Schools must consider age, maturity and skill level of students when planning curriculum activities. Adjustments are required for
students with disability to support access and participation in the curriculum. Consult with the parents/carers of students with disability, or when appropriate the student, to ensure risks related to their child's participation in the activity are identified and managed.
Schools must consult current student medical information and/or health plans in accordance with the
managing students' health support needs at school procedure. Record information about any student condition (e.g. physical or medical) that may inhibit safe engagement in the activity and include specific support measures within emergency procedures.
Emergency plans and injury management procedures must be established for foreseeable incidents (e.g. separation from group,
snake bites).
Adult supervisors must have:
- emergency contact details of all participants
- a medical alert list and a process for administering student medication
- communication equipment suitable to conditions (e.g. two-way radio, mobile phone) and a process for obtaining external assistance and/or receiving emergency advice. Note that battery life can be impacted by weather conditions
- recovery/rescue equipment suitable to the location (e.g. emergency position-indicating radio beacon [EPIRB] or personal locator beacon [PLB], flares)
- an appointed emergency contact (e.g. the Principal, a park ranger, or local police) who is provided with a route card listing activity details (outline of the route to be followed, the number and names of the party, the estimated time of departure/arrival)
- emergency shelter/protection locations and alternative routes that consider foreseeable; emergencies (e.g. injury, bushfire, flash flooding, thunderstorm, extreme temperature).
Safety procedures must be determined for the location (e.g. appropriate distance between riders, location of first aid support and equipment).
Access is required to
first aid equipment and consumables suitable for foreseeable incidents.
An adult with current emergency qualifications is required to be quickly accessible to the activity area. Emergency qualifications include:
Induction is required for all adult supervisors on emergency procedures (e.g. separation from group) and safety procedures (e.g. appropriate distance between riders). If the activity is conducted at an off-site facility, induction is to be informed by advice provided in consultation with expertise at the venue.
Instruction is required for students and adult supervisors on correct techniques (e.g. use of breaks and gears correct adjustment of seat and/or handlebars, manual handling techniques for transporting maintenance equipment).
Supervision
Principals make final supervision decisions for the activity. Sufficient adult supervision must be provided to manage the activity safely (including emergency situations).
For activities with students with a medical condition or disability that may impact on safety during the activity, consultation with parents is required prior to allocating supervision to determine the impact of students' medical condition or disability on safety during the activity.
The number of adult supervisors required to fulfil emergency and supervision roles must consider the nature of the activity, students' ages, abilities and specialised learning, access and/or health needs. The
cycling and mountain biking Australian adventure activity good practice guide should be consulted for supervision ratios.
All adult supervisors able to identify, and respond to, risks or hazards that may emerge during the activity.
Before the activity, all adult supervisors:
- must be familiar with the contents of the CARA record
- must assess
weather conditions, and obtain accurate information on
tides, depths, currents and other expected water conditions (if applicable) prior to undertaking the activity, inspecting the intended location in order to identify variable risks, hazards and potential dangers.
During the activity, all adult supervisors:
- must be readily identifiable
- must closely monitor students with health support needs
- must accompany inexperienced students
- must comply with control measures from the CARA record and adapt as hazards arise
- must suspend the activity if the conditions become unfavourable (e.g. poor visibility, extreme temperatures, thunderstorms)
- must not allow the use of tracks rated
high and extreme according to the Australian trail difficulty rating system produced by the
International Mountain Bicycling Assocation (IMBA).
Supervisor qualifications
Principals make final decisions in determining supervisor capability (competence, relevance and currency) and are responsible for encouraging and enabling school-based activity supervisors to raise their qualifications to improve safety standards.
All adult supervisors must comply with the
working with children authority—blue cards procedure and be able to identify, and respond to, risks or hazards that may emerge during the activity.
A registered teacher must be appointed to maintain overall responsibility for the activity.
At least one adult supervisor is required to be either:
Refer to the
cycling and mountain biking Australian adventure activity good practice guide and
sport, fitness and recreation training package for further information on supervisor qualifications.
Facilities and equipment
The qualified adult supervisor of the activity, in consultation with the principal, determines the requirements for facilities and equipment appropriate to the local context.
Location must be suitable for the activity being undertaken. Consider the geography when planning the route, minimising the number of extreme inclines and sharp corners where possible, in relation to experience of students. Consult
cycling and mountain biking Australian adventure activity good practice guide.
Adult supervisors must walk and cycle the course to check the level of difficulty including gradients, altitude gain and any other hazards, prior to students cycling it to ascertain suitability. Surface suitability, hazards, rate of traffic flow and use of off-road tracks suitable to age, maturity and skill level of participants.
