To provide guidance on the safe supervision of people with disabilities using aquatic facilities.
Disability Access
The Federal Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (D.D.A.) provides protection for everyone in Australia against discrimination based on disability. It encourages everyone to be involved in implementing the Act and to share in the overall benefits to the community and the economy that flow from participation by the widest range of people.
In practice this means that new facilities should incorporate the ideal. Older facilities require innovative ways of making access easier. The Guidelines for Safe Design of Aquatic Facilities have been developed to reflect best practice access to aquatic facilities.
Assisting and Handling
A Risk assessment is the key to all safety, assisting and handling activities in the swimming pool environment relating to both people and equipment.
Aquatic Facility staff should be familiar with mechanical lifting aids, so they can use them safely. Staff should be alerted to the presence of people with disabilities.
Some common sense principles for assisting and supporting disabled persons is as follows:
Swimmers with disabilities often need help to participate but avoid lifting wherever possible
Always encourage people with disabilities to help themselves and teach them how to do so
Make use of swimmers own arm and leg strength
Make use of graduated steps, sliding boards, shower chairs, etc.
Some swimmers will need assisting but always think, plan and prepare before you assist
Assist for the shortest possible distance
Be aware of rough surfaces which may cause abrasions
There may be occasions when manual handling cannot be avoided. Always discuss, plan and prepare before you assist. Before assisting and handling think about:
The task
The individual
The load
The environment
Aquatic Facility staff may also consider the following:
Ensure that any participants with balance problems are offered assistance when walking on a wet poolside
Swimmers with lower limb impairment may need assistance/prosthesis needed near poolside/alternative assistant (chair, skateboard etc)
Take care when a participant with paraplegia or those with minimum control of their lower limbs are entering the water as abrasions, which take a long time to heal, may be caused
Park wheelchairs parallel to the pool and ensure that the brakes are on
Be aware of swimmers who may have seizures. 1:1 spotters are required for persons with epilepsy
Walk on the water side of the pool when assisting someone
Safety of swimmer and helper is of paramount importance. Ask for help or further training if in doubt.
The following table provides further information on exits and entries.
Entries
Action
For Whom
Condition
Advantages
Disadvantages
Support
Use of hoist
Swimmers who require maximum assistance
Cerebral palsy quadriplegia Tetraplegia Severe arthritis
Secure Less pain
Not always available Slow, suspended entry
Banana board may be required to assist swimmer to slide from wheelchair to hoist
Steps
Swimmers with lower or one side of body strength
Hemiplegia Single arm amputees Learning disabilities Arthritis Polio Legge-Perthes
Usual method of entry available in most pools
Slippery Steep Small footholds
Assistant can steady/support by working from behind swimmer with hands holding rails under swimmer’s arms for safety
Swivel entry with or without support
Swimmers with good upper body strength i.e. paraplegia
The owner or operator of an aquatic facility should have policies in relation to the physical assistance offered by staff to people with disabilities.
Where assistance in part of the duties staff should be trained to deal with the range of special needs populations who are regular users of the aquatic facility
The training should include, but not limited to:
Safe manual handling techniques
Use of lifting equipment
Communicating with people with special needs
Removal of people with special needs during emergencies
Recognising specific behavioural movements of special needs patrons
Supervision
The Supervision of persons with a disability in an aquatic facility should not be based on their disability but rather their swimming and survival ability in the water and the medical nature of their condition.
Based on this premises Supervision should be provided consistent with the individual’s abilities and their risk of drowning.
Clothing and Personal Protection Equipment
Personal Protection Equipment
The owner or operator of an aquatic facility should take a risk management approach in regards to the wearing and supply of personal protection equipment for patrons with a disability.
All personal flotation devices should be fit to size of the child and consistent with Australian Standard Personal Flotation Devices AS4758:1
References
Aquatic Facility Management, Fawcett P. 2005. Human Kinetics, Champaign.
Managing Health and Safety in Swimming Pools, 3rd Edition, 2003, Sport England Publications, Wetherby.
Swimming Pool Supervision Guidelines and Recommended Standard, 1996, Hillary Commission, Wellington.
Previous Versions
Guideline SU12 Supervision of People with Disabilities, Issue 2, November 2005
Guideline SU11Special Needs Populations – Supervision, Issue 1, July 1996
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SV17 - Supervision of People with Disabilities
Purpose
To provide guidance on the safe supervision of people with disabilities using aquatic facilities.
Disability Access
The Federal Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (D.D.A.) provides protection for everyone in Australia against discrimination based on disability. It encourages everyone to be involved in implementing the Act and to share in the overall benefits to the community and the economy that flow from participation by the widest range of people.
In practice this means that new facilities should incorporate the ideal. Older facilities require innovative ways of making access easier. The Guidelines for Safe Design of Aquatic Facilities have been developed to reflect best practice access to aquatic facilities.
Assisting and Handling
A Risk assessment is the key to all safety, assisting and handling activities in the swimming pool environment relating to both people and equipment.
Aquatic Facility staff should be familiar with mechanical lifting aids, so they can use them safely. Staff should be alerted to the presence of people with disabilities.
Some common sense principles for assisting and supporting disabled persons is as follows:
There may be occasions when manual handling cannot be avoided. Always discuss, plan and prepare before you assist. Before assisting and handling think about:
Aquatic Facility staff may also consider the following:
Safety of swimmer and helper is of paramount importance. Ask for help or further training if in doubt.
The following table provides further information on exits and entries.
Entries
side of body strength
Single arm amputees
Learning disabilities
Arthritis
Polio
Legge-Perthes
in most pools
Steep
Small footholds
from behind swimmer with hands holding
rails under swimmer’s arms for safety
from poolside
with/without
support
balance
Cerebral palsy
Non weight bearing swimmers
Legge-Perthes
can be given
Leads to more independence
support at waist level initially. Can reduce
to hand on elbow, then hand on hand
and eventually independence
stand on blocks with/
without support
Cerebral Palsy
Learning disabilities
Visually impaired
Hearing impaired
awkward to get on to
support at hip level to control balance
Exits
side of body strength
Single arm amputees
Learning disabilities
Arthritis
in most pools
Steep
Small footholds
swimmer to hold through to hand rails.
Helper to be available on poolside
corner to push up
upper body strength i.e.
paraplegia
Cerebral palsy diplegia
Learning disabilities
corners
Training
The owner or operator of an aquatic facility should have policies in relation to the physical assistance offered by staff to people with disabilities.
Where assistance in part of the duties staff should be trained to deal with the range of special needs populations who are regular users of the aquatic facility
The training should include, but not limited to:
Supervision
The Supervision of persons with a disability in an aquatic facility should not be based on their disability but rather their swimming and survival ability in the water and the medical nature of their condition.
Based on this premises Supervision should be provided consistent with the individual’s abilities and their risk of drowning.
Clothing and Personal Protection Equipment
Personal Protection Equipment
The owner or operator of an aquatic facility should take a risk management approach in regards to the wearing and supply of personal protection equipment for patrons with a disability.
All personal flotation devices should be fit to size of the child and consistent with Australian Standard Personal Flotation Devices AS4758:1
References
Previous Versions
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