Student suitability for this activity is determined in collaboration with the qualified snorkelling supervisor.
Schools must consider age, maturity and skill level of students when planning curriculum activities. Confirmation of student water safety and swimming competence is required prior to participation. The process is determined by the school in collaboration with the qualified snorkelling supervisor 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 and consider student self-rescue skills in the specific aquatic environment.
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, such as
epilepsy) that may inhibit safe engagement in the activity and include specific support measures within emergency procedures.
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.
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.
Emergency plans and injury management procedures must be established in collaboration with the qualified snorkelling supervisor for foreseeable incidents (e.g. hyperventilation, safety signals, identification/control of drowning or injury hazards, separation from the group, rescue, provision of
first aid) and incorporate the advice from local authorities, for example, location of automated external defibrillator (AED), position and location of lifeguard.
Adult supervisors must have:
- emergency contact details of all participants
- a medical alert list and a process for administering student medication
- communication equipment in waterproof containers suitable to conditions (e.g. marine VHF radio, mobile phone, signalling mirror, sea emergency water dye) 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, for example, emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) or personal locator beacon (PLB), flares; light-weight poles/water noodles/ropes with a float attached for shallow, calm swimming areas; or a rescue tube/board for bodies of water exposed to rips, waves or currents)
- an appointed emergency contact (e.g. the principal, or local police) who is provided activity details (the location, 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, thunderstorm, extreme temperature, tides).
Safety procedures must be determined for the location in collaboration with the qualified snorkelling supervisor (e.g. water entry, out of bounds areas, head counting processes) and in compliance with the
recreational diving, recreational technical diving and snorkelling—code of practice 2024 (PDF, 606KB).
Ready access is required to rescue equipment (e.g. working emergency signal such as whistle or air horn, a suitable means of cutting fishing line or rope and a means of towing a person).
Access is required to
first aid equipment (e.g. defibrillator, emergency thermal blanket, tourniquet) and consumables (e.g. ice pack, vinegar) suitable for foreseeable incidents.
Induction is required for all adult supervisors on emergency procedures (e.g. separation from the group, raising alarm, rescue process) and safety procedures (e.g. signalling for assistance, roll marking mechanisms, process to rapidly communicate emergency advice to adult supervisors of impending severe events). 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 and in collaboration with the qualified snorkelling supervisor.
Instruction is required for students and adult supervisors on correct techniques (e.g. clearing a snorkel) to ensure preliminary water safety knowledge and learning prior to entering the water. Rule-reminders are to be provided throughout the activity.
Parent consent (DOCX, 309KB) is required for all activities conducted
off-site and all
extreme risk level activities conducted onsite. It is
strongly recommended that parent consent is obtained for
high risk level activities conducted on-site.
Supervision
Principals, in consultation with the qualified snorkelling supervisor of the activity, determine the final number of supervisors to fulfil instructional, emergency and supervision roles for the local context that considers the
recreational diving, recreational technical diving and snorkelling—code of practice 2024 (PDF, 606KB), the nature of the activity, students' ages, abilities and specialised learning, access and/or health needs. In some instances, the final supervision ratio may be 1:1.
Appropriate adult supervision must be provided to manage the activity safely (i.e. prevent an incident from occurring and manage an incident if one were to occur, including managing emergency situations). At no time should students be relied upon to recover a person in difficulty. The principal must give active consideration to the minimum standards set in the CARA guideline for the activity, the CARA planner and the risk assessment when determining the appropriate level of supervision.
See
number of adult supervisors below.
Prepare a supervision plan to prevent drowning that considers the advice provided in this CARA guideline. Consider
recreational diving, recreational technical diving and snorkelling—code of practice 2024 (PDF, 606KB), for support when supervision planning.
Where a lifeguard service is available, schools are to collaborate with the lifeguard on the contents of the CARA record prior to the activity for advice and to address any queries they may have. Note: The presence of a lifeguard service does not absolve the school of any supervision requirements unless secured for the sole purpose of the activity.
Participants must adhere to all rules and advice communicated by the local lifeguard service, facility operator/owner and any safety signage at the facility/location.
Before the activity, all adult supervisors:
- must be familiar with the contents of the CARA record, including the emergency and supervision plans
- 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 provide active and direct supervision—be constantly vigilant, attentive and rescue ready
- must comply with control measures from the CARA record and adapt as hazards arise
- must
not rely on students to recover a person in difficulty at any time.
The activity must be suspended if the conditions become unfavourable (e.g. poor visibility, extreme temperatures, thunderstorms).
