CV2 - Treating the Risk of COVID-19 in Aquatic Facilities
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CV2 - Treating the Risk of Covid-19 in Aquatic Facilities

Issue Date Effective Date Version
20/10/2021 15/11/2021 1.0

Purpose

To provide aquatic facilities and swim schools guidance on assessing the risk of COVID-19 cross infection within their workplace

Scope

This guideline applies to aquatic facilities who are considering the impacts of aquatic activities or events which are being conducted under Australian Governments’ COVID -19 Social Distancing advisories www.health.gov.au/covid19-resources.

Risk Treatment

The owner or operator of an aquatic facility should consider a range of risk treatments to minimise the risk of COVID-19. These include but are not limited to the following risk treatment strategies:

  • Emergency Planning and Response
  • Vulnerable Persons
  • Staff, Contractor and Visitor Health Monitoring
  • Physical Distancing
  • Hygiene
  • Cleaning
  • Personal Protection Equipment

Vulnerable Persons

Some people are at greater risk of more serious illness with COVID-19. These include:

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 50 years and older with one or more chronic medical conditions
  • People 65 years and older with one or more chronic medical conditions
  • People 70 years and older, and
  • People with compromised immune systems

Specific guidance on vulnerable person as it pertains to COVID-19 can be found https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/covid-19-information-workplaces/industry-information/general-industry-information/vulnerable?tab=tab-toc-employer

Supervision Planning

Owners and/or operators of an aquatic facility should review and update their supervision plan as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in accordance with the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations – Supervision

At a minimum all owners and operators of an aquatic facility should include within their supervision plan arrangements for Lifeguards to proactively minimise the risk of COVID-19 within the aquatic facility.  However, supervision plan arrangements should ensure that Covid minimisation tasks do not detract from primary Lifeguarding duties.

Owners and/or operators should also test their updated arrangements they have developed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Specific guidance on supervision planning as it pertains to COVID-19 can be found at www.guidelines.royallifesaving.com.au

Emergency Planning and Response

Owners and/or operators of an aquatic facility should have an emergency plan in accordance with the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations - Emergency Planning

Owners and/or operators of an aquatic facility should review and update their emergency plan as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At a minimum all owners and operators of an aquatic facility should include within their emergency plan response arrangements following the detection of COVID-19 within the aquatic facility.

Owners and/or operators should also test their new emergency planning arrangements they have developed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Specific guidance on emergency planning as it pertains to COVID-19 can be found https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/covid-19-information-workplaces/industry-information/general-industry-information/emergency-plans?tab=tab-toc-employer

Specific guidance on an emergency response as it pertains to COVID-19 can be found https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/covid-19-information-workplaces/industry-information/general-industry-information/covid-19-your?tab=tab-toc-employer

Health and Fitness

In consultation with your workers, owners and operators of aquatic facilities must put in place policies and procedures relating to COVID-19, including what workers must do if they or a patron are diagnosed or suspect they may have COVID-19.

Owners and operators of aquatic facilities should remind workers to stay at home if experiencing any key symptoms of COVID-19 which are:

  • fever
  • coughing
  • a sore throat
  • loss of the sensations of taste and smell
  • fatigue, and
  • shortness of breath.

Owners and operators of aquatic facilities have an obligation to ensure workers with these symptoms do not attend the workplace.

In particular, consideration should be given to casual employees who otherwise may not be appropriately incentivised to stay home from work if they have, or suspect they have, symptoms consistent with Covid 19.

Specific guidance on health monitoring as it pertains to COVID-19 can be found https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/covid-19-information-workplaces/industry-information/general-industry-information/health-monitoring?tab=tab-toc-employer

Physical Distancing

Physical distancing (also referred to as ‘social distancing’) refers to the requirement that people distance themselves from others.

Aquatic facilities and swim schools should adopt the physical distancing requirement as relevant to their local State / Territory health rules.

Specific Consideration for Staff in Aquatic Facilities

It will not always be possible for workers and others to keep 1.5 metres apart at all times at the workplace. For example, workers may have to work closely with each other or others because of the nature of the task, such as:

  • Lifeguard performing a rescue or first aid.
  • Swimming and Water Safety Teaching
  • Training of water safety and/or rescue competencies for lifeguards and swimming and water safety teachers

Working in close contact increases the risk of workers and patrons being exposed to COVID-19. You must consider whether the work task must be completed or could be modified or rescheduled to a later date. If the task must be completed and your workers will be in close contact, your risk assessment should determine what control measures are reasonably practicable in the circumstances to eliminate or minimise health and safety risks from COVID-19, including carrying out tasks outdoors if practicable (or in well ventilated indoor spaces if working outdoors is not practicable), reducing the period of time for which people are in close contact, and ensuring that properly fitted face coverings are worn during any periods of close contact.

