Introduction

These guidelines, in two parts, refer to:

• SCUBA diving for non-qualified students who are currently becoming qualified. These guidelines should be read in conjunction with the Australian Standard 4005.1 - Australian Standard, Training and Certification of Recreational Divers.
• SCUBA diving where all participants are qualified.

Parents must be informed of full details of the location, supervision to be provided, activities to be undertaken, degree of difficulty, the contact system, cost and intended departure and return times before their written permission is obtained. The permission note must contain a clause authorising medical aid if it is considered necessary by the supervising teacher. The note should also include a section where the parent advises the school of any illness or medical condition that the student suffers from, or any medication the student is currently taking (including asthma sprays, etc).

Each student must:

• obtain a full medical (from a general practitioner experienced in diving medicine) within one month prior to the commencement of the course. If the student suffers from a medical condition which puts that student at risk in the water, that student is not to participate.
• be able to swim 200 metres using a recognised stroke and tread water for ten minutes
• be at least 15 years of age
• have satisfactorily completed appropriate theory and pool sessions before ocean dives.

Teachers planning scuba diving activities need to be familiar with the procedures detailed in the memoranda Excursions and Other Visits (97/137) and Cruelty to Animals (DG96/169).

Students are to be instructed to use adequate sun protection, eg. an SPF15+, broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen reapplied regularly.

Infectious Diseases (Blood Procedure)

Nonqualified Divers

Supervision

For all SCUBA diving activities, there must always be a minimum of two supervisors. A teacher must be present and have overall responsibility for the activity. A teacher must have current CPR training.

As instructor-student ratios must always be met by qualified staff, if the second supervisor is not included in the ratio then this person does not have to have SCUBA diving qualifications.

Instructor to student ratio: 1:4 open water, 1:10 pool. At times, the supervision may need to be increased. Principals and organising teachers should take into account such factors as the age, experience and maturity of the students, venue conditions and experience and qualifications of the adult supervisors when arranging supervision.

For ocean dives, the teacher-in-charge must produce a documented risk assessment of the activity prior to the activity being approved by the principal. This assessment will identify major risks and hazards and make judgements as to the likely occurrence of difficulties, their severity and consequences. It will indicate any actions that are being taken to minimise or reduce risks and hazards (Refer to page 71 of this document for Risk Management Procedures).

Teacher/Instructor Qualifications and Experience

The teacher or instructor must be a current National Accredited Coach Level 2 (SCUBA INSTRUCTOR). The teacher or the instructor must have had experience at the dive site.

The instructor must have had a minimum of six hours SCUBA in the last six months and twenty hours in the last two years. A log book must be sighted by the school to verify this requirement.

Other adults acting in a supervisory role from a boat or on shore and counted in the ratio, must hold as a minimum: • a current Bronze Medallion of the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia, or

• a current Bronze Medallion of the Surf Life Saving Association of Australia, or
• a Surf Rescue Certificate of the Surf Life Saving Association of Australia and be familiar with the safety requirements of the activity.

Other staff, if diving with the group, must be qualified divers and be able to demonstrate competency and recent experience in SCUBA diving, in addition to the above requirements.

Paid instructors who are not teachers must have appropriate public liability insurance and workers compensation insurance or equivalent.

Equipment

Minimum equipment would include:

• exposure suits (wet suits plus hoods if conditions warrant)
• inflatable buoyancy compensating vests (Buoyancy Control Devices)
• weight belt with quick release buckle
• air cylinder conforming to Standards Australia specifications with a current test stamp and regulators fitted with a submersible contents gauge
• snorkel attached to mask which has tempered glass
• dive flag to be displayed at the diving site. This should be towed by the instructor (or fixed to the boat if a boat dive).
• gloves if necessary
• watch or dive timer
• depth indicator and alternate air source.

Under no circumstances are spear guns, hand spears or knives to be used.

It is the responsibility of the instructor or leader to ensure that all students are adequately equipped and that all equipment is in good order prior to departure.