Number of adult supervisors
To support decisions about the number of qualified adults required for the activity, confirmation of student water safety and swimming ability is required prior to participation.
See
frequently asked questions (FAQs) for further support.
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 and consider student self-rescue skills in the specific aquatic environment.
At least 2 adult supervisors, including a registered teacher to assume overall responsibility for the activity, must be appointed to supervise the activity. Consult the
recreational diving, recreational technical diving and snorkelling—code of practice 2024 (PDF, 606KB) for regulations regarding snorkelling guides and lookouts and supervision requirements.
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
- operate signalling devices needed in a duress situation, including marine radio and flares.
Specific roles for supervisors are determined by the qualified snorkelling supervisor to ensure compliance with the
recreational diving, recreational technical diving and snorkelling—code of practice 2024 (PDF, 606KB).
See
FAQs for further support.
Supervisor qualifications
Qualifications support the minimum safety standard for this activity. Principals make final decisions* in determining supervisor capability (competence, relevance and currency) and whether the activity leader meets an appropriate teaching standard.
*See
FAQs for further support.
All adult supervisors must comply with the
working with children authority—blue cards procedure.
Qualified adults for the activity
Recovery/emergency—CPR, first aid, rescue
At least 1 adult supervisor is required to have
current knowledge, judgement, technique and physical ability to carry out safe water rescues and enact an emergency procedure.
Supervisors must have CPR and first aid qualifications relevant to the activity. Emergency qualifications may include:
High risk activities
A snorkelling supervisor with qualifications or current accreditation in either of the following, or similar:
- qualifications in physical education teaching or similar and demonstrated capability and competence (knowledge and skills) in conducting snorkelling activities
-
SISOSNK002—lead snorkelling activities.
Extreme risk activities
In addition to the above, a snorkelling supervisor with:
- qualifications or current accreditation in the following, or similar
- qualifications in either
See
FAQs for further support.
Facilities and equipment
The qualified snorkelling supervisor, in consultation with the principal, determines the requirements for facilities and equipment appropriate to the local context and in compliance with the
recreational diving, recreational technical diving and snorkelling—code of practice 2024 (PDF, 606KB).
Snorkelling area of an appropriate depth, considering student age and ability, must be clearly defined. Consult the
water safety and swimming education program for guidance at each year/band level. Navigational markers must be appropriate for use in the context of the activity and local laws or regulations (e.g. flags, rope floats, anchored buoys linked with ropes).
Consider the use of binoculars and polarised sunglasses to improve visibility across and into the water for adult supervisors who are designated lookouts.
Snorkelling equipment (e.g. snorkels, fins, masks), that is correctly fitted and complies with the requirements of
recreational diving, recreational technical diving and snorkelling—code of practice 2024 (PDF, 606KB).
Equipment must conform to Australian Standards specifications, be properly maintained, hygienic, in good working condition, fit for purpose, correctly fitted and used as intended in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions (e.g. face masks with nose pockets and tempered glass, small-bore diameter snorkels for young students with snorkel length less than 30cm).
Equipment must be sized to match the ability and strength of students.
Weight belts must not be used.
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 drinking water, food and shade is available for the duration of the activity.
Access to waterways for emergency vehicles and vessels must be available.
In addition to the above, for
extreme risk level:
- first aid kit, oxygen and defibrillator is readily accessible, maintained and used by trained users (e.g.
HLTAID015—provide advanced resuscitation and oxygen therapy) in compliance with the code of practice
- ensure a pontoon, boat or float is in close proximity to students
- ensure flotation devices (e.g. water noodles) are available for participants and are in close proximity
- 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)
- ensure availability of a knife, dive tool or shears if there is a chance of entanglement.
Common hazards and controls
Further to those listed, include any additional hazards and control measures considering the local context of the activity.
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Biological hazards
Body fluids (e.g. blood, bowel motions)
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Manage open wounds before, during and after the activity. Consult
infection control guidelines and Queensland Health's
exclusion periods for infectious conditions poster (PDF, 1.4MB) for first aid and hygienic practices.
Identify appropriate swimming continence aids for students unable to manage their bodily functions.
Use student-owned equipment (e.g. masks), if possible, and maintain hygienic practices.
Oral/nasal equipment must be disinfected prior to use by another person
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Dangerous marine life
(e.g. crocodiles, sharks, stonefish, marine stingers, sting rays, sea snakes, blue-ringed octopus, cone shells, cyanobacteria, coral—scrapes)
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Check with the local authority (e.g. local government) for the presence of known water contaminants (e.g. blue-green algae) or other marine hazards (e.g. stonefish) at the location.
