Guidance for Swimming Pool Operators
Apr 21, 2010
Attendees at the health & safety awareness day at Chudleigh, Devon in February 2010 were treated to a morning of practical advice by local Environmental Health Officers and industry experts. The event held at Finlake Holiday Park was one of eight such events promoting health & safety at camping and holiday parks across the South West.
In addition to the main sessions addressing issues such as risk assessments and fire safety at parks, there were four optional sessions, one of which was swimming pool safety. This session was presented by an Environmental Health Officer from North Devon Council giving the audience an insight into the aspects of pool management that enforcement officers would be most interested in when carrying out a park inspection.
Swimming pool risk assessments should be in place that consider risks in the pool itself, but also in the surrounding areas including changing facilities, spas and steam rooms. Risk assessments should be routinely reviewed, and of course, recorded where there are five or more employees.
Although there are no “Swimming Pool Regulations”, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has produced an excellent guidance document “Managing health & safety in swimming pools (HSG 179)’’ which sets a standard that enforcement authorities would use when assessing a pool operator’s safety management. Each swimming pool should have a written Pool Safety Operating Procedure (PSOP), which should include two key documents detailed in the guidance.
Normal Operating Procedure (NOP)
The NOP should set out the way a pool operates on a daily basis. It should include details of the layout, equipment, manner of use, user group characteristics and any hazards or activity-related risks.
The NOP can be used to explain the pool operator’s strategy with regard to supervision and the provision or absence of lifeguards on a continual basis. There is a well laid out flowchart within the guidance for working through the key factors which determines the need, or otherwise, for constant poolside supervision.
Emergency Action Plan (EAP)
The EAP should give specific instructions on the action to be taken by all staff in the event of any emergency such as a serious injury to a bather, disorderly conduct, overcrowding or emission of toxic gases.
Staff must not only be aware of the NOP and the EAP but also should be instructed, and trained, in implementing these procedures.
Swimming pool operators should regularly review the NOP and EAP to ensure they are kept up to date and continue to be relevant. It was evident from the training session at Chudleigh that failure to have adequate safety management procedures in place may lead to enforcement action.
Wilby Risk Management consultants have worked with clients in devising or reviewing pool safety operating procedures for their swimming pools. If you would like assistance with your PSOP or feel you would benefit from an audit of your swimming pool safety management in line with the guidance in HSG 179, please contact us.
“Managing health & safety in swimming pools (HSG 179)” can be downloaded from www.hse.gov.uk or contact us for a free electronic version.
