field Technicians
• Dive Supervisors
• WHS Managers
• Marine Project Managers
• Film and Media Production Managers
• Aquarium and Marine Park Operations Managers
• Defence and Police Dive Team Leaders
• Environmental Consultants conducting marine surveys

Hazards Addressed

• Drowning and near‑drowning incidents during diving activities
• Decompression illness (DCI) and barotrauma from unsafe dive profiles
• Entanglement or entrapment in lines, kelp, wreckage or camera rigs
• Equipment failure of underwater housings, regulators, buoyancy devices and lighting systems
• Electric shock or thermal runaway from underwater lighting and lithium‑ion batteries
• Poor visibility and disorientation leading to separation from buddy or surface support
• Boat strike and propeller contact during vessel‑based operations
• Cold stress, hypothermia and heat stress in Australian marine environments
• Marine fauna hazards including stings, bites and defensive behaviour
• Manual handling injuries from lifting and transporting heavy camera and dive equipment
• Slips, trips and falls on wet decks, jetties and dive platforms
• Hearing damage from vessel engines and underwater acoustic equipment
• Psychological stress and fatigue from extended or repetitive dives and demanding shot lists

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Terminology
• 3.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Codes of Practice
• 4.0 Roles and Responsibilities (Dive Supervisor, Camera Operator, Safety Diver, Vessel Master)
• 5.0 Competency, Licensing and Training Requirements
• 6.0 Planning and Risk Assessment for Underwater Imaging Projects
• 7.0 Environmental and Site Assessment (Weather, Tides, Visibility, Marine Life)
• 8.0 Equipment Requirements (Cameras, Housings, Lighting, Dive Gear, Communications)
• 9.0 Pre‑Dive Checks and Camera System Setup
• 10.0 Battery Management and Electrical Safety for Underwater Equipment
• 11.0 Vessel Operations, Entry and Exit Procedures
• 12.0 Underwater Operating Procedures for Photography and Videography
• 13.0 Communication Protocols (Hand Signals, Lines, Electronic Systems)
• 14.0 Buoyancy Control and Positioning Around Sensitive Environments
• 15.0 Data Management, Labelling and Chain of Custody for Footage
• 16.0 Hazard Identification and Control Measures
• 17.0 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Dive Equipment Requirements
• 18.0 Emergency Procedures (Lost Diver, Equipment Failure, DCI, Marine Fauna Incident)
• 19.0 Incident Reporting and Corrective Actions
• 20.0 Equipment Cleaning, Maintenance and Storage
• 21.0 Review, Audit and Continuous Improvement of the SOP

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS legislation
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth) – Part 4.8 Diving work
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Risks of Plant in the Workplace
• AS/NZS 2299.1:2015 Occupational diving operations – Standard operational practice
• AS/NZS 1715:2009 Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment
• AS/NZS 4801:2001 Occupational health and safety management systems
• Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Act 2012 and associated Marine Orders for vessel‑based operations
• Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS) guidelines for safe film and television production (as applicable to underwater work)