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, using rescue equipment).
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, VHF marine 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 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, thunderstorm, extreme temperature, tides).
Safety procedures must be determined for the location (e.g. righting a capsized craft, marine navigation requirements) and are to be informed by information provided as manufacturer’s instructions, product labels, vendor safety data sheets (SDS) and standard operating procedures (SOP) as relevant.
Access is required to
first aid equipment and consumables suitable for foreseeable incidents.
For participants with known allergies, schools must comply with the
supporting students with asthma and/or at risk of anaphylaxis at school procedure and the school’s
anaphylaxis risk management plan (DOCX, 159KB), including an adult supervisor of the activity with
anaphylaxis training.
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)
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HLTAID010 Provide basic emergency life support
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HLTAID011 Provide first aid
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HLTAID013 Provide first aid in remote situations; or equivalent competencies.
Induction is required for all adult supervisors on emergency procedures (e.g. separation from the group, provision of
first aid) and safety procedures (e.g.
collision regulations,
Maritime Safety Queensland requirements). 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. craft handling, righting a capsized craft, marine navigation requirements).
Supervision
If any of the following recommendations 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 standard.
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.
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.
At least 2 adult supervisors, one of whom is a registered teacher, are required for kayaking activities. Refer to the
Enclosed and Coastal Waters Paddle-craft Good Practice Guide (PDF, 715KB) and
Paddle Australia – safety guidelines for recommendations and factors affecting supervisory ratios.
One adult supervisor is required to either kayak with the learners or travel in a powered vessel in close proximity to the learners under instruction. The adult supervisor operating the power boat (if a power boat is being used) must have:
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 (e.g. wind direction, wave and swell heights) prior to undertaking the activity, inspecting the intended location in order to identify variable risks, hazards and potential dangers. Consult
Enclosed and Coastal Waters Paddle-craft Good Practice Guide (PDF, 715KB) 7.4.2 Recommended water and weather conditions. Cease the activity if conditions become unfavourable or visibility is poor.
During the activity, all adult supervisors:
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must be readily identifiable
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must closely monitor students with health support needs
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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).
This activity is not to be conducted during the
stinger season in waters that attract marine stingers.
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 1 adult supervisor is required to have a demonstrated capacity to perform an appropriate rescue procedure, including using appropriate rescue aids.
At least 1 adult supervisor is required to be:
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. Undertake a reconnaissance of new or infrequently used locations to ascertain suitability.
Participants must wear
personal protective equipment appropriate to the conditions to protect against sun, wind, rain, cold (e.g. hats, wetsuits, stinger protective swimwear, thermal underwear, fleece, enclosed footwear). Adhere to the Surf Life Saving Queensland
marine stinger risk management guidelines, if appropriate.
Prescription spectacles and sunglasses, if worn, secured with a suitable restraint.
Lifejackets suitable to the location that comply with Australian Standards 4758 for PFD Level 100, Level 150 or Level 275 (previously known as PFD Type 1) that are brightly coloured and are the correct size for the wearer and adjusted correctly must be worn at all times while on the water.
Participants must wear secured and correctly fitted helmets that comply with CE EN 1385:2012 while paddling in or out through surf, around rocks or reefs and when playing on-water games (e.g. kayak polo, tag games). Refer to the
Paddle Austalia safety guidelines for helmet specifications.
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 plant and equipment 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.
Sea-worthy craft and paddles suitable for the activity and water grade as outlined in Section 6.1.3 of
Enclosed and Coastal Waters Paddle-craft Good Practice Guide (PDF, 715KB).
One or more spare paddles suitable for the activity must be carried by the adult supervisor.
Safety, rescue and repair equipment suitable for the activity that conforms to
Paddle Australia safety guidelines must be available that is quickly and easily accessible to include (but not limited to):
- a whistle appropriate for water environments;
- a suitable means of cutting rope;
- throw-bags for Grade 1 or above waterways or rapids;
- a releasable means of towing a paddle-craft;
- a stirrup to assist paddlers back into the paddle-craft;
- a paddle float; and
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v sheet (coastal and open waters).
Access to waterways must be available for emergency vehicles and vessels.
Deckline system of at least 6mm in diameter that is secured to the deck with fastenings that will not fail under normal sea conditions and provide handholds for the complete length of the kayak is required.
Toggles (or other safe handholds) as near as practical to the bow and stern are required.
Equipment correctly waterproofed and stowed securely in the craft.
Ensure that 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.
Shade, water and food must be available.
If privately owned equipment is being used, principal approval and owner consent/insurance details must be obtained prior to the activity.