DOUTS Event Participant Waiver & Risk Warning

Version 1.0 — August 2026

This Participant Waiver & Risk Warning (“Waiver”) applies to participation in activities organised or facilitated by the Diving Organisation of the University of Technology Sydney Inc. (“DOUTS” or “the Club”).

By registering for a DOUTS event and accepting this Waiver, you acknowledge and agree to the following.

1. Nature of DOUTS Activities

DOUTS is a volunteer recreational diving club.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, Club activities are conducted as peer recreational activities and DOUTS does not provide professional dive supervision, instruction or guiding.

Event Organisers and other Club members generally act in a voluntary capacity. The fact that a participant or volunteer holds professional diving, boating, medical, first aid or other qualifications does not mean that they are acting professionally in that capacity unless expressly stated.

Information concerning a dive site, conditions, proposed dive, hazards or other matters may assist participants but does not replace your own training, planning or judgement.

2. Participant Responsibilities

You are responsible for determining whether you are appropriately qualified, trained, experienced, medically and physically fit, and adequately equipped to participate in an activity.

You must participate within the limits of your certification, training, experience and personal capabilities and accurately represent relevant qualifications and experience.

You agree to comply with:

• the DOUTS Code of Conduct;

• safety requirements applicable to your participation under the DOUTS Risk Management Plan;

• any event-specific requirements; and

• reasonable safety and operational directions given by an Event Organiser, Boat Captain or other person responsible for an activity.

You remain responsible for planning and conducting your own dive in accordance with your training and recognised safe diving practices.

You may decline to commence, or may terminate, any dive or activity at any time if you do not consider it safe or appropriate to continue.

DOUTS, an Event Organiser or Boat Captain may refuse, restrict or terminate participation where reasonably considered necessary for safety, legal or operational reasons.

3. Risk Warning

WARNING: SCUBA DIVING, BOATING AND ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES INVOLVE INHERENT RISKS WHICH MAY RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

DOUTS activities may involve scuba diving, snorkelling, swimming, boating, shore access, handling diving equipment, travel to remote or exposed locations and related recreational activities.

Risks associated with these activities include, but are not limited to:

• drowning;

• decompression illness;

• arterial gas embolism, barotrauma and other pressure-related injuries;

• breathing-gas emergencies;

• equipment failure or malfunction;

• uncontrolled ascent or descent and loss of buoyancy control;

• entanglement or entrapment;

• separation from a buddy, group, vessel or shore;

• currents, surge, waves, tides, poor visibility and adverse weather;

• marine animals and other environmental hazards;

• slips, falls and injuries while carrying equipment or accessing a dive site;

• injuries while entering or exiting the water or boarding or leaving a vessel;

• collision with vessels, propellers or other objects;

• exposure, exhaustion, panic or disorientation;

• the acts, omissions or errors of other participants; and

• delayed access to rescue, medical treatment or emergency assistance, particularly at offshore or remote locations.

These risks may arise from environmental conditions, equipment, your own actions or decisions, the actions or decisions of others, or circumstances which cannot reasonably be anticipated or controlled.

The DOUTS Risk Management Plan identifies foreseeable hazards associated with Club-facilitated activities and measures intended to reduce those risks. The implementation of risk controls cannot completely eliminate the inherent risks of these activities.

You acknowledge that you have been warned of the general nature of the risks associated with participation in DOUTS recreational activities and that the consequences of those risks may include serious injury, permanent disability or death.

4. Acknowledgement and Assumption of Risk

Participation in DOUTS activities is voluntary.

You acknowledge that you are responsible for deciding whether an activity or particular dive is suitable for your qualifications, training, experience, health, equipment and personal capabilities.

You understand that scuba diving, boating and associated recreational activities involve inherent risks that cannot be completely eliminated.

To the extent permitted by law, you voluntarily accept and assume the inherent risks associated with your participation, including the possibility of serious injury or death.

You acknowledge that acceptance of your event registration, allocation to a dive group or vessel, or participation in previous DOUTS activities does not constitute an assessment or guarantee by DOUTS of your competence, fitness or ability to safely undertake the activity.

5. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, DOUTS and its officers, Committee Members, Event Organisers, Boat Captains, volunteers and members exclude or limit liability for loss, damage, injury or death arising from risks associated with participation in recreational activities organised or facilitated by DOUTS.

Nothing in this Waiver is intended to exclude, restrict or modify any statutory guarantee, right, duty or liability that cannot lawfully be excluded, restricted or modified.

Where applicable law permits liability arising from the supply of recreational services to be excluded, restricted or modified by agreement, this Waiver is intended to operate to the maximum extent permitted by that law.

6. Event Changes, Withdrawal and Costs

Diving and boating activities depend upon weather, sea conditions, vessel and equipment availability, participant numbers and other operational circumstances.

DOUTS may alter, postpone or cancel an activity where reasonably necessary for safety, environmental, logistical or operational reasons.

You may withdraw from or terminate your participation at any time if you do not consider it safe or appropriate to continue.

A decision not to participate or continue for personal or safety reasons does not of itself create an entitlement to reimbursement of costs already reasonably incurred or committed in connection with your registration.

Any event-specific cancellation or refund conditions presented with the event registration also apply.

Where an event involves a third-party provider, that provider's terms and cancellation conditions may also apply.

7. Emergency Assistance

You acknowledge that diving activities may occur in locations where rescue, medical treatment or emergency assistance is not immediately available.

Where you are unable to make such decisions yourself, you authorise DOUTS representatives to take reasonable steps to obtain emergency or medical assistance on your behalf.

Nothing in this section guarantees the availability or effectiveness of first aid, oxygen, rescue or medical treatment.

8. General

This Waiver is governed by the laws applicable in New South Wales, Australia.

If any provision is invalid or unenforceable, it is to be read down where possible or otherwise severed without affecting the remaining provisions.

The version applying to your participation is the version presented or linked to you when you register for the relevant event.

9. Participant Acknowledgement

By accepting this Waiver, you confirm that:

1. you have read and understood this Participant Waiver & Risk Warning;

2. you understand that DOUTS activities may involve inherent risks of serious injury, permanent disability or death;

3. you have been given the opportunity to consider the Risk Warning before participating;

4. you are responsible for determining whether you are appropriately qualified, experienced, fit and equipped for the activity;

5. you agree to comply with the DOUTS Code of Conduct and safety requirements applicable to your participation;

6. you understand that you may decline or terminate your participation at any time;

7. you voluntarily choose to participate and, to the extent permitted by law, accept and assume the inherent risks associated with doing so; and

8. you agree to the terms of this Waiver.

If you do not understand this Waiver or its legal effect, you should obtain independent advice before accepting it.