Camps & excursions guidelines for schools and preschools

8.13 Diving

Preschools: These activities are not considered suitable

8.13.1 Platform/springboard

Preschools: This activity is not considered suitable

Leadership team qualifications and experience
Teacher-in-charge / Instructors:

Must have a diving qualification and be capable of effecting a rescue from the bottom of the pool.

• 
  Years 5–7: OTC (formerly Level 0 coaching)
  
• 
  Years 8–12: Level 1 coaching
  

First Aid:

See 2.5.4.

Leadership team-to-student ratio

• 
  1:6 required
  
• 
  Two leaders required.
  

Area/location

To be conducted at centres approved by the DECS Swimming and Aquatics Unit.

• 
  General swimming must be prohibited in the diving area
  
• 
  Floating equipment, eg kickboards, should be removed from pool
  
• 
  Lighting and visibility of bottom of pool must be good
  
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  Depth of water in the diving area should be plainly marked and visible
  
• 
  Diving area should be suitably roped off when boards are in use
  
• 
  Three metre diving standards and platforms should have adequate safety rails
  
• 
  The diving standard should be firm and boards securely fastened
  
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  Boards should extend a safe distance over the side of the pool, at least 1.5m
  
• 
  All safety precautions associated with pools and current water quality regulations must be met.
  

Equipment/preparation

• 
  Ensure equipment is safe — boards should not be slippery
  
• 
  A spinal board must be located close to the diving pool.
  

Safety/supervision

• 
  Exhale through nose on feet-first entries
  
• 
  Never ‘rough-house’ on the board — this includes running and pushing
  
• 
  Only one person should use the boards at a time
  
• 
  Never try double or triple bouncing off the board
  
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  Do not hang from the board
  
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  Never dive in less than 2.4m of water
  
• 
  Untrained divers require a greater area for landing than trained divers.
  

For further information refer to the Diving SA website at: http://www.divingsa.com.au/

8.13.2 Snorkelling

Preschools: This activity is not considered suitable

Leadership team qualifications and experience
Instructors:
Start pool
Austswim required minimum or similar qualification (see Open water) plus Level 0 snorkel instructor.
Open water
One of the following required:

• 
  Level 1 snorkel instructor
  
• 
  Scuba Instructor’s Certificate.
  

In addition recommended:

• 
  years 5–7: OTC (formerly Level 0 coaching)
  
• 
  years 8–12: Level 1 coaching
  
• 
  Leader must be able to effect rescue from the bottom
  

First Aid:

Senior First Aid required

See 2.5.4.
Instructor-to-student ratios

Start pool: - recommended

• 
  1:12 for years 3–7
  
• 
  1:15 for years 8–12
  
• 
  1:6–1:1 for students with disabilities, depending on severity
  

Open water: - required

• 
  1:10 for years 3–7
  
• 
  1:12 for years 8–12
  
• 
  1:4–1:1 for students with disabilities, depending on severity
  
• 
  1:6 in confined water (freshwater sink holes and springs). Years 10-12 only
  

It is recommended that students under eight years of age should not snorkel due to the risk of breathing expired air through the snorkel.

Area/location

Sheltered waters only.

Safety/supervision

• 
  Participants should be proficient swimmers
  
• 
  Leader with first aid qualifications or knowledge and capable of rescue should observe from the edge of the start pool.
  

Open water:

• 
  Teacher-in-charge / instructor to assess conditions eg weather, tides, rips, visibility and clearly define area to be used and standard of conduct
  
• 
  *Wetsuit must be worn, full-length with hood for confined water
  
• 
  Do not wear weight belts
  
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  Observer able to rescue should observe in close proximity, possibly on a surfboard
  
• 
  ‘Diver below’ flags to be used.
  

8.13.3 Scuba diving

Only available to students 14 years and over.

Leadership team qualifications and experience
Teacher-in-charge / instructors:

Must have the following scuba diving qualification or equivalent:

• 
  National accredited coach Level 2 of the Australian Underwater Federation — Level 1 instructors must be supervised by Level 2 instructors First Aid: Senior First Aid or Advanced Rescue Certificate and Oxygen First Aid for Divers required.
  

Leadership team to-student ratio

1:6 required.

Area/location

Carefully select the environment with reference to emergency action procedures.

Safety/supervision

Prior to acceptance in the course participants must:

• 
  be 14 years or over
  
• 
  be certified medically fit for diving (within 90 days of commencement of course)
  

demonstrate the following without the aid of mask, fins and snorkel:

• 
  float or tread water for 10 minutes
  
• 
  swim 200 metres on the surface.
  

Course guidelines:

• 
  Wear properly fitting wetsuit and hood
  
• 
  Wear buoyancy control device (jacket)
  
• 
  Scuba systems must be fitted with an alternative air supply
  
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  One dive should be included in the basic training program
  
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  Basic instruction should include a scuba rescue, expired air resuscitation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
  
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  After basic training, participants to limit their dives to 18 metres or less
  
• 
  Participants should be trained to complete a basic scuba course
  
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  Diving involving decompression should not be attempted
  
• 
  Discourage repetitive diving — limit a second dive to 9 metres
  
• 
  Immediately refer medical problems to Divers Emergency Service telephone [phone].