In addition to avoiding close contact with others where reasonable and practicable, and/or when unavoidable, owners and operator of aquatic facilities must implement other control measures. Depending on the level of risk present within the community and local public health orders, these can include measures such as:

  • Minimising the number of people within an area at any time (with particular attention being given to areas which are shared facilities such as break rooms).
  • Continuing to offer ‘Work-from-home’ opportunities to staff not required for immediate direct service, supervision or safety
  • Considering the need to train and re-train new and existing staff on emerging ways of managing the risk associated with COVID-19
  • Consulting with staff on the way that the facility is managing the risk of COVID-19
  • Limiting access to the workplace or parts of the workplace to essential workers only
  • Staggering start, finish and break times where appropriate
  • Moving work tasks to different areas of the workplace or off-site if possible
  • If possible, separating workers into dedicated teams and have them work the same shift or work in a particular area and consider whether these dedicated teams can have access to their own meal areas or break facilities
  • Providing if reasonably practicable each worker with their own equipment or tools (or if this is not practicable, ensuring that shared equipment or tools are cleaned between different users)
  • Modifying workflows and processes so that work tasks are carried out in a way that minimises interactions between people
  • Adjusting the physical layout of the workplace supports physical distancing
  • Erecting appropriate barriers are erected to minimise droplets transferring from workers and/or patrons onto each other
  • Requiring that workers and patrons wear appropriate face masks in line with public health guidance
  • Adjusting, where reasonably practicable, that traffic flows and session and/or lesson times are adjusted to eliminate or limit significantly the mixing of different groups of people
  • Erecting contact tracing check-in points in line with local State / Territory guidance which are prominently displayed and available throughout each part of the facility
  • Providing an adequate supply of uniform to staff to ensure cleaned and disinfected clothes are used each day
  • Providing staff with access to appropriate PPE in line with public health guidance
  • If available and reasonable and practicable with consideration to the increased costs, increase the number of supervisory staff to support the ability to manage additional necessary activities
  • Implementing temperature checks and/or rapid antigen testing where reasonable and practicable
  • Implementing procedure so that workers are supported with accessing testing, staying home if they have symptoms and/or becoming vaccinated
  • Requiring the staff to produce evidence of their COVID-19 vaccination status where reasonable, practicable and lawful
  • Changing or modifying activities so that activities take place outdoors where reasonably practicable
  • Implementing measures to improve ventilation and air quality in indoor spaces
  • Changing or modifying the activities to allow for social distancing and/or density limits
  • Implementing zoning barriers (such as hoarding) which permit 1.5m distancing
  • Reducing or restricting numbers suitable for the size of the pool or zone of the pool
  • Reducing the length of sessions and stagger times if reasonable or practicable to reduce mixing of different groups
  • Modifying the program to minimise team/group activities if reasonable or practicable
  • Modifying the program to restrict use of equipment such as kick boards / noodles etc that may be used from class to class
  • Where equipment is required, assigning toys/kickboards etc to individual students during class and clean and disinfect routinely
  • Adjusting program/training/lesson plans to reduce/inhibit face to face teaching and/or adopt distance to teaching for more advanced levels
  • Where available and/or reasonable, use of dolls or mannequins to demonstrate movement visually rather than hands on
  • Moving the location of the activity to other pools
  • Adjusting the physical layout of the workplace to support physical distancing
  • Providing appropriate barriers such as sneeze-guards (glass/Perspex) to minimise droplets transferring from workers and/or patrons onto each other
  • Providing web-based reservation and payment systems to minimise face-to-face interactions
  • If applicable, displaying a sign at each public entry that includes a statement with the maximum number of people that can be present in the facility at a single time and implement ways of ensuring these capacities are adhered to if applicable
  • Encouraging swim school participants and other users to shower and get changed away from the venue where practical. It is noted in colder climates they may create additional risk so should only be implemented when reasonable
  • Introducing hygiene stations at the entry and exit point of the facility
  • Implementing signage/floor markers for entry, access and queuing areas to support the maintenance of physical distancing
  • Identifying separate entry/exit options for patrons if multiple doors are available to create a single directional flow
  • Requiring that workers and patrons wear appropriate face masks in line with public health guidance
  • Adjusting, where reasonably practicable, traffic flows and session and/or lesson times to eliminate or limit significantly the mixing of different groups of people
  • Providing contact tracing check-in points in line with local State / Territory guidance are prominently displayed and available throughout each part of the facility
  • Adhering to existing public health regulations with regards to the disinfection of pool water which if maintained to regulated levels is sufficient to kill viruses such as COVID-19
  • If available and reasonable and practicable with consideration to the increased costs, increasing the number of supervision staff to support the ability to manage additional necessary activities
  • Implementing temperature checks and/or rapid antigen testing where reasonable and practicable
  • Requiring patrons to produce evidence of their COVID-19 vaccination status where reasonable, practicable and lawful.

