SV16 - Supervision of Non and Weak Swimmers

Purpose

To provide guidance on the supervision of persons 10 years and over who are not confident in their swimming ability or are not competent in their personal aquatic survival skills.

Definition

For the purpose of this guideline a non-swimmer or weak swimmer is a patron who is at heightened risk of drowning due to a lack of or limited experience, self-rescue and/or swimming ability and/or knowledge of hazards at an aquatic facility.

N.B. There is an inherent difficulty in defining an individual’s swimming and/or aquatic survival skills without conducting a form of assessment of the individual’s knowledge and skills within an aquatic environment. This is not expected of aquatic facilities.

Labelling an individual as a non swimmer or weak swimmer is not encouraged noting that even a strong swimmer may become weak after an extent of physical activity.

Scope

This guidelines refers to persons 10 year and older. Due to the behavioural development of children, a specific guideline applies to children under 10 years of age. See Supervision of Children (10 years and under).

Drownings in Aquatic Facilities of persons 11 years and over

Research conducted by Royal Life Saving Society Australia identifies that over 125 drowning incidents (fatal and not-fatal) have ocurred between 2002 / 03 and 2014 / 2015 at Aquatic Facilities of persons 11 years and over. This is an average of just under 11 per year.

Key contributing factors in these cases include but are not limited to:

• Inexperience in or unfamiliar environments - not knowing about and being prepared for risks and hazards
• Lack of or limited self-rescue and / or swimming ability
• Illness (e.g. epilepsy or pre-existing medical conditions)
• Acute injury (e.g. being knocked unconscious)
• Absence or lack of adequate supervision

Other factors that have occurred in some drownings include:

• Disobeying safety instructions
• Unrealistic expectations of young adults behaviour and self-control
• False sense of security when a parent or guardian mistakenly assumes an individual aquatic survival and swimming ability
• False belief that the presence of another reduces the threat of drowning
• False belief that safety devices such as a buoyancy aids, flotation devices and inflatable pool toys provide adequate protection
• Complacency because Lifeguards are present

These risk factors may be discussion points that the owner or operators of an aquatic facility can use to highlight drowning prevention strategies to Pool Lifeguards and aquatic facility staff.

From these simple observations, an owner or operator of an aquatic facility should implement a broad ranging program to manage the risk associated with non-swimmers. This should include but is not limited to:

• Policies
• Engagement and Public Education and skill development
• Parent / Guardian and Lifeguard Supervision
• Clothing and Personal Protective Equipment
• Facility Design

Policies

Entry Policies

However the owner or operator of an aquatic facility should implement policies to encourage patrons with inexperience / vulnerabilities or who may be non-swimmers to inform a staff member of their inexperience / vulnerabilities at the point of entry to the aquatic facility.

This may include, but not limited to, membership conditions, entry based signage / information, website information and information displayed in changing facilities.

Based on this information the owner or operator of an aquatic facility should have in place risk mitigation procedures to reduce the likelihood of drowning from occurring. This may include but is not limited to:

• Additional Parent/Guardian and Lifeguard Supervision
• Activity Zoning or restriction of activities / areas of the facilities where the depth is greater than 900mm
• Personal Protection Equipment
• Public Education and Skill development programs

Public Education and Skill Development

Swimming and Water Safety Programs

Where the owner or operator of an aquatic facility identifies within their aquatic risk assessment that it is ‘likely’ or ‘almost certain’ that a high number of patrons with inexperience / vulnerabilities or who may be non-swimmers attend their aquatic facility they should consider facilitating specific swimming and water safety programs to adults as a means of increasing the knowledge and skills of persons attending the facility. This includes but is not limited to:

• Offering swimming and water safety programs for Adults
• Safety demonstrations and activity days
• Swimming, Lifesaving and aquatic sporting programs

Education Programs

The owner or operator of an aquatic facility should have in place a dedicated Supervision Education Program to inform the public of the aquatic facilities policies and programs in place to support it.

The public education program may include but is not limited to the following:

• Publication of Aquatic Facility Rules at the point of entry
• Posters / Stickers
• PA Announcements
• Media Releases / Newspaper articles
• Community Service Announcements
• Promotional brochures
• Mail outs

Signage

The owner or operator of an aquatic facility should ensure adequate signage supporting the policies for the Supervision of Non-Swimmers is displayed at the following points:

• Entry to the facility
• Entry or exit of change areas
• Aquatic environments where this is areas deeper than 900mm or a change in gradient

Signage should be consistent with the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations – Aquatic Signage

Supervision

Parental / Guardian Supervision

Effective parent/guardian supervision should be provided consistent with the Supervision Plan. For the ease of simplifying criteria, supervision planning requirements should be as follows:

A risk management approach should be taken with the view of increasing the proximity, attention and/or number lifeguards at times when there is an increased attendance of non-swimmers at the facility.

Activity Zoning or Restriction

The owner or operator of an aquatic facility may consider zoning aquatic activities or locations which restrict patrons with inexperience / vulnerabilities or who may be non-swimmers and enable easier monitoring and quicker response by lifeguards.

This may include such things as:

• A line on pool deck which indicates a depth greater than 900mm past that point
• Lane ropes which indicates a depth greater than 900mm
• Restriction to certain activities

Clothing and Personal Protection Equipment

Personal Identification Clothing

Some facilities are choosing to adopt personal identification clothing (such as wrist bands) to assist Lifeguards and other facility staff in recognising persons with limited swimming and self-survival skills.

If the owner or operator of an aquatic facility considers the use of wrist bands, rash vest, caps (or similar) to identify and assist Lifeguards the clothing or equipment should be consistent in colour across the facility.

References

• Swimming Pool Supervision Guidelines and Recommended Standard, 1996, Hillary Commission, Wellington
• RLSSA Keep Watch at Public Pools Program
• RLSSA Lifeguarding Training Manual 5th Edition 2016
• Watch Around Water Program
• SLSA Review into Personal Protection Equipment (May 2015)