Where appropriate, students should have warm clothing available following the dive and access to water drinks to combat dehydration.

Dive boats must be registered surveyed vessels.

A well-equipped diving medical kit must be on site. The kit must include oxygen resuscitation equipment. The instructor must be accredited in its use.

A mobile phone to be used in emergency situations is desirable on all dives but leaders should allow for the fact they may not operate in all locales. The teacher-in-charge must be aware of the location of nearest phone and DES (Diver Emergency Service - phone number 1800 088200) and the nearest compression chamber (or hyperbaric Unit).

Venues

The instructor must have current first-hand knowledge of the dive site to be used and be certain of its suitability for the program and the group.

The teacher-in-charge must ensure that there are no restrictions on the use of the location. If in doubt, a check must be made with the NSW Waterways Authority and other relevant authorities such as the Department of Fisheries.

Diving must not be undertaken in conditions where visibility is less than three metres, where the current is greater than 0.5 knots or where unbroken waves are greater than 0.5 metre in height. Depth to be no more than 15 metres during training.

The diving site must be clearly defined to the divers in the pre-dive briefing. Exit and entry points must have minimal water movement and must be safe.

The area must be free from obvious dangers such as boat traffic, people fishing and dangerous marine animals.

The site must have Divers' flags displayed.

Safety

Trips need to be well planned. Students must be briefed in regard to safety issues. The teacher-in-charge should carry a card detailing procedures to follow in emergencies and contact numbers. All party members should know how to put these procedures into practice.

Procedures must be in place to ensure that every diver has returned to the boat or shore prior to departure from the dive site. Buddy practice is to be maintained at all times.

Great care needs to be taken to avoid extreme weather conditions. It is incumbent on the teacher-in-charge to check the weather forecast to determine that conditions are acceptable for the duration of the dive.

Transport must be readily available in case of emergency.

Limits are to be set on group movements (particularly depth).

Logs are to be completed after each dive. All members of the group are to be involved in a pre-dive plan and post dive debrief. The debrief should include checks for ear discomfort, headaches, breathing problems, depth times and air reserve limits.

Environment

Students should be briefed beforehand on nature conservation issues and the need to protect the marine environment. Marine life is to be observed, not touched or disturbed.

Divers are not to collect any natural objects or relics while on their dive unless a licence has been obtained for marine studies. If rocks are turned over, they are to be replaced. Wreck sites are not to be disturbed.

Qualified Divers

Introduction

These procedures refer to Scuba Diving where all participants are qualified. The following information is additional to that outlined in the previous section.

Each student must:

• have a SCUBA Diver Certificate issued by an approved NCAS instructor
• have medical clearance to dive (from a general practitioner experienced in diving medicine) within the last 12 months.

Teacher/Instructor Qualifications and Experience

The teacher or instructor must hold (as a minimum) a current NCAS Level 1 or 2 SCUBA INSTRUCTOR qualification or a NCAS Dive Supervisor qualification or equivalent.

A minimum participation of six hours SCUBA in the last six months and twenty hours in the last two years is required. A log book must be sighted by the school to verify this requirement.

A teacher must be present who has recognised current training in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and emergency care.

Supervision

Instructor to student ratio is 1:8. Principals and organising teachers should take into account such factors as age and experience of the students, venue characteristics and weather conditions when determining if increased supervision is required.

For ocean dives, the teacher-in-charge must produce a documented risk assessment of the activity prior to the activity being approved by the principal. This assessment will identify major risks and hazards and make judgements as to the likely occurrence of difficulties, their severity and consequences. It will indicate any actions that are being taken to minimise or reduce risks and hazards.

All diving is to be conducted within the limits of the participants qualification ie. open water not to exceed 18m in depth. If students are completing further courses, ie. Advanced Diver, they must be trained by a current National Accredited Coach Level 2 who must comply with the rules and mandatory procedures set by their organisation.

The dive plan must include discussion of local hazards which may include strong currents and conditions, boat traffic and potentially dangerous marine life.