Dive Support and Underwater Inspection Safety in WA — Rescue Vessel Requirements
Underwater inspection and dive support operations are a regular part of marine construction and maintenance activity in Western Australia. From pile condition assessments and underwater structural inspections to marine growth surveys and seabed investigations, dive operations take place across a wide range of project environments — from busy port precincts to remote offshore and island locations.
For project managers and HSE teams planning dive support or underwater inspection works in WA, understanding the rescue vessel requirements that apply to your operation is essential.
The water safety risks of dive support operations
Dive support and underwater inspection operations present a specific set of hazards that must be addressed in the project safety plan:
Divers in the water are vulnerable to vessel strike from passing marine traffic
Strong tidal currents and unpredictable water movement can carry a diver away from the dive site quickly
A diver who surfaces unexpectedly or in distress requires immediate assistance from a vessel on the water
Dive operations in confined environments — under jetty structures, around bridge piers, and inside marine infrastructure — create additional risks that require a highly manoeuvrable support vessel
Equipment failure or medical incidents underwater can result in a diver surfacing unconscious or incapacitated
What WA legislation requires
Under the WA Work Health and Safety Act 2020, PCBUs conducting dive operations must eliminate or minimise risks to workers so far as is reasonably practicable. For dive support operations, this means having a documented dive safety management plan, appropriate surface support arrangements, and qualified rescue personnel available for the duration of the works.
For most dive operations in WA, a standby rescue vessel is a required component of the surface support arrangement — providing an immediate response capability for a diver in distress on the surface.
Why a PWC is well suited to dive support operations
A PWC rescue vessel offers significant advantages as a dive support vessel in the confined and varied environments common to underwater inspection and dive support operations in WA:
It can manoeuvre quickly around jetty structures, bridge piers, and marine infrastructure to reach a diver on the surface rapidly
It can operate in shallow nearshore and tidal environments where larger support vessels cannot
It provides a stable and accessible platform for a diver to exit the water in an emergency
It can be launched and retrieved quickly without crane infrastructure, making it well suited to remote and island dive locations
The rescue sled provides a means of recovering an incapacitated diver from the water safely
Hardy Seas and dive support projects
Hardy Seas provides standby rescue vessel services for dive support and underwater inspection projects across Western Australia. We have experience supporting dive operations in port precincts, on marine structures, and at remote and island locations across the state.
Our PWC rescue vessel and all associated safety equipment can be mobilised to dive support project sites anywhere in WA — including remote locations via our 20ft sea container mobilisation model. Our crews work directly with dive supervisors and HSE teams to ensure surface support arrangements meet WA legislative requirements and project-specific safety management plans.
Get in touch
If you are planning dive support or underwater inspection works in Western Australia, get in touch with Hardy Seas to discuss your rescue vessel and surface support requirements. We can advise on vessel specifications, crew requirements, and compliance documentation for your specific dive operation.
