Tuna Farm Diving Code of Practice Guide

Tuna farm diving is specialist occupational diving, not ordinary farm maintenance performed underwater. Every dive should be treated as a controlled work operation with competent personnel, a written dive plan, suitable breathing equipment, reliable communications and a workable rescue response.

The South Australian Code applies to compressed-air underwater operations associated with the state's tuna farming industry. It covers surface-supplied breathing apparatus and restricted SCUBA operations. Work outside South Australia may be governed by different WHS or OHS requirements, regulator guidance and diving standards.

Main tuna farm diving hazards

The work combines diving risks with moving vessels, nets, lines, cages, lifting operations and changing sea conditions. Key hazards include:

entanglement or entrapment in loose netting, ropes, hoses and farm infrastructure
loss, contamination or interruption of breathing air
decompression illness, barotrauma and uncontrolled ascent
poor visibility, currents, tides, cold water and rough surface conditions
vessel movement, propellers, anchors and other marine traffic
tools, lifting equipment and loads operating near the diver
fatigue, hard physical work and reduced fitness to dive
delayed recovery, first aid, oxygen treatment or access to a compression chamber.

SCUBA has particular limitations around tuna nets. The Code says it is unsuitable for most tuna farm tasks because of entrapment risk. Where SCUBA is used, the task should allow direct surface access, avoid significant entanglement risk, remain within the Code's restrictions and be supported by an appropriate dive team.

What should be sorted before work starts?

Start with the actual job and site, not a generic dive description. Confirm the task, maximum depth, expected bottom time, sea and weather conditions, tides, currents, visibility, water temperature, seabed, shipping movements and underwater obstructions.

The dive supervisor should verify that the selected breathing system suits the work, equipment and conditions. Surface-supplied diving needs dependable primary and secondary air arrangements, a lifeline and an agreed signal or voice communication system. Air intakes must also be positioned away from engine exhaust, dust, fumes and other contaminants.

Before authorising entry, confirm:

the supervisor, diver, attendant, standby diver and any additional personnel understand their roles
divers are trained, experienced, medically fit and fit for that day's work
plant, hoses, air systems, communications and recovery equipment have passed pre-dive checks
vessel movements, lifting work and nearby contractors are coordinated
emergency oxygen, first aid, communications and diver recovery arrangements are ready
chamber support or transport to an available chamber matches the planned dive exposure and location.

Stop and reassess if conditions differ from the plan.

What good controls and documents usually cover

A useful diving operations manual establishes the organisation's standard system for planning, equipment, personnel, communications, decompression procedures, records and emergencies. The written dive plan then applies that system to the particular operation.

Together, the documents should clearly address responsibilities, depth and time limits, air supply, entry and recovery, lifelines, tools, vessel interfaces, changing weather, emergency communications, first aid, medical assistance and recompression arrangements. Dive logs, equipment checks, maintenance records, medical fitness records, inductions and pre-start records provide evidence that the system is being used.

Controls should remain active during the dive. The supervisor needs a reliable dive control position, current information about the diver and authority to delay or abort the operation when conditions become unsafe.

When might a SWMS be needed?

A dive plan and diving operations manual are the central diving documents. Treat the SWMS question as a separate pre-start item whenever the scope is being delivered within a construction project or the client or principal contractor identifies the task as construction work.

Do not assume every tuna farm dive uses the same document set. Confirm what the activity actually involves, then check the current requirements in the relevant jurisdiction. If a SWMS is required, make it site-specific and align it with the dive plan so the crew receives one consistent set of controls.

Practical warning signs

Pause the job if there is loose netting near the route, worsening visibility, unplanned vessel or lifting activity, unreliable communications, damaged hoses, uncertain air quality, an unavailable standby response or no practical way to recover an injured diver.

Also act on human warning signs: illness, unusual fatigue, recent alcohol or drug use, anxiety, confusion, poor coordination or pressure to exceed the planned depth or time. Changes after the dive, including pain, weakness, breathing difficulty, dizziness or altered behaviour, require prompt emergency and diving-medical action.

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. Blue Safe guarantees the document compliance of the WHS documents it provides, including eligible customer documents after Blue Safe has reviewed and upgraded them.

For tuna farm and marine work, this can include coordinated WHS procedures, diving risk controls, emergency arrangements, consultation records, SWMS where applicable and supporting site documents. Customers actively put the compliant documents into practice through controls, consultation, training, actions, records and evidence.

Official sources

Information current: 14 August 2026. Local requirements vary. Check current regulator material and applicable standards before planning work. Any national Model Code should be used as general orientation and is not automatically applicable law in every jurisdiction.