Look for and obey warnings and/or safety signs.
Follow
Queensland Government dangerous marine life and
Surf Life Saving Queensland marine stinger safety advice.
Marine organisms are not to be handled and contact is to be avoided.
Continually assess threat of dangerous marine life. Immediately move the participants to a safe location if dangerous marine life is detected or suspected.
Ensure stinger suits and/or footwear is worn in the water when appropriate
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Environmental conditions
Weather, sun, humidity |
Assess
weather conditions prior to undertaking the activity, inspecting the intended location in order to identify variable risks, hazards and potential dangers.
Follow the
school's sun safety policy, including appropriate swimwear (e.g. swim shirts), sun protection (e.g. sunscreen) and shade facilities when outside.
Follow the
managing excessive heat in schools guidelines when participating in very hot or extreme heat conditions.
Entry and exit to the site to be reviewed for obstacles and hazards and suitable for the fitness and physical capabilities of the participants
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Poor light |
Decrease the snorkelling area.
Glow sticks attached to the top of each snorkel.
A waterproof torch for each participant.
Increase the supervision ratio.
More frequent check-ins
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Water temperature |
Manage cooler water temperatures with additional control measures (e.g. shorter in-water time, wetsuits, etc.). Note: sudden temperature changes may trigger
seizures |
| Facilities and equipment hazards |
Control measures |
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Activity location |
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.
marine park managers) 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).
Snorkelling area of an appropriate depth, considering student age and ability, must be clearly defined. Consult the
water safety and swimming education program for guidance at each year/band level. Navigational markers must be appropriate for use in the context of the activity and local laws or regulations (e.g. flags, rope floats, anchored buoys linked with ropes)
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Vessels
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For
extreme risk level, continually assess threat of other vessels
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Manual handling
Lifting equipment, manipulating/moving students
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Use correct manual handling processes when
lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling or carrying
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| Student considerations |
Control measures |
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Deep water
Risk of drowning, submersion
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Allocate safe swimming areas (e.g. shallow water, next to the pool or water's edge) for non-confident or reluctant snorkellers.
Consult the
water safety and swimming education program for guidance at each year/band level to:
- provide learning experiences appropriate to swimming confidence, age and competence
- ensure depth of water is appropriate to swimming competence and age.
Ensure students with medical conditions participate in an easy access area (e.g. outside lane) in case an emergency procedure is required.
Closely monitor students in deep water.
Restrict access if turbulence may be expected (e.g. where a waterfall empties into deep water)
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Entanglement
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Wear swimming caps if hair poses a hazard.
Remove accessories (e.g. jewellery, lanyards) before participating
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Hyperventilation
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Encourage participants to take a full/deep breath before submerging. Closely monitor students for involuntary multiple, shallow breaths.
Do not allow competitive breath-holding or 'no-breath' underwater games. Consult the
FAQs for further information
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Injury
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Students aware of the location of emergency and first-aid equipment
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Physical exertion
Exhaustion and fatigue
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Continually monitor students for signs of distress (e.g. fear, fatigue, exhaustion, illness, hunger, dehydration, hypothermia, difficulty breathing and hyperventilation).
Adopt and rehearse a system of signals to clearly communicate the need for assistance if in difficulty.
Restrict underwater swimming to short-duration activities under close supervision.
Ensure drink breaks occur regularly. Make water available for individual participants between drink breaks
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Student issues
Student numbers, special needs, high risk behaviours, medical conditions, separation from the group
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Provide initial snorkelling instruction in shallow water.
Students must not enter the water until instructed to do so by the adult supervisor.
Participants to work far enough apart that they are not struck by another snorkeller kicking.
Participants must snorkel with a paired buddy.
Develop a procedure for students who may develop sea sickness.
Instruct participants to call or signal for assistance if a problem cannot be rectified immediately
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Swimming attire
Visibility
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Participants must wear
personal protective equipment as relevant for the location and conditions (e.g. sunscreen, high visibility stinger suit, enclosed footwear with thick soles when snorkelling where dangers such as stonefish may be present). Consider using the same colour fins or masks, or attaching coloured ribbons/high-visibility wrist bands for medically at-risk students (e.g. asthma, anaphylaxis, epilepsy) if appropriate.
Have students wear easily identifiable clothing (e.g. high visibility rash vest).
Ensure staff can easily recognise those students with health support needs (in and out of the water) and are familiar with their needs
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Additional links