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. At least one adult supervisor must be able 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.
One adult supervisor who holds a
recreational marine driver licence must travel in the vessel with the student/s under instruction, providing direct and immediate supervision to students operating vessels. For schools that own and operate their own vessels, consult Section 18A of the Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Act 1994 and consider the additional conditions when determining whether the adult supervisor is required to travel in the vessel with students.
A second adult supervisor must act as a
lookout. The
lookout must watch for approaching vessels, dangerous marine life and students in difficulty.
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 to be embarked in each training ship.
For
medium and
high risk activities:
- At least one adult supervisor is required to be a registered teacher with demonstrated ability to undertake instruction and training in power boating who holds a minimum of 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 registered teacher.
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). Vessels with basic flotation are not to operate outside smooth waters and vessels with level flotation are not to operate more than 15 nautical miles (nm) from land.
When operating tiller steered vessels, an engine kill switch lanyard must be worn at all times by operators.
All activities supported by a 'mother ship'.
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.
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 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.
Consult chemicals in curriculum activities for support in assessing the risks of chemicals used with/by students in curriculum activities.
If a CARA record is required in OneSchool, a summary of chemicals, plant, equipment and/or materials used in the activity must be provided by entering directly onto the CARA record in OneSchool or by attaching a summary. Sample templates are provided on chemicals in curriculum activities and plant, equipment and materials in curriculum activities.
Keys and starting devices must be removed when not in use and stored in a separate locked location.
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).