COVID-SAFE information should never be placed on, over or in conflict with other key safety information – such as pool depth information or child supervision information.

Safety messages should not be confusing or conflicting and should be placed in accordance with the hazards present in each aspect of the customer’s journey through the aquatic facility. ‘Danger Deep Water’ for example is the most relevant information at or near deep water, not for example hygiene information.

Specific consideration for patrons in Aquatic Facilities

Owners and operator of aquatic facilities must implement control measures to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 among patrons in aquatic facilities. They should follow local health advice where provided. In addition to, or where local health advice is not provided, additional considerations can include:

  • Changing or modifying activities so that activities take place outdoors where reasonably practicable
  • Implementing measures to improve ventilation and air quality in indoor spaces
  • Changing or modifying the activities to allow for social distancing and/or density limits
  • Implementing zoning barriers (such as hoarding) which permit 1.5m distancing
  • Reducing or restricting numbers suitable for the size of the pool or zone of the pool
  • Reducing the length of sessions and stagger times if reasonable or practicable to reduce mixing of different groups
  • Modifying the program to minimise team/group activities if reasonable or practicable
  • Modifying the program to restrict use of equipment such as kick boards / noodles etc that may be used from class to class
  • Where equipment is required, assigning toys/kickboards etc to individual students during class and clean and disinfect routinely
  • Adjusting program/training/lesson plans to reduce/inhibit face to face teaching and/or adopt distance to teaching for more advanced levels
  • Where available and/or reasonable, use of dolls or mannequins to demonstrate movement visually rather than hands on
  • Moving the location of the activity to other pools
  • Adjusting the physical layout of the workplace to support physical distancing
  • Providing appropriate barriers such as sneeze-guards (glass/Perspex) to minimise droplets transferring from workers and/or patrons onto each other
  • Providing web-based reservation and payment systems to minimise face-to-face interactions
  • If applicable, displaying a sign at each public entry that includes a statement with the maximum number of people that can be present in the facility at a single time and implement ways of ensuring these capacities are adhered to if applicable
  • Encouraging swim school participants and other users to shower and get changed away from the venue where practical. It is noted in colder climates they may create additional risk so should only be implemented when reasonable
  • Introducing hygiene stations at the entry and exit point of the facility
  • Implementing signage/floor markers for entry, access and queuing areas to support the maintenance of physical distancing
  • Identifying separate entry/exit options for patrons if multiple doors are available to create a single directional flow
  • Requiring that workers and patrons wear appropriate face masks in line with public health guidance
  • Adjusting, where reasonably practicable, traffic flows and session and/or lesson times to eliminate or limit significantly the mixing of different groups of people
  • Providing contact tracing check-in points in line with local State / Territory guidance are prominently displayed and available throughout each part of the facility (such as QR codes)
  • Adhering to existing public health regulations with regards to the disinfection of pool water which if maintained to regulated levels is sufficient to kill viruses such as COVID-19
  • If available and reasonable and practicable with consideration to the increased costs, increasing the number of supervision staff to support the ability to manage additional necessary activities
  • Implementing temperature checks and/or rapid antigen testing where reasonable and practicable
  • Requiring patrons to produce evidence of their COVID-19 vaccination status where reasonable, practicable and lawful
  • Advising patrons of the inherent risks of the transmission COVID-19 associated with indoor close-contact activities and allow patrons to make their own decisions as to their own level of personal risk they are willing to adopt
  • Communicating appropriate hygiene and physical distancing measures at appropriate touchpoints through the facility such as toilets, showers, drinking fountains, queues, turnstiles and high foot traffic areas
  • If applicable under State / Territory health guidance, reducing or eliminating the availability of seating areas to discourage congregating or mixing for longer periods of time
  • Managing / discouraging lap swimmers congregating at the ends of pools for rest breaks
  • Providing an appropriate escalation process is available to support staff in managing challenging patrons or patrons who refuse to comply with public health orders and/or facility rules

Where these risk mitigation measures do not reduce the risk to acceptable levels the owner and operator of the aquatic facility should consider cancelling the activity.

Owners and operators of aquatic facilