Supervision
Principals make final supervision decisions for the activity. Sufficient adult supervision must be provided to manage the activity safely (including emergency situations).
Specific roles for supervisors must include recovery, emergency and general supervision roles. All adult supervisors must be able to identify, and respond to, risks or hazards that may emerge during the activity, including the ability to:
- recover a student from the water
- be able to take control of the vessel if required
- operate signalling devices needed in a duress situation, including marine radio and
flares.
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. Consult the
Operating Standards and Guidelines for Australian Sailing for guidance on participant to supervisor ratios.
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 and all students in sight of at least one adult at all times
- 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, thunderstorms)
- must not allow students to be relied upon to recover a person in difficulty.
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 demonstrate capacity to perform an appropriate rescue procedure including using appropriate rescue aids.
At least one adult supervisor is required to be:
- a registered teacher with with demonstrated ability to undertake instruction and coaching in sailing who holds a
recreational marine driver licence issued by Department of Transport and Main Roads; or
- a registered
BoatSafe trainer, working under the direct supervision of a register teacher.
In addition to the above, for
medium risk activities:
- At least one adult supervisor is required to be:
In addition to the above, for
high risk activities:
- At least one adult supervisor is required to be:
- A registered teacher with competence (knowledge and skills) in the teaching or coaching of sailing, with current qualifiction in Certificate II in Maritime Operations (Coxswain Grade 1 Near Coastal) or similar; or
- An adult supervisor, working under direction of a registered teacher, with current qualification in Certificate II in Maritime Operations (Coxswain Grade 1 Near Coastal) or similar
and a relevant
instructor qualification from
Australian Sailing or similar.
In addition to the above, for
extreme risk activities:
- At least one adult supervisor is required to be:
- A registered teacher with competence (knowledge and skills) in the teaching or coaching of sailing, with current qualification in
Certificate III in Maritime Operations (Master up to 24 metres) or similar; or
- An adult supervisor, working under the direct supervision of a registered teacher, with a Certificate III in Maritime Operations (Master up to 24 metres) or similar
and a relevant instructor qualification from Australian Sailing or similar.
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 to ensure safe participation and that safety rules and procedures can be followed. Undertake a reconnaissance of new or infrequently used locations to ascertain suitability. Consider depth of water,
tidal flow, currents, visibility, underwater vegetation (e.g. coral), marine life (e.g. stonefish, blue-ring octopus, crocodiles, sharks, eels), and debris. Obtain advice from lifeguards, local authority or other relevant authority (e.g. Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing) about waterway conditions (e.g. contaminants, such as blue-green algae) and other potential hazards (e.g. rips, tides, currents, submerged rocks, water temperature, depth conditions).
A seaworthy vessel/s suitable for the activity (e.g. hygiene facilities, accommodation if required) must be used.
Vessel must have a fixed
Australian Builders Plate (capacity, capability and limitations of the vessel).
Life jackets that comply with Australian standards for level 50 (smooth and partially smooth waters), 100, 150, 275 (beyond partially smooth waters) that are brightly coloured, are the correct size for the wearer and adjusted correctly must be worn at all times while on the water.
Equipment must have Australian Standard certification and comply with the requirements of that schedule (e.g. life jackets, safety harnesses, sailboats).
Safety harnesses, if used, must be able to be released by the students in any situation, as per Australian Standards.
Participants must wear
personal protective equipment as relevant for the location and conditions (e.g. sunscreen, wetsuits, stinger protective swimwear, thermal underwear, fleece, enclosed footwear with thick soles when boating/launching where dangers such as stonefish may be present).
Prescription spectacles and sunglasses, if worn, to be secured with a suitable restraint.
Minimum safety equipment appropriate to the activity as per
safety equipment for boats in Queensland must be available.
Equipment must be sized to match the ability and strength of students.
Equipment correctly waterproofed and stowed securely in the vessel.
A retirement schedule must be developed to replace plant and equipment by manufacturers' nominated expiry date or when significant wear causes a hazard.
Ensure adequate fuel, drinking water, food and shade is available for the duration of the activity.
Access to waterways for emergency vehicles and vessels must be available.
No single navigation system to be relied upon. Where an electronic system (e.g. GPS) is used, have spare batteries and another position-fixing method available (e.g. chart and compass).
Follow appropriate procedures for the use of incendiary devices, such as flares.
Ensure there is some means of reefing the sails when strong winds are likely to affect the activity. Note: Reefing may be undertaken by removing one or more sails from the standard working set of the large craft. Smaller sets of sails may be used as an alternative to reefing.
If privately owned equipment is being used, principal approval and owner consent/insurance details must be obtained prior to the activity (e.g. volunteer owned/operated vessels).
Private craft must have a signed
Queensland Special Regulations Equipment Audit form relevant to the craft type and conditions.