Scuba industry told to ‘insist on safety’ as DiveSafe begins

09 October 2007

A statewide campaign targeting Victoria’s recreational scuba diving industry is about to begin with WorkSafe inspectors visiting companies and activity providers running scuba diving and snorkelling trips.

Most of the WorkSafe inspectors taking part in the DiveSafe campaign are experienced divers.

They will be asking recreational divers and dive tourism operators to ‘insist on safety’, particularly in relation to people who are inexperienced in Victorian waters. 

WorkSafe’s Executive Director, John Merritt, said long-established safety procedures produced by accreditation organisations and the relevant Australian Standard (AS2299)* must be adhered to.

“As an ‘adventure sport’ there are risks associated with diving. Taking shortcuts with safety adds to those risks.

“Just because this is a recreational activity does not mean high professional standards don’t apply.

“Members of the public, particularly those who lack experience, are entitled to expect their interests will be protected by professional operators. Clubs also have a duty of care to their members.”

Dive and accreditation organisations also have a role to play in ensuring the standards they require of members are applied. 

The DiveSafe campaign follows the prosecution of Melbourne Diving Services Pty Ltd in May.

The company was convicted and fined $200,000 by the County Court in April after the death of a client, Rob Grant, at Portsea in 2004.

The court was told staff were not appropriately instructed, trained and supervised, particularly in dealing with, and assessing, clients whose experience was mainly in tropical waters, where diving conditions were vastly different to southern Australia.

Mr Grant learned to dive in North Queensland while on holidays in 2002, but he did not dive again until January 2004 when he went to ‘Portsea Hole’ with Melbourne Diving Services.

The court was told Mr Grant got into difficulties soon after entering the water.

His body was recovered by his dive buddy from about 12 metres of water shortly after.

Judge Lance Pilgrim said there had been “gross breaches” of the company’s own safety procedures, and it had not followed the requirements of Australian Standard 2299.

This created a ‘recipe for disaster’, he said, which should warn the recreational diving industry that high safety standards must be maintained.

Melbourne Diving Services went into voluntary administration in March this year and was placed into liquidation in late April. Its assets were agreed to be sold to a related entity, therefore the $200,000 fine will not be paid.

What WorkSafe expects

• Established procedures set up to ensure safety must be understood and practiced by employees.
• Employees need appropriate experience, training and supervision.
• The experience of clients must be considered when deciding whether someone is suitable for a particular dive. Where have they dived in the past? Has there been a lengthy break between dives? Do they need re-familiarisation?
• The Dive Master must be given information on the level of experience of each client.
• Gear must be checked before clients enter the water.