SV17 - Supervision of People with Disabilities
| Issue Date | Effective Date | Version |
|---|---|---|
| 20/01/2018 | 01/09/2019 | 1.0 |
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:
- 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 | Paraplegia Cerebral palsy diplegia Learning disabilities Polio Legge-Perthes | Independence Common method of entry | Rough poolside cause abrasions | Using hands to support at waist level, assistant can steady entrance to water |
| Forward entry from poolside with/without support | Swimmers with sitting balance | Paraplegia Cerebral palsy Non weight bearing swimmers Legge-Perthes | Maximum or minimum support can be given Leads to more independence | Rough poolside cause abrasions | Hands on assistant’s shoulders and support at waist level initially. Can reduce to hand on elbow, then hand on hand and eventually independence |
| Diving | Swimmers with good control sitting on blocks | Lower limb amputees/dysmelia | From sitting on poolside or sitting on blocks | Care over water depth Check allowed to dive (VI, Down’s syndrome) Rough surfaces on some blocks | Covering blocks with chamois |
| Diving | Swimmers with ability to stand on blocks with/ without support | Amputees Cerebral Palsy Learning disabilities Visually impaired Hearing impaired | Fastest entry for competition | Some swimmers may find blocks awkward to get on to | Some swimmers may require assistance of support at hip level to control balance |
Exits
| 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, when cold | Helpers required in pool and on poolside |
| Steps | Swimmers with lower or one side of body strength | Hemiplegia Single arm amputees Learning disabilities Arthritis | Usual method of exit available in most pools | Slippery Steep Small footholds | Assistant able to support from behind swimmer to hold through to hand rails. Helper to be available on poolside |
| Push up to pool side | Swimmers with good upper body strength i.e. paraplegia | Paraplegia Cerebral palsy diplegia Learning disabilities | Independence Common method of entry | Rough poolside cause abrasions | Use mat/towel to cover poolside Help from behind at waist level |
| Use of poolside corner to push up | Swimmers with good upper body strength i.e. paraplegia | Paraplegia Cerebral palsy diplegia Learning disabilities | Independence | Differing heights of poolside at corners | Use mat/towel to cover poolside |
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:
- 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
