The Recreational Diving, Recreational Technical Diving and Snorkelling Code of Practice 2024 is the practical starting point for Queensland businesses providing these activities. It commenced on 1 August 2024 and covers risk management, supervision, rescue, equipment, medical fitness and activity-specific controls.
For builders, subcontractors and tradies, the first step is to distinguish a recreational customer activity from occupational underwater inspection, repair or construction. The work description, who is participating and why the activity is being performed can affect which requirements and documents apply.
What are the main hazards?
Recreational diving and snorkelling combine changing environmental conditions with medical, equipment and human-factor risks. Key hazards include:
- drowning, separation from the group or a missing participant
- poor medical fitness, fatigue, panic and limited swimming ability
- decompression illness, barotrauma and gas-management failures
- strong currents, waves, poor visibility, weather changes and remote locations
- moving vessels, propellers and ineffective separation of boating activities
- unsuitable, damaged or poorly fitted equipment
- marine stingers and other marine animals
- difficult entry and exit points, slips and handling heavy equipment
- language barriers, misunderstood instructions and inadequate supervision.
The Code identifies poor medical fitness, inexperience, inadequate skills, panic and decompression illness as key recreational diving risk factors. Snorkellers can also be vulnerable because of cardiac or other medical conditions, limited experience and breath-holding blackout.
What should be sorted before the activity starts?
Planning should be specific to the people, site, conditions and type of diving or snorkelling. Before anyone enters the water, the operator should have:
- assessed participant experience, confidence, fitness and relevant medical information
- confirmed qualifications and capability for the proposed activity
- checked forecasts, currents, visibility, access, vessel movement and emergency-service availability
- appointed competent supervisors, lookouts, guides, rescuers and first aid personnel
- allocated responsibilities so every worker understands their role
- checked diving, snorkelling, rescue, communication, first aid and oxygen equipment
- briefed participants in language and terms they can understand
- established reliable counts for people leaving and returning to a vessel
- set clear triggers for modifying, postponing or cancelling the activity.
The environmental assessment should be confirmed against actual conditions and monitored while the activity continues. If conditions, participant behaviour or available controls change, the plan should change too.
What do good controls and documents usually cover?
Useful operational documents normally include a general activity risk assessment, environmental site assessment, participant assessment process, dive or snorkel procedures, equipment checks, dive plans, safety logs and an emergency plan.
The emergency plan should address rescue, first aid, evacuation, missing people and unresolved headcounts. It should identify communication methods, emergency contacts, rescue equipment, oxygen arrangements, access points and how an unconscious person will be recovered from the water.
At least one lookout is required while people are diving or snorkelling. The lookout needs a position that provides proper visibility, must focus on lookout duties and must be able to recognise difficulty and initiate or direct rescue and first aid. The number and location of supervisory personnel should reflect the site, group size, conditions, participant capability and available equipment.
Technical diving needs added controls. These can include suitable technical-diving supervision, verified breathing-gas analysis, recorded gas information, rebreather checks, dive plans, calculated gas requirements and redundant gas.
When does a SWMS or another site-specific document apply?
For a normal recreational diving or snorkelling operation, the main working documents are usually the activity procedures, risk assessments, dive plans, logs and emergency arrangements described above.
Ask whether a SWMS is also needed when the work package includes construction activity, particularly underwater inspection, alteration, repair or installation. Confirm the classification against the actual task, project and jurisdiction before work starts. Occupational diving may require a different regulatory pathway and should not automatically be treated as recreational diving because similar equipment is used.
Site documents should match the real location and operation. A generic form that does not address currents, visibility, participant capability, rescue time, vessel traffic or available personnel is a warning sign.
Practical warning signs
Pause and reassess if:
- headcounts or participant records do not agree
- weather, current or visibility differs from the plan
- the lookout has other duties or cannot see the activity area
- a participant appears unwell, anxious, exhausted or unable to follow instructions
- oxygen, rescue or communication equipment is unavailable or unchecked
- responsibilities between the operator, vessel crew and contractor are unclear
- commercial pressure is influencing a decision to continue.
How Blue Safe can help
Blue Safe provides compliant WHS documents tailored to the client's activities, applicable Australian WHS/OHS requirements, jurisdiction and industry. This can include risk assessments, procedures, emergency plans, SWMS where applicable, checklists and supporting records aligned with the actual operation.
Blue Safe guarantees the document compliance of the WHS documents it provides, including eligible customer documents after Blue Safe has reviewed and upgraded them. Customers actively put the compliant documents into practice through controls, consultation, training, actions, records and evidence.
Official sources
- Workplace Health and Safety Queensland - Recreational Diving, Recreational Technical Diving and Snorkelling Code of Practice 2024
- Queensland Work Health and Safety Act 2011
- Queensland Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011
Information current: 14 August 2026. Local requirements vary, so check current regulator material for the jurisdiction and activity. National Model Codes, where relevant, provide general orientation and are not automatically applicable law in every jurisdiction.