Swimming Pool Safety : Safety Advice

For the Public

Taking Children Swimming
A public swimming pool is a relatively safe environment, but wherever there is water there is always a hazard present and children are at risk. Supervision is imperative at all times, lifeguards are there for users safety but they cannot replace the care and attention of a parent for children who are using the pool, particularly if they are weak or non-swimmers. Consider the following:-

Familiarise yourself with the swimming pool and find out about the safety rules. Make sure you know how the depth of the pool changes.
Check how many lifeguards are on duty and where they are positioned
Do not leave your child unattended, even if they are wearing a swimming aid
Remind your child to walk in the pool area and only to enter the water with you
Encourage your child to watch what the lifeguards do and begin to identify which activities in the pool are dangerous
Enrol your child in swimming or personal survival classes

Encourage your child to shower before going into the pool, good hygiene will help maintain the water quality of the pool. If your child is not yet toilet-trained, ensure that they wear a specific swimming nappy that will prevent faeces from entering the pool.

The above considerations apply to private pools (hotels, gyms, holiday parks) and home pools as well, but as these pools are often not supervised by a lifeguard, the requirement for constant supervision is even more important.

Home pools should be fenced with self-closing, self-latching gates that cannot (or cannot easily) be opened by a child. Fences should be at least 1.1 metres and comprise vertical rails, making them more difficult to climb. Be alert to gaps that a small child could squeeze through. Safety covers and alarms are other safety devices but cannot be relied on alone. A combination of barriers and safety features can prevent or detect access by young children to the pool, but they cannot replace supervision. Always ensure that at least one responsible person is supervising children at all times and acting as a lifeguard in the pool.

Make sure you know what to do should an emergency arise. Ensure you know where to summon help if in a public or private pool. Consider taking a basic first aid course to learn resuscitation techniques. Keep a phone by a home pool.

Child admission policy for general swimming

"Pool operators will need to consider the number of young children (under the age of 8 years) allowed into the pool, during unprogrammed sessions, under the supervision of one parent or adult."
(Managing Health and Safety in Swimming Pools HSG179)

The policy adopted by a swimming pool should be arrived at following a careful risk assessment as the number of children that one responsible person can safeguard will depend upon a number of factors:

The design, layout and type of pool
The staffing levels, experience and qualifications of the staff
The swimming ability and maturity of the children
Whether suitable buoyancy aids are being worn by non-swimmers

The Institute of Sport and Recreation Management (ISRM) have issued guidance on child admissions which states that a responsible person, aged at least 16 years, should accompany all children under the age of 8 into swimming pools and go in the water with them. The guidance includes a standard ratio of:-

Children under the age of four should be accompanied by a responsible person on a one to one basis
Children aged between four to seven should be accompanied by a responsible person on a maximum two to one basis

For further details of the guidance go to www.isrm.co.uk/news/admissionpolicy.htm which includes some background information. Parents often complain about the adoption of the standard ratio and point out that it discourages swimming. This is not the aim and it should be remembered that the risk assessment is the most important thing in determining which ratio should be adopted. However it is clear that young children are more vulnerable in swimming pools and a number of deaths occur each year in pools where toddlers escape parental supervision, even just for a moment. Drowning is often a silent accident, rarely is there a cry for help or an audible splash, a child will simply become immersed and sink to the bottom.

Adult swimmers
If swimming in a public pool:-

Familiarise yourself with the pool environment and read the safety notices.
Make sure you know which is the deep and shallow end and whether diving is permitted in the pool.
Do not swim if you have drunk alcohol, taken illicit drugs or eaten a meal.
Allow at least an hour for food to digest before swimming
If taking prescription or over-the-counter medication, check whether it affects physical exercise or if it will cause drowsiness.
If you are feeling at all unwell do not start swimming or stop swimming
Swim within your limits, don't overdo it
Maintain good hygiene, shower before going into the pool

This advice applies to swimming in private pools and home pools also, although extra care may be needed in these pools as they may not be supervised by a lifeguard. Also when swimming in outdoor pools you need to be aware of the weather conditions and temperature. Beware sunburn and heat exhaustion in good weather. Do not become dehydrated, this can be exacerbated by alcohol. Stop swimming if you see or hear an electrical storm.