Safety push for NZ water tourism

The voluntary guidelines are designed for commercial adventure tourism operators.

New guidelines in response to serious incidents in sector

Shark cage divers and parasailers should be safer under new voluntary guidelines for avoiding risks in the water tourism sector.

The four new sets of safety guidelines for commercial adventure tourism operators would help improve safety in the sector, Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) said.

The guidelines cover vessels involved in swimming operations, vessels offering high-speed or thrill-ride experiences, parasailing operations and shark cage diving operations.

They were developed following a number of serious injuries, including to a passenger swimming with dolphins who was struck by a vessel's propeller, a passenger being run over by a dolphin-swimming vessel, and passengers suffering back injuries during high-speed boat rides.

In another incident, an out-of-control parasail capsized the boat it was being towed by, throwing five people into a lake alongside the vessel's still-rotating propeller.

MNZ said the water industry guidelines were intended to help operators develop and implement safety systems so they could deliver their activities safely and reduce the risk of injuries and fatalities.

They were developed to address concerns following the rapid growth of adventure activities such as parasailing and shark cage diving, and in response to serious incidents in other sectors.

As well as providing practical guidance on how to manage hazards, the guidelines explained and gave examples of how an operation could take into account the requirements of maritime rules and the Health and Safety in Employment Act.

MNZ maritime standards general manager Sharyn Forsyth said operators would need to consider the guidelines when developing operator plans to meet the requirements of MNZ's maritime operator safety system.

The guidelines had been through a "robust and thorough development process" involving intensive input from operators and associated professionals, she said.

"Having been directly involved in developing the guidelines, operators are already aware of their safety expectations and requirements.

"This will make it easier for them to meet the requirements, as well as improving safety outcomes."

The guidelines were voluntary and while they described best practice, they were not the law, Ms Forsyth said.

Operators would also need to check that they were operating according to the latest maritime rules and other legislation.

Adventure tourism guidelines

• Guidelines were developed by the Tourism Industry Association in 2009 after Prime Minister John Key called for a review of risk management and safety in the outdoor and adventure tourism sector.
• The review followed a series of high-profile outdoor adventure tragedies which sparked calls for greater safety in the industry.
• Guidelines for the industry came into effect from November 1, 2011.
• They required commercial adventure activity operators in New Zealand to be safety audited and registered.
• They did not apply to organisations that did not charge fees, such as schools or voluntary clubs.
• There was a three-year transition period in place to ensure all operators can comply from November 1 this year.
• The new water tourism guidelines are in addition to those following the review.