This Google site was created so that the diving community has a reference of which are the regulations, standards, procedures and quality certification organizations, for the different diving areas and specialties. Contains property information from Wikipedia and other professional sources.


List of legislation regulating underwater diving.

This list identifies the legislation governing underwater diving activities listed by region. Some legislation affects only professional diving, other may affect only recreational diving, or all diving activities. The list includes primary and delegated legislation, and international standards for the conduct of diving adopted by national states, but does not include legislation or standards relating to manufacture or testing of diving equipment.

Argentina

The Regulation of professional diving can be found in ordinance No. 4-08 (dpsn) volume 5 "Regime of Merchant Marine Personnel" July 1, 2008. PNA Official Site The Regulation of recreational diving can be found in ordinance N°1/01 tomo 4.(dpsn) [1]

Australia

Queensland

Safety in Recreational Water Activities Act 2011 (the SRWA Act) and the Safety in Recreational Water Activities Regulation 2011 (the Regulation).[1]

Austria

Verordrung 501: Druckluft- und Taucherarbeiten- Verordrung[2]

Inshore diving

Canada

Quebec

S-3.1 Act respecting safety in sports, Chapter V.2 Recreative underwater diving 1997, c. 37, s. 2.[3]

It is not permitted to dive or train divers beyond the level indicated by the certificate of qualification or attestation of equivalency held by the diver or instructor.

Denmark and Greenland

Consolidated decree on the entry into force for Greenland of the act on diving operations and diving equipment, etc.[4]

Diving Act, Act No.307, dated 17 May 1995

The act regulates underwater work requiring breathing apparatus which would normally be done for payment, including rescue operations, and specifically excludes tasks related to recreational diving.

France

Germany

Festlandsockelbergvorordnung[2]

Regulates offshore diving

Unfallsverhutungsvorschrift “ Taucharbeiten” VBG 39[2]

Regulates inshore and inland diving

Unfallsverhutungsvorschrift “Arbeitsmedizinische Versorge” VBG 100[2]

Requirement for medical certificates

Israel

Recreational diving Act, 1979[5]

Recreational diving. It is not permitted to dive beyond the level of certification held unless in training with an instructor, and the diver must have appropriate insurance covering diving accidents.

Italy

Sicily

Sicilian law on commercial diving training, 2016[6]

Regulates training paths for inshore and offshore commercial diving activities, according International Diving Schools Association guidelines and an online database of certified commercial divers.

Maldives

Maldives Recreational Diving Regulation, 2003[7]

Malta

Recreational Diving Services Regulation, 2012[8]

The Netherlands

Anschrijving Duikherkammeren[2]

Regulates offshore diving

Labour and Work Act[2]

Regulates inshore and inland diving

Norway

Regulation relating to manned underwater operations in the petroleum activities with guidelines[2]

Regulates offshore diving

Dykking Best nr.511 (Diving No. 511)[2]

Regulates inshore diving

South Africa

Diving Regulations, 2009[9]

DR2009 regulates all commercial diving operations and training, including military and other professional diving, inshore, inland and offshore, but explicitly exclude recreational diver training and dive shop operations, which are generally covered by the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993.

Code of Practice for Inshore Diving[10]

The Code of Practice for Inshore Diving provides guidance for accepted safe working practices using surface supplied diving equipment for commercial diving operations within the territorial waters of South Africa. It is incorporated into the Diving Regulations as of 2017

Code of Practice for Scientific Diving[11]

The Code of Practice for Inshore Diving provides guidance for accepted safe working practices using scuba or surface supplied diving equipment for scientific diving operations within the territorial waters of South Africa.

Code of Practice for Commercial Diver Training[12]

The Code of Practice for Commercial Diver Training provides guidance and required minimum standards for accepted safe training practices using scuba or surface supplied diving equipment for diving operations in which learner divers are involved within the territorial waters of South Africa.

Sweden

Dykeriarbete (English: Diving Works)[2]

Regulates inshore and inland diving, no offshore regulations

Switzerland

Verordnung 20.Jan.1961,SUVA Form 1526.d Publikation-Arbeitsmedizin Nr.8, Nov.1985 (Under revision)[2]

Regulates inshore/inland diving, no offshore regulations

UK

Diving at Work Regulations 1997[13]

The DAWRs regulate all aspects of professional diving (diving at work), including recreational diver instruction and divemasters.

Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009

The MCAA specifies when a licence is required for an activity that involve depositing or removing a substance or object in the UK Marine Area below the mean high water springs mark.[14]

USA

Regulations (Standards - 29 CFR), Part Number: 1910, Occupational Safety and Health Standards, Subpart: T - Commercial Diving Operations. Standard Number: 1910.424 - SCUBA diving.[15]

Exemptions[edit]

Scientific diving

Search and Rescue (some states, only when there is a reasonable expectation of rescuing a survivor)

References