Occupational diving
This fact sheet deals with occupational diving which is defined as diving for the purposes of work.
Hazards associated with occupational diving
A diver’s work environment can present many health and safety hazards. For example, heat, cold, UV radiation leading to sunburn, currents, boats and dangerous animals.
A diver’s equipment can also represent a health and safety hazard if it is inappropriate for the work or poorly maintained. Changes in ambient pressure can also be a health and safety hazard.
Risks associated with occupational diving
Hazards in a diver’s environment can cause heat exhaustion, hypothermia, skin cancer, injury and death. Divers are also at risk of injury or death if their equipment is inappropriate for their tasks, or poorly maintained. Divers have died from hypoxia due to insufficient amounts of breathing gas and carbon monoxide poisoning from malfunctioning surface supplied compressed air apparatus.
Because of changes in ambient pressure, divers can develop decompression illness; as a diver ascends; there is a decrease in ambient pressure, lowering the gas pressure within the body causing dangerous gas bubbles, which can cause a stroke.
Employer’s duties
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991 (the Act) employers are required to provide and maintain, as far as practicable, a working environment that is safe and without risks to health.
To ensure that risks are managed in accordance with the duties under the Act employers should systematically manage the risks to health and safety which arise from occupational diving.
Employers can systematically manage risks by undertaking the following four-step risk management process:
1. identify the hazard2. assess the risk associated with the hazard
3. control the risk
4. review the process
When undertaking risk management, employers must follow the relevant Commonwealth regulations and give consideration to codes of practice. If no regulation or code exists in relation to a specific risk, employers should choose a reliable source of guidance to follow.
Relevant Commonwealth Regulations
Occupational Health and Safety (Safety Standards) Regulations 1994
- Part 2 - Competency Requirements and Certification Standards for users and operators of industrial equipment
- Part 4 - Plant
- Part 5 - Manual handling
- Part 12 – Construction. Diving associated with construction work is considered a high risk activity under Part 12 of the regulations and is subject to specific requirements.
Relevant Commonwealth Codes of Practice
In particular, the Occupational Health and Safety Code of Practice 2008 for:
- Part 1 - Risk Management
- Part 2 - First Aid
- Part 19 - Ultraviolet Radiation in Sunlight
- Part 20 - Occupational Diving
Other Guidance Material
National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority: Diving Operations
Further information
For further information about this fact sheet, or others in the series, please contact Comcare on the general enquiry line 1300 366 979 or by email ohs.help@comcare.gov.au.
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