IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA - Department of Mines and Petroleum

the contractors they select have their DSMS
accepted by the regulator. Operators are required to
notify the DA of diving operations at least 14 days
before they start.
WA State waters
Diving operations in State areas are still regulated
under Part 8 - Diving of the Schedule of Specific
Requirements as to Offshore Petroleum Exploration
and Production 1995 (the Offshore Schedule).
The requirements under the Offshore Schedule are
prescriptive. Where there are deviations from the
requirements of the Schedule exemptions must be
sought and justified before being submitted to the
DA for consideration. The operator is obliged to
obtain approvals from the DA for diving operations
and any exemptions required.
The approval for operation in State waters can be
managed in 2 ways, by requesting approval:
• under the requirements of the Offshore
Schedule or
• by complying with the requirements of the Diving
Safety Regulations.
Option 1 - Under the Offshore Schedule
Under the existing requirements of the Offshore
Schedule, the operator must request approval for
the diving operation and provide details of the
operation to the DA.
Option 2 - In conjunction with Commonwealth
Diving Safety Regulations
With the intention of having consistency across
Commonwealth and State jurisdictions, DoIR believe
that where the operator uses a diving contractor
who has their DSMS accepted by both the operator
and the DA, then the request for approval can be
granted on the basis that the diving contractor and
the operator comply with the intent of the Diving
Safety Regulations. The operator requests approval
for the operation and agrees to conduct the
operation under the DSMS and DPP.
The subsequent approval from the DA will contain a
general dispensation from the prescriptive hardware
requirements of the Offshore Schedule and the
differences in diving contractor’s DSMS.
The advantages of option 2 are that the operator
and diving contractor can maintain a systematic
approach to their operations in both State and
Commonwealth waters. It allows the diving
contractor and the operator to focus on areas of risk
associated with the project rather than complying
with specific prescriptive diving requirements of the
Offshore Schedule.
The more prescriptive aspects of the Offshore
Schedule are managed by having the diving operation
controlled under the diving contractor’s DSMS and
the DPP, which is approved by the operator.
We would encourage operators and diving
contractors to discuss these options so that a
consultative process can occur and agreement
reached on the appropriate application of the diving
safety regulations.
PWA April Edition - Diving Regulations 33
For additional information and links to diving
legislation and guidelines please see our web site:
www.doir.wa.gov.au/safetyhealthandenvironment/
petroleumdiving.asp DoIR
Divers on the Woodside Trunkline System Expansion Project. This project was the first major diving project
completed under the Diving Safety Regulations in WA. Photo courtesy of Technip Oceania Pty Ltd, operators
of the CSO Venturer, the diving support vessel from which the diving operations were carried out.