Brochure 007

January 2001

Underwater Diving Work and Medical Certificates

Introduction Where can you get a certificate
People who do underwater diving work of medical fitness to dive?
are exposed to physical conditions which The certificate must be issued by a
create risks to their health and safety. doctor who has satisfactorily completed
These risks are increased if the diver is training in diving medicine approved by
not medically fit to dive. the Board of Censors of the South Pacific
The best way to minimise exposure to Underwater Medicine Society (SPUMS).
these risks is for diving workers to have This training includes the following
an annual medical examination. courses -
An examination can reveal medical Royal Adelaide Hospital Basic
conditions which prevent a person from Course in Diving Medicine or the
being declared medically fit to dive. For Advanced Course in Diving and
medical reasons, a doctor may also issue Hyperbaric Medicine
a certificate with limitations on the diving
a person can do. Royal Australian Navy Submarine
and Underwater Medicine Unit Basic
Annual medical examinations are also Course, Advanced Course or Medical
useful for monitoring a persons health in Officers Course
case a medical condition develops as a
result of long-term exposure to Diving Medical Centre Medical
underwater diving work. Examiner Course
Fremantle Hospital Medical
Assessment of Divers Course
Who has to hold a medical
certificate? Royal New Zealand Navy Basic
Course
The Workplace Health and Safety
Regulation 1997 requires employers, self- Christchurch Hospital Basic Course
employed people and workers who do Institute of Naval Medicine (UK)
any type of underwater diving work to Medical Examiner Course
hold a current certificate of medical
fitness to dive. United States Navy Diving Medical
Officer Course
This applies to all types of diving work, for
example, underwater filming for a movie,
fish collecting, scrubbing the hull of a There may be other courses in diving
ship, or conducting recreational diving. medicine approved by SPUMS. These
A current certificate is one that is less courses will also be covered by the
than 12 months old and has not expired, regulation.
been revoked or superseded. SPUMS can provide details of its
members who have completed approved
training. Also, there are other doctors
who have completed one of the above
courses but are not members of SPUMS.
Brochure Division Workplace Health & Safety BRO007v1
Underwater Diving Work and Medical Certificates January 2001
Page 1 of 1
You can also ring your local medical
centre and ask if any doctors in the area
have done SPUMS approved training
courses.
What details must be included on
the certificate?
The certificate must show the following -
the name of the person who holds
the certificate
the date it was issued
the person is medically fit to dive
according to the relevant fitness
criteria in AS 2299 - Occupational
Diving 1992, appendix A, paragraph
A3
any limitations on diving imposed by
the doctor, for example, a depth
limitation
If the person is under the age of 18, the
doctor may issue a certificate. However,
the certificate must show either -
there are no limitations on diving
needed even though the person is
under 18; or
there are particular limitations on
diving imposed because the person is
under 18
What do employers and self-
employed people have to do?
It is the employers responsibility to make
sure his or her diving workers hold a
Brochure Division Workplace Health & Safety
Underwater Diving Work and Medical Certificates
Page 2 of 2
current certificate of medical fitness to
dive.
If you are an employer -
you or someone on your behalf must
sight your workers certificate
you must not allow your worker to do
any diving work unless he or she
holds a current certificate
you must not allow your worker to do
any diving work contrary to any
limitations stated on the certificate
If you are an employer who is going to do
underwater diving work, you can only do
so if -
you hold a current certificate; and
the diving work is not contrary to any
limitations stated on the certificate
A self-employed person can only do
underwater diving work if -
he or she holds a current certificate
of medical fitness to dive; and
the diving work is not contrary to any
limitations stated on the certificate
For further information
Telephone: 1300 369 915
Website: www.detir.qld.gov.au
BRO007v1
January 2001