The recreational diving and snorkelling sector contributes around $1.4 billion to the Queensland Queensland
While the rate of incidents involving participants in recreational diving and snorkelling in Queensland Queensland were the 1998 disappearance of a US couple who were left behind by a dive operator during a dive near Port Douglas and the stranding of a tourist near Cairns US
The Safety in Recreational Water Activities Act 2011 (Qld), which commenced on 1 January 2012, regulates the recreational diving and snorkelling industry to protect consumer safety. It is supported by the Safety in Recreational Water Activities Regulation 2011 (Qld) (Regulation) and the Recreational Diving, Recreational Technical Diving and Snorkelling Code of Practice 2011 (Code of Practice). WHSQ is the industry regulator.
In August 2011, the Minister for Education and Industrial Relations, the Hon Cameron Dick MP, established a Recreational Dive and Snorkelling Industry Reference Group, chaired by Member for Barron River
The November 2011 Report of the Recreational Dive and Snorkelling Industry Reference Group considered that minor changes were needed to the regulatory framework and made 12 recommendations to improve industry safety.
The recommendations include:
· two independent head counts – amending the Regulation to require that at least two persons conduct independent counts of persons on board prior to leaving a site. While there has not been a fatality in the Queensland industry connected with a failed count since 1998 (this incident attracted significant media attention), information suggested that manual counts have sometimes been unsuccessful due to lack of attention and few cross checks, risking that someone might be left behind;
· emergency signalling equipment – amending the Code of Practice to include information on how to determine appropriate signalling equipment for use by divers for unguided certified dives; how to ensure a certified diver understands how and when to use such equipment; & how to maintain and test it;
· setting the maximum ratio of resort divers (those new to diving) to dive instructor at 2:1 (4:2 if the instructor has a certified assistant) and allowing an increase to 4:1 if a risk assessment indicates that doing so is safe in all the circumstances (after considering environmental conditions, abilities and fitness of the divers). This recommended amendment to the Regulation responds to information that resort diver deaths commence with separation of a diver from a supervising instructor, particularly at the maximum ratio and in poor conditions;
· setting certified competencies of dive instructors – amending the Regulation to require instructor certification in specified subject areas;
· providing guidance on identifying ‘at-risk’ snorkellers (particularly those with medical conditions) – amending the Code of Practice to include such guidance to operators so more information and supervision can be provided to persons at-risk;
· compulsory dive medicals – amending the Regulation to require a medical declaration from all entry level dive candidates and to require the operator to view a fitness to dive medical certificate if the person identifies he/she has an at-risk condition, or is over 45 years, or is overweight (this mix of self assessment and mandated requirements for certain candidates attempts to achieve a balance between keeping at-risk divers safe and not requiring every diver to undergo a medical to participate in a recreational activity).
The above proposals are open for public comment until 31 March 2012.
Key Documents
Ministerial Reference Group, Report of the Recreational Dive and Snorkelling Industry Reference Group, November 2011
Safety in Recreational Water Activities Act 2011 (Qld), Safety in Recreational Water Activities Regulation 2011 (Qld), Recreational Diving, Recreational Technical Diving and Snorkelling Code of Practice 2011.
Nicolee Dixon
General Distribution Research Team, Research and Information Service
