SV5 - Developing the Supervision System

Purpose

To ensure the organisational arrangements, systems, strategies and procedures relating to the supervision of an aquatic facility are developed.

Defining how the aquatic facility is supervised

The owner or operator of an aquatic facility should provide a supervision structure that is flexible, simple to implement and general in application. It should be tailored to meet the needs of the facility within constraints, such as the resources available. Specifically this includes:

• Staffing structure and arrangements
• Quantity, sitting and location of rescue, first aid and safety equipment
• Supervision procedures

Staffing structure and arrangements

Staff structure

The structure should reflect expectations relating to the facility's role in the supervision of an aquatic environment.

The structure should be flexible enough to allow for the early detection and intervention so that a small threat does not escalate to become a drowning.

The structure should also be able to change within a defined short timeframe with increased visitations.

The structure should also be able to manage other tasks (i.e. first aid treatments) that may have potential for diverting attention away from the scanning of the aquatic environment.

The structure should also take into account the limits of the facility's physical capabilities. Obviously, the scale of the structure developed will depend on the aquatic hazards associated with the facility and its resources. An over-commitment or under-dedication of resources will result in ineffective supervision of the aquatic facility.

The structure should have established and approved procedures and resources designated for the purpose, and personnel should be provided with the necessary information, knowledge and skills to carry out the responsibilities assigned.

The timing of when staff will be on duty and for how long while maintaining adequate rests, breaks and fatigue management practices should also be detailed.

Levels of Supervision

Levels of Supervision can vary from day to day. The Duty Manager or Facility Manager should define different levels of aquatic supervision for the aquatic facility. The aquatic risk assessment and the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations will provide guidance in determining the level of supervision required for the aquatic facility at any one time.

Single Lifeguard and Low Risk Pools (Formerly Low-Patronage Pools)

The owner or operator of an aquatic facility should consider the benefits of having more than one person on duty, particularly during an emergency situation such as a rescue or when first aid is needed. Having a minimum of two people on duty better ensures that emergency situations do not adversely impact on regular surveillance duties or put water safety personnel at further risk.

Where an owner or operator of an aquatic facility has assessed that it is appropriate to have only one Pool Lifeguard on duty, the owner or operator of the aquatic facility should ensure the following measures are in place so that the safety of aquatic users is not compromised and assistance can be immediately and adequately rendered:

• Their risk assessment and decision making process is clearly documented to support this.
• All Aquatic Facility and emergency response procedures, training and induction and/or safety equipment are in place that can be achieved by and has been tested for a single lifeguard.
• the total number of patrons within the facility at any one time and who may decide to enter the pool(s) virtually unannounced. This could result in a dramatic increase in the number of patrons in the water, an increase in risk and a need for increased supervision.

Please note: In accordance with workplace health and safety guidance for remote workplaces, If the aquatic facility is a remote workplace where additional emergency service support is not within 20mins and alternative arrangements for air support are not in place, more than one Lifeguard is recommended.

Lifeguard ratios

Owners and operators of aquatic facilities should ensure that Levels of Supervision are not based just on patrons numbers and that an effective aquatic risk assessment which takes into all contributing factors should determine the levels of supervision at an aquatic facility.

As a general guide the ratio of Lifeguards to people in the water should not exceed 1:100. This number should be reduced in high risk circumstances.

Types of Supervision

Supervision (or Scanning Strategies) can be defined according to type on the basis of the position of Lifeguards. The Duty Manager or Facility Manager should define the ‘type’ of supervision which should occur at different times / locations or under which circumstances.

Table 2 provides guidance for aquatic facilities in defining types of supervision. The model describes the type of supervision based on location of the Lifeguard. It should not limit the way in which an aquatic facility chooses to define its own type of supervision.

Scanning Zones and locations of Lifeguards

A Supervision Plan should describe and map out scanning zones which refer to which part of a Swimming pool or the aquatic facility each Lifeguard is supervising at any given time.

Certain zones at a facility (or areas within a zone) are known to frequently cause concern because of the number of patrons, the nature or intensity of patron activity, or because some physical characteristic of the zone (e.g. whirlpool, drop-off or slope) results in the need for frequent Lifeguard intervention.

