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. drowning, running aground, provision of
first aid, spinal injuries).
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, 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], flares)
- an appointed emergency contact (e.g. the Principal, a park ranger, 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. signalling for assistance, avoiding moving engine parts/propeller, location of first aid support and equipment, roll marking, process to rapidly communicate emergency advice to adult supervisors of impending severe events).
Access is required to
first aid equipment and consumables suitable for foreseeable incidents (e.g. heat pack, ice pack, vinegar).
An adult with current emergency qualifications is required to be quickly accessible to the activity area.
An adult with concussion management knowledge or training is required. Consult
Concussion in sport policy (PDF, 1.8MB).
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 qualifications include:
Induction is required for all adult supervisors on emergency procedures (e.g. drowning, running aground, provision of
first aid, spinal injuries) and safety procedures (e.g.
collision regulations,
Maritime Safety Queensland requirements, signalling for assistance, avoiding moving engine parts/propeller). 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.
universal hand signals (PDF, 267KB)).
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.
At all times, at least 1 adult supervisor with capability and competence (knowledge and skills) to assist/recover a student must be ready to perform a rescue.
At no time, should students be relied upon to recover a participant in difficulty.
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.
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 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, thunderstorms)
-
must not allow this activity to
occur outside daylight hours.
In addition to the above, or water skiing and/or wakeboarding behind a boat
- At least 3 adult supervisors are required to manage the activity safely in the roles of
driver,
spotter in the boat and
spotter on shore.
- Driver and spotters must have experience in the role and knowledge of the
universal hand signals (PDF, 267KB) used when water skiing.
- The spotter in the boat must hold a current first aid qualification and be prepared to enter the water (e.g. wearing life jacket) at all times.
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 demonstrated capacity to perform an appropriate rescue procedure including using appropriate rescue aids.
For water skiing and/or wakeboarding behind a boat, at least 1 adult supervisor is required to be either:
- a registered teacher with demonstrated competence (knowledge and skills) in teaching skills of water skiing and/or wakeboarding and demonstrated ability to perform rescues appropriate to the location. Examples of demonstrated ability include:
- competence (knowledge and skills) in water safety (e.g. current professional development from Royal Lifesaving such as
Swim and survive)
- a water safety and swimming instructor qualification from a registered training organisation (RTO) governing sporting body covering
SISCAQU002—Perform basic water rescues unit of competency
- a current bronze medallion appropriate to the activity environment; or
- another method determined by the principal
- an adult supervisor, working under the direct supervision of a registered teacher, with:
- demonstrated competence (knowledge and skills) in teaching skills of water skiing and/or wakeboarding
-
Level 1 (PDF, 358KB) coaching accreditation from
Waterski and Wakeboard Australia or similar
- demonstrated ability to perform rescues appropriate to the location. Examples of demonstrated ability include:
- demonstrated competence (knowledge and skills) in water safety (e.g. current professional development from Royal Lifesaving such as
Swim and survive)
- a water safety and swimming instructor qualification from a RTO governing sporting body covering
SISCAQU002—Perform basic water rescues unit of competency
- a current bronze medallion appropriate to the activity environment; or
- another method determined by the principal.
For power boating, the adult supervisor is required to have
all of the following:
For water skiing and/or wakeboarding at a cable park, at least 1 adult supervisor is required to be employed by the cable park, working under the direct supervision of a registered teacher, with:
- demonstrated competence (knowledge and skills) in teaching skills of water skiing and/or wakeboarding
-
Level 1 (PDF, 358KB) coaching accreditation from
Waterski and Wakeboard Australia or similar
- demonstrated ability to perform rescues appropriate to the location. Examples of demonstrated ability include:
- competence (knowledge and skills) in water safety (e.g. current professional development from Royal Lifesaving such as
Swim and survive)
- a water safety and swimming instructor qualification from a RTO governing sporting body covering
SISCAQU002—Perform basic water rescues unit of competency
- a current bronze medallion appropriate to the activity environment; or
- another method determined by the principal.
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. Consider underwater vegetation (e.g. coral, weed), marine life (e.g. crocodiles, sharks, eels), debris and protection from watercraft when selecting ski location. Assess suitability of surrounds and reach of water (e.g. local water conditions and hazards, traffic patterns).
Participants must wear
personal protective equipment as relevant (e.g. wetsuit pants, wetsuit or stinger protective swimwear).
Wet suit or stinger protective swimwear must be worn during colder periods and during the stinger season, if applicable. Adhere to the
Surf Life Saving Queensland marine stinger risk management guidelines.
Level 50 lifejackets as outlined by
Maritime Safety Queensland must be worn when participating in water skiing or wakeboarding activities.
Ensure access to waterways is available for emergency vehicles or vessels.
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 process for checking for damage for all equipment used in the activity must be established and employed (e.g skis, boards, ropes, helmets).
A retirement schedule must be developed to replace plant and equipment by manufacturers' nominated expiry date or when significant wear causes a hazard.
If privately owned equipment is being used, Principal approval and owner consent/insurance details must be obtained prior to the activity.