VICTORIA, Australia (30 Dec 2007) — An Australian government workplace safety watchdog has issued warnings to scuba diving businesses for lax safety standards. WorkSafe Victoria told CDNN its "DiveSafe" campaign found that dive operators failed to properly maintain their scuba diving equipment and failed to properly train divers. The workplace safety authority also cited dive operators for failing to keep proper records and for failing to properly test and maintain air compressors and scuba diving regulators. The "DiveSafe" campaign was launched in the wake of the prosecution of Melbourne Diving Services (aka Melbourne Diving School) for the 2004 death of Rob Grant. Grant, a 32-year-old novice diver, died off Portsea on a dive trip organized by Melbourne Diving Services. A judge fined the company $200,000 for gross negligence he described as an "absolute disgrace". DiveSafe Warning WorkSafe executive director John Merritt warned dive operators to ensure all required safety procedures were in place before taking anyone diving. Merritt said scuba diving companies must always brief the divemaster, check all scuba diving equipment before entering the water and ensure staff divers were appropriately trained and supervised. Merritt also singled out problems related to novice scuba divers and local conditions. "Diving can be hazardous but with inexperienced divers, risks are magnified,'' he said. "`In particular in Victoria, the colder conditions, strong currents and heavier weights needed for thicker, more buoyant wet suits put novice divers at risk.'' | 