Trouble zones or higher risk areas should be taken into account when designing the size and shape of zones, and when planning Lifeguard rotation cycles. Zones should overlap so the boundaries between them have double coverage. This makes sure every area is scanned. Having definite zones makes life a lot easier for all Lifeguards on duty and means each Lifeguard:

• is responsible for fewer people
• is closer to people they supervise
• can concentrate on a more manageable area
• can rotate between zones to keep alert and stop boredom
• can share supervision of risk areas with other team members
• can be assigned according to their knowledge, skills and experience.

Further information on Scanning Zones can be found within the RLSSA Lifeguarding Manual 5th Edition

Roles and responsibilities of the Supervision Staff

The Supervision Plan should include the defined roles and responsibilities of different staff (i.e. Lifeguards, Instructors etc.) with regards to aquatic supervision. This should include such things as:

• Personal health and wellbeing responsibilities
• Legal responsibilities
• Aquatic Risk Management
• Communication and Public Relations
• Aquatic Supervision
• Aquatic Rescue
• Other staff at the facility
• Equipment use and pre/post operational maintenance

Supervision Procedures

Supervision procedures are a series of steps that need to be followed when supervising an aquatic facility. When defining these procedures, it is important to recognise the limitations of people in performing tasks, particularly while under extreme stress.

Supervision procedures are generally of two types: those that relate to the general operations of the aquatic facility (i.e. general procedures to be adopted regardless of the nature, type and scale of users and activities) and those specific to the types of aquatic environments, users or activities at the facility.

A supervision procedure for each of the key risks within the aquatic environment should be developed for the aquatic facility.

The Duty Manager or Facility Manager should consider the following subject matters within each of the Supervision procedures:

• Facility Policies and Procedures
• Staff Policies and Procedures
• Education and Information for Aquatic Users
• Training and Induction for Staff
• Aquatic Supervision locations and ratios
• Equipment and Resources

At a minimum a Duty Manager / Facility Manager should develop supervision procedures for each of the following circumstances that occur at their Aquatic Facility:

1. Lifeguard Operating Procedures (general)
2. Supervision of specific aquatic users (CALD, Children, Older Australians, Tourists, Non-Swimmers and Weak Swimmers, Disabled persons, School Groups etc.)
3. Supervision of specific aquatic activities (i.e. Jumping and diving, inflatables etc.)
4. Supervision of each of the aquatic environments

Sitting and placement of safety equipment

The owner or operator of an aquatic facility should ensure that appropriate equipment is placed within specific locations. (See GSPO –Safety Equipment for further information).

Pool Plant Rooms Equipment

Safety Equipment for Pool plant room should be as follows:

• Personal Protection Equipment should be located at, in or near the Pool Plant Room — easily accessible at all times.
• First Aid, Eye Wash and Shower and additional Burns kits (if applicable) should be located at, in or near the Pool Plant Room
• Spill Kits should be located at, in or near the Pool Plant Room

Rescue, first aid equipment and first aid facilities should be located at convenient points and in areas where there is a higher risk of an injury or illness occurring.

A large pool may require first aid to be available in more than one location if:

• The aquatic Facility is a long distance from emergency services
• small numbers of persons are dispersed over a wide area
• access to a part of the Aquatic Facility is difficult or obstructed
• The Aquatic Facility has more than one floor level.

The design and provision of resources should consider such matters as:

• their safe and accessible location
• their ability to be moved to areas as intended
• their suitability for all tasks for which they are provided
• their readiness for use and ease of use
• the adequacy of estimations of quantities
• the provision of adequate quantities.

The functioning capabilities of safety equipment should be considered for all places (e.g. the alarm's ability to reach the people to be alerted), all times (e.g. at night and out-of-hours) and all circumstances (e.g. adverse weather conditions).

References

• AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 Risk management – Principles and Guidelines
• Lifeguarding, 5th Edition – Royal Life Saving Society Australia
• SISCAQU013 Coordinate lifeguard service at an aquatic facility
• AS 3745 – 2010 Planning for Emergencies in Facilities