Diving

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Guideline review date: 28 October 2021

This guideline is provided to support schools in implementing the managing risks in school curriculum activities procedure.

The CARA planner must be used for the specific school context in conjunction with this guideline considering additional risks, hazards and controls and including environmental, facility, equipment and student considerations.

For activities beyond the scope of this guideline, complete a CARA record using the CARA generic template.

Activity scope

This guideline relates to student participation in platform and springboard diving into a specialised deep water pool as an activity to support curriculum delivery.

Note: Neither platform/springboard diving from heights over 10m nor diving at a non-specialised facility are permitted as a curriculum activity.

Depending on the scope of this activity, other risk assessments may be required when planning. Curriculum activities encompassing more than one CARA guideline (e.g. Gymnastics and trampolining when practising dry land diving skills) must comply with the requirements of all CARA guidelines appropriate to the activity.

For activities conducted at a non-Department of Education venue, and/or when engaging external expertise, request written risk assessment advice and attach it to this CARA record.

For activities conducted off-site, schools must comply with the school excursions procedure.

For activities conducted as part of representative school sport programs, schools should consult with Queensland School Sport.

High risk: Diving activities involving platform and springboard skills into deep water from heights of 10m or less.

Activity requirements

If any requirement cannot be met, the activity must not occur.

If any other safety recommendation cannot be met, modify the activity (or elements of it) and/or identify and use the hierarchy of controls to implement alternative control measures to meet or exceed the minimum safety standard.

Prior consultation is required with local authority (e.g. facility management) for local advice, emergency support mechanisms and additional supervision requirements to ensure participant and public safety.

Confirmation of student water safety and swimming competence is required prior to participation. The process is determined by the school and must consider the specific aquatic environments in which the activity will take place. Consult the Sequence of competency Water Safety and Swimming Education Program for support in determining age-appropriate suitability.

Competition rules and procedures with additional or more stringent safety requirements must take precedence.

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Students

Emergency and first-aid

Induction and instruction

Consent

Parent consent (DOCX, 306KB) is required for all activities conducted off-site and strongly recommended for high risk activities conducted on-site.

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.

Before the activity:

all adult supervisors must be familiar with the contents of the CARA record
at least one adult supervisor must be appropriately dressed to perform an immediate rescue. At no time, should students be relied upon to recover a person in difficulty.

During the activity, all adult supervisors:

must be readily identifiable
must closely monitor students with health support needs
must ensure all students in the water are in sight of at least one adult supervisor at all times
must closely monitor all dive entries
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, thunderstorms, if participating outside)
must not conduct free swim/diving activities.

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 have a current water safety and swimming teacher qualification from a registered training organisation (RTO) or governing sporting body (e.g. AUSTSWIM) and demonstrated capacity to perform an appropriate rescue procedure including using appropriate rescue aids.

At least one adult supervisor is required to be:

For diving board heights of 1m or lower

a registered teacher with qualifications in HPE (or equivalent demonstrated capability) and with competence (knowledge and skills) in teaching the diving style, or
an adult supervisor, working under the direct supervision of a registered teacher, with current accreditation as a FUNdamentals coach with Diving Australia.

For diving board heights more than 1m and up to 5m

a registered teacher, or other adult supervisor working under the direct supervision of a registered teacher, with current accreditation as a Level 1 coach with Diving Australia.

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, including adequate lighting and water temperature to ensure safe participation and that safety rules and procedures can be followed. Consult the minimum standards in the FINA facilities rules.

Venue must have appropriate toilet and change facilities, accessible to students with disability as required. Consult the Health and safety checklist—swimming pools for guidance in identifying hazards.

Buoyant and rescue aids (e.g. lightweight poles, water noodles or ropes with a float attached) readily available at locations within the venue.

Each student must provide their own towel.

Hazards and controls

Further to those listed, include any additional hazards and control measures considering the local context of the activity.

Environmental hazards	Control measures
Biological hazards Body fluids (e.g. blood, saliva, sweat)	Manage bodily substances (e.g. blood) and open wounds before, during and after the activity. Consult infection control guidelines and Queensland Health's exclusion periods for infectious conditions poster (PDF, 1.5MB) for hygienic practices and first aid.
Environmental conditions Weather, sun, humidity	The school's sun safety strategy must be followed, if participating outside. Assess weather (Bureau of Meteorology) and environmental conditions if participating outside. Follow the managing excessive heat in schools guidelines when participating in very hot or extreme heat conditions. Ensure drink breaks occur regularly. Make water available for individual participants between drink breaks. Monitor participants for cold related illness (e.g. hypothermia) in cold weather conditions.
Facilities and equipment hazards	Control measures
Electricity	If power is required on the pool deck: use portable safety switches, where there are no residual current devices installed do not use extension leads, electrical equipment and cords use battery powered or non-powered equipment.
Equipment	Monitor the correct use of the springboard fulcrum before diving. Adjustments must be made using the foot wheel.
Student considerations	Control measures
Distraction	Remove accessories (e.g. jewellery, lanyard) before participating. Allow only one person on the springboard at a time. Prevent visual or noise distractions when dives are being attempted. Ensure no-one moves across the diver's line of vision.
Physical exertion Exhaustion, heat/cold stress	Manage injuries according to established procedures. If in doubt, do not allow students to return to the activity after injury until medically cleared. Continually monitor students for signs of distress (e.g. fatigue, hypothermia and hyperventilation).
Slip, trip, fall	Place mats on the floor around change room/bathroom entryway.
Student issues	Ensure fingernails and hair do not interfere with the activity. Conduct warm-up/cool-down activities. Provide activities appropriate to diving confidence and competence. Restrict underwater swimming to short-duration activities under close supervision.
Water entry	Clear the water entry area before each dive and Instruct divers to swim directly back to pool side under the board after diving. Do not allow students to wait in the water entry area. Continually monitor under the diving board.

Additional links

Disclaimer

This information is developed and distributed on this website by the State of Queensland for use by Queensland state schools only.

Use or adaptation of, or reliance on, this information by persons or organisations other than the State of Queensland is at their sole risk. All users who use, adapt or rely on this information are responsible for ensuring by independent verification its accuracy, currency and appropriateness to their particular circumstances. The State of Queensland makes no representations, either express or implied, as to the suitability of this information to a user's particular circumstances.

To the full extent permitted by law, the State of Queensland disclaims all responsibility and liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages and costs arising from the use or adaptation of, or reliance on, this information.

Links to external websites are for convenience only and the State of Queensland has not independently verified the information on the linked websites. It is the responsibility of users to make their own decisions about the accuracy, currency, reliability and correctness of the information at these external websites.

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