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. evacuation procedure, provision of
first aid).
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. mobile phone) and a process for obtaining external assistance and/or receiving emergency advice.
Safety procedures must be determined for the location (e.g. out-of-bounds areas, 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:
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HLTAID009 - provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or equivalent and
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HLTAID011 - provide first aid or
SISSS00118 - sports trainer level 1 or equivalent.
Additionally for
high risk activities
An adult with concussion management knowledge or training is required. Consult
first aid – managing head injuries.
Induction is required for all adult supervisors on emergency procedures and safety procedures. 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. safe play, first aid support).
Parent consent (DOCX, 306KB) is required for all activities conducted off-site and strongly recommended for high risk activities conducted on-site.
Mouthguards and a medical declaration are required for activities when there is a high risk of mouth injury. The medical declaration must include the following statement:
'I understand that mouth protection is mandatory in this sport. I have read the information provided to me about mouth protection and accept responsibility for the type of mouth protection I/my child will wear whilst playing this sport.'
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' 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
- must assess
weather conditions 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 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).
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:
Medium risk level:
- a registered teacher with competence (knowledge and skills) in teaching field hockey or
- an adult supervisor, working under the direct supervision of a registered teacher, with
community coach accreditation from
Hockey Australia for the current season.
High risk level:
- a registered teacher with qualifications in HPE (or equivalent demonstrated capability) and competence (knowledge and skills) in teaching field hockey or
- an adult supervisor, working under the direct supervision of a registered teacher, with
level 1 coach accreditation from Hockey Australia for the current season.
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 sufficient space to ensure safe participation and that safety rules and procedures can be followed.
Participants must wear
personal protective equipment appropriate to the activity and playing surface (e.g. enclosed footwear).
Fit-for-purpose goalpost padding made from impact absorbing foam.
Shin pads for all players.
Goalkeeper protection includes headgear (helmet with face mask, throat protector), leg protection (leg guards, kickers, leg and foot pads) torso protection (chest, groin/pelvic protectors) and gloves. Mouthguards are not required when wearing face masks. For further information, consult the
International Hockey Federation (FIH) Rules of Hockey.
Additionally for
high risk activities:
Playing area orientated as close as possible to north-south.
Common hazards and controls
Further to those listed, include any additional hazards and control measures considering the local context of the activity.
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 for hygienic practices and first aid.
Follow appropriate cleaning and hygiene management practices when using shared equipment (departmental staff search 'practical subjects cleaning equipment' in OnePortal).
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Chemicals |
Lines are marked on grass in accordance with the
line marking of sports fields fact sheet. |
Environmental conditions
Weather
Sun
Humidity |
The school's
sun safety strategy must be followed when participating outside.
Assess weather (Bureau of Meteorology) and environmental conditions prior to 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.
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Boundary clearance |
Establish a 5m clearance zone around the playing area (1m along the side lines and 2m behind the goal lines). If this cannot be achieved, consider ways of reducing risks e.g. reducing the field size, padding the obstacle.
Surround synthetic pitches with a barrier (e.g. fence).
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Fast moving objects
Balls |
Use nets when hitting at goal. Consider chain-link mesh safety screen behind each goal and wherever balls are most likely to leave the playing area at speed.
Consider gloves, masks and protectors for short corner plays.
Goalkeepers wear masks (recommended) for corner plays.
Goalkeepers only be delivered to defend one ball at a time during skills practice.
Stop play to retrieve balls during skills practice.
Closely monitor wet field play (e.g. to prevent undercutting).
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Faulty or dangerous equipment |
Use markers made from non-injurious material (e.g. cardboard, foam).
Check equipment for damage before and during the activity.
Check footwear before each match to ensure they provide sufficient protection for the feet. Look for non-slip soles, no buckles or zips, no loose, sharp-edged or excessively worn studs and no sharp-edged soles.
Check the method of fixing nets to the goal-posts and cross-bar is secure and safe. Metal cup-hooks should not be used and any spring hooks should have screw caps.
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Playing surface |
Conduct a field check to identify and manage surface hazards. Clear the playing surface from loose items or debris. Do not participate on a surface that is slippery, unduly rough or chopped up.
Cover/fill playing surface hazards (e.g. sprinkler heads, holes) to be level with the surrounds.
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Physical contact
Breaks/sprains
Cuts/abrasions/grazes
Concussion
Accidental bumping |
Use headgear (recommended for activities involving collision).
Enforce rules to prevent rough play. Consult
play by the rules (conduct and behaviour resources).
Do not allow students to return to play after injury until the injury has been managed according to established procedures. If in doubt, the student should not play until medically cleared.
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Physical exertion
Exhaustion and fatigue |
Conduct warm-up/cool-down activities.
Continually monitor participants for signs of fatigue and exhaustion.
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Student issues
Student numbers
Special needs
High risk behaviours
Medical conditions
Separation from the group |
Select students for on-field position(s) on the basis of ability, size and suitability.
Remove accessories (e.g. jewellery, lanyards) before participating.
Ensure fingernails, hair and clothing (e.g. pockets) do not interfere with the activity.
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