Professional Diver

Regulators
  • Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland
Nations
  • Northern Ireland
Sectors
  • Construction and engineering
  • Education
  • Science
  • Law
  • Other
  • Health and care
  • Security
  • Transport
  • Surveying

Regulatory or professional bodies

Primary regulator

Address

83 Ladas Drive
Belfast
BT6 9FR

Email address
mail@hseni.gov.uk
Phone number
+44 (0)8000 320 121

Regulation

Regulation summary

Any person at work who dives must hold a diving qualification which has been approved by HSE for the class of diving being undertaken.

Regulation type

Licence

Reserved activities

A person at work can only dive in a diving project if they hold a diving qualification approved by HSE for the class of diving being undertaken.

More about regulated activities and titles
https://www.hseni.gov.uk/articles/diving

Qualifications and experience

New professionals

Routes to qualification

There are a number of diver competence assessment organisations who provide training and assessment for those wishing to obtain an HSENI diving qualification.

HSENI issues HSE SCUBA, HSE Surface Supplied, HSE Surface Supplied (Top Up) and HSENI Closed Bell diver qualifications.

Some divers may follow one of the recreational training agency/organisationtraining programmes to achieve a qualification which is approved for diving in some classes of diving at work.

It is also possible to obtain diving qualifications within the British military. These qualifications are approved for diving in some classes of diving at work.

Professionals from outside the UK

Recognition for professionals outside the UK
Some - qualifications from some countries may be recognised, but professionals from other countries will have to re-qualify
Summary of routes

Some - qualifications from some countries may be recognised but professionals from other countries will have to re-qualify.

For many of the classes of diving, the HSENI List of Approved Diving Qualifications includes qualifications from some countries from outside the UK. There is a defined criteria for approval of non-UK diving qualifications.


Legislation

Title of relevant act or charter

Diving at Work Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005

Licence Finder

You may need licences and permits to carry out certain activities in the UK. These are called authorisations. Use the licence finder to find what you need.