For Volunteers

As a Water Safety Supervisor, you play a vital role in keeping our members safe during all water-based training and activities.

Whether you’re overseeing a Nippers session, supporting club training, or managing a larger event, your leadership ensures the right supervision is in place—and that all activities meet Surf Life Saving Australia’s safety requirements.

Your Role and Responsibilities
As the Water Safety Supervisor, you are responsible for:

• Implementing appropriate water safety coverage during all Junior Activities and club training sessions
• Leading and coordinating the water safety team, ensuring each person is qualified and ready
• Completing Aquatic Risk Check and Management Form
• Working closely with key club personnel such as Patrol Captains, Lifeguards, Coaches, and Junior Activities Coordinators
• Ensuring SLSA policies and procedures are followed and adapted to your local conditions
• This role is essential in promoting a safe, structured, and responsive environment for everyone participating in water-based training.

Final Note
Water Safety Supervisors are at the heart of safe aquatic operations. By leading risk assessments and managing supervision, you help deliver professional, compliant, and enjoyable experiences for all participants.

If you’re taking on this important role, ensure you’re supported with the right training, resources, and communication with your Junior Activities or Club Management team.

Behind every surf lifesaving activity is a team of dedicated Water Safety Personnel ensuring every child, athlete, and member is safe in and around the water. Whether you’re supporting Junior Activities or surf sports events, your role is crucial to our success on the sand and in the surf.

As part of the water safety team, you’ll work closely with:

• Water Safety Supervisors
• Junior Activities Coordinators
• First Aid Officers
• Event officials and patrol teams

Together, you’ll provide the supervision and support that keeps our members safe and confident in the water.

Water Safety Requirements
To be part of the water safety team, you must:

• Hold a Surf Rescue Certificate or Bronze Medallion
• Be rostered and signed on appropriately
• Be in suitable water safety uniform (e.g., high-vis rash vest, cap, etc.)

Minimum ratios apply:

For Junior Activities, there must be at least 1 qualified water safety officer for every 5 participants in the water.

Note: Your club or branch may have additional water safety coverage requirements. Always check local policies before an event.

Surf Life Saving Queensland is committed to creating a safe, supportive, and engaging environment for all young members—especially those in the Under 6 and Under 7 age groups. These early years are about building confidence, having fun, and introducing beach safety in a gentle and playful way.

To help clubs deliver a high-quality and compliant experience, the following guidelines apply to all U6/U7 Junior Activities sessions.

Key Safety and Participation Guidelines

1. Minimum Age Requirement

Children must be 5 years old before they can participate in Junior Activities.
Age is determined as of midnight, 30 September in the year of joining.
Children who turn 5 after this date can join mid-season but will remain in the U6 age group again the following year.
Clubs must sight proof of age (e.g. birth certificate) before accepting membership.

2. Session Duration

U6/U7 sessions should be shorter and less intensive than older age groups to match children’s attention spans and physical ability.
Clubs are encouraged to keep sessions flexible, engaging, and age-appropriate.

3. Parent Involvement and Supervision

Clubs may require additional parental support for these age groups.
Consideration should be given to increased duty of care, especially during transitions and water-based activities.

4. Distinctive Cap Colour

All U6 and U7 participants must wear a bright, easily identifiable cap (e.g. fluorescent green) that is clearly different from all other age groups.
This helps Age Managers and Water Safety personnel monitor younger children more effectively.

Water Activity Guidelines

5. Water Depth Restrictions

All U6/U7 water-based activities must be conducted in shallow water only—no deeper than knee height of the child.

6. Approved Equipment Use

Children may use club-issued foam boogie boards in shallow water (e.g. whitewash or broken waves only).
Boards must have no hard plastic, rails, or fins to ensure safety.

7. No Structured Competition

U6 and U7 Nippers must not take part in competitive activities.
All sessions should focus on social interaction, beach games, and confidence-building—never performance or competition.

SLSQ U8 Board Training

1. Criteria

Under 8 Nippers participating in activities within Surf Life Saving Queensland affiliated clubs are approved to use an SLSA approved Soft “Nipper” Board on both Nipper & Training days, ONLY when ALL the following conditions are complied with:

• Prior to any training, the Under 9 Preliminary Evaluations must be completed.
• A completed Under 9 Junior Activity Competency Record needs to be kept in the Documents section on Surfguard or the Club JAC can keep a registered list within your clubhouse. Please note you must not raise an Under 9 award in Surfguard.
• Training can commence from 1st January each year – (Exception North Queensland Branch from 1st August).
• Under no circumstance can an Under 8 compete in ANY competition board event.
• U8s on boards must be conducted on flat water only, NOT in surf conditions. (The definition of flat water can be found in Section 2 of this policy below).
• Participants must be Active, Financial members.
• The Club Risk Assessment must be completed by the coach and maintained as current.
• All U8 Board Training must be approved by the clubs Management Committee.
  NOTE: The training approval form specifically requests the Age Group and Location to be provided.
• Correct Water Safety is in place

Clubs should provide U8’s with an introduction to Soft “Nipper” Boards as per the SLSA learner plan
prior to any approved training session or at the end of the season prior to entering the Under 9 age
group.