Participants must wear secured and correctly fitted helmets that are without defect (Australian Standard AS/ANZ 2063-2008 compliant) for the duration of the activity.
Participants must wear
personal protective equipment as relevant (e.g. enclosed footwear, sunglasses, brightly coloured vests or clothing that is close fitting and appropriate for weather conditions, gloves, elbow pads, knee pads and wrist guards).
Equipment must be sized to match the ability and strength of students.
All equipment must be used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
A retirement schedule must be developed to replace equipment (e.g. bicycles, helmets) by manufacturers' nominated expiry date or when significant wear causes a hazard.
Establish and employ a process for checking for damage for all equipment used in the activity. Bicycle and equipment checks to be carried out before each activity by appropriately competent adult supervisors.
Bicycles and tyres appropriate for the activity and terrain that have been maintained, inspected and serviced regularly by an appropriately competent person must be used ensuring:
- brakes function as designed and provide effective braking
- wheels are firmly attached and have no loose or damaged spokes and are sufficiently straight and true
- tyres have sufficient tread and are at the appropriate pressure
- all bearing surfaces and fittings are appropriately adjusted
- handlebars are suitably tightened to prevent movement and handlebar grips and plugs are fitted and secured
- pedals are intact and saddles are attached and secure
- seat posts do not exceed the manufacturers specified maximum height after adjustment
- appropriate parts lubricated
- lights work where appropriate
- bar end plugs are fitted.
A log of equipment use, maintenance and inspection for bicycles must be kept
Supplies must be available for all participants (e.g. individual drinking containers in a bike carrier or camelback style backpack, a whistle, insect repellent, sunscreen, personal hygiene items as necessary, food, a plastic bag for rubbish and a personal first aid kit).
Emergency maintenance equipment must be available (e.g. chain breaker, pliers, spoke key, spanner, pump, puncture repair kit).
Compass and/or other navigation aids and a waterproof method for storing must be available.
A support vehicle accessible to the cyclists to transport exhausted riders or defective bicycles must be available. This vehicle can be used for emergencies, must be registered with Queensland Transport and Main Roads and should be suitably signed, giving warning to motorists that cyclists are on the road.
Hazards and controls
Further to those listed, include any additional hazards and control measures considering the local context of the activity.
Animal bites/diseases
Stings
Poisoning
Infection |
Observe wildlife from a safe distance.
Instruct students not to feed wildlife and how to respond to approaching wildlife.
Adhere to established practices regarding the use of insect repellent, outlined in
insect viruses and allergies.
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Environmental conditions
Weather
Surrounds
Surfaces |
The school's
sun safety strategy must be followed.
Brief all participants on:
- purpose of the activity and potential hazards (e.g. thorned flora, steep slopes)
- basic first aid procedures for biological hazards they may encounter (e.g.
snakes, ticks, leeches)
- appropriate toileting procedures for the duration of the ride.
Constantly monitor surroundings for weather, terrain and wildlife hazards during the activity.
Follow the
managing excessive heat in schools guidelines when participating in very hot or extreme heat conditions.
Monitor participants for cold related illness (e.g. hypothermia) in cold weather conditions.
Ensure drink breaks occur regularly. Make water available for individual participants between drink breaks.
Ensure that groups of riders have intervals between them so traffic flow is not hindered. Riders must remain in single file on busy single lane roads, if applicable.
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Regular equipment checks to be conducted during the activity on all parts of bicycles (e.g. brakes, tyres, chains and gears, handlebars and seats).
Ensure spare equipment is available in case of emergency.
Study route/provide maps to the participants prior to the activity.
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Injury |
Students aware of the location of emergency and first-aid equipment.
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Physical exertion
Exhaustion and fatigue |
Continually monitor students for fear and/or hesitancy, loss of balance, signs of fatigue and exhaustion.
Establish regular rest stops, considering the age and fitness level of students.
Carry out route briefings at the rest stops.
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Student issues
Student numbers
Special needs
High risk behaviours
Medical conditions
Separation from the group |
Adopt system of signals to clearly communicate the need for assistance if in difficulty.
Remove accessories (e.g. jewellery, lanyards) before participating.
Ensure fingernails and hair do not pose a hazard.
Footwear to be appropriate to the activity.
Maintain contact between all group members through regular checks on group numbers.
Implement procedures (e.g. buddy system, roll marking mechanisms) to account for all participants.
Appoint designated group roles (e.g. leader, group member, tail end).
Brief all participants on:
- appropriate behaviours to help keep themselves safe during the activity (e.g. monitor speed on steep down hill grades. Avoid skidding and sliding around turns)
- procedure should a participant become separated or lost from the group.
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