2. Flat Water Definition

Flat water is defined as; Water with no or little current, little wind influence and very small waves.

Hazards are minimal and there is ready access to safe landing. The Risk Assessable elements to determination of flat water for the conduct of Under 8 Board training are explained in the below table.

If any control limit is exceeded, then Under 8’s on Boards cannot go ahead.

Any members taking part in Under 8 on soft nipper boards need to acknowledge this is taking place
on the overall Club Risk Assessment document.

The Nipper Safety Assistant award (NSA) is designed to assist clubs with additional resources for water safety during Nippers. This Award allows individuals who do not hold a Surf Rescue Certificate or Bronze
Medallion to support water safety personnel during Nipper activities under certain conditions.

All members must follow the SLSA Water Safety Procedure, or the State Equivalent, as a minimum when providing water safety services for members activities.

Read more here

Your essential tool for managing water safety risk

Before any water-based activity begins, the Aquatic Risk Check and Management Form must be completed. This form is:

• Mandatory for all Surf Life Saving water activities
• Required for use by accredited Water Safety Supervisors, Coaches, Activity Leaders, or Training Officers
• Designed to identify and manage risks based on local conditions

Activities covered include:

• Junior Activities and member training sessions
• Public programs and education sessions
• Surf sports competition activities

The form ensures a thorough review of environmental conditions, participant needs, and available resources before any session starts.

Where to Access the Form

You can complete the form:

Through the SLSA Members Portal
Go to: Library > Governance > Policies, Forms, SOPs > Forms > SLSA

Club and Branch Responsibilities

• Branches regulate use of the Aquatic Risk Check Form to ensure compliance across all clubs
• Clubs must ensure every water-based activity begins with a recorded risk assessment
• Branches may apply additional requirements, so always check with your local branch for updates or procedures specific to your area
• As a mobile app, for use directly on the beach or training area

To access the app:

• Download and complete the F049 – IT Systems Access Form via the Members Portal
• Once approved, you’ll be able to complete risk assessments from your mobile device in real-time

Some clubs may wish to conduct additional training, pre-season or mid week, outside of the normal Nipper program day/s.

For each training session, clubs are required to nominate a primary and a secondary venue along with a Water Safety Supervisor. This must then be submitted to the club for approval and recorded in the club minutes.

Note: As per the SLSA Policy 1.01 – Water Safety, adequate water safety procedures must be place prior to any water-based junior activities are conducted.
Please use the Nipper App for mid-week training attendance.

In Queensland, when visiting the beach or venturing into the ‘great outdoors’, there is a need to be sun safe. Too much exposure to the sun can cause serious damage to your skin and, in the worst case, may result in melanoma.

Whenever you are going in the sun, make sure you take adequate precautions to avoid sun damage. By following the simple steps of ‘Slip, Slop, Slap, Slide, Slurp and Seek’, you can enjoy the beach and outdoors safely.

Slip on a shirt
Long‐sleeved shirts will provide the best protection against harmful ultra violet (UV) rays.

Slop on some sunscreen
Apply sunscreen at least 15 minutes before going into the sun. For the best protection use 50+ sunscreen and be sure to re‐apply every two hours or after swimming.

Slap on a hat
Wide‐brim hats are best as they cover your head and provide shade for your face.

Slide on some sunglasses
Eyes are one of your most important assets and you have to take care of them. UV‐protective sunglasses will help prevent your eyes from getting sun‐damaged.

Slurp lots of water
When visiting the beach or staying out in the sun for extended periods, ensure that you drink plenty of water. Even if you are in the water, you can still dehydrate.

Seek some shade
Protective tents are a great way to protect you from the sun, but take care to ground them properly so they don’t fly away and cause injury to other beach visitors.

Recommendations:

• Avoid direct exposure to the sun during the hottest part of the day – between the hours of 10:00 am and 3:00 pm
• Clubs and branches are advised to ensure they have adequate measures in place to ensure the protection of Junior Activities members from the sun, e.g. Tents for shade cover, drinks stations on the beach, wearing of hats when not in the water

It is mandatory for all North Queensland Branch Junior Activities competitors to wear one of the following sun protection clothing options during beach events: Long sleeved club shirts, long sleeved rash shirts, or full length stinger suits.

SLSQ has a heat management policy, which aims to provide a framework for the effective management of activities where because of high temperatures, members may be at an elevated risk of heat illness. The objective is to modify the format of the activity so it may continue on a basis which minimises the risk of heat stress to participants.

For all heat management requirements, please refer to the SLSQ Policy ADM 17 – Heat Management Policy.

The following beach layout is a possible way to set up beach operations during a normal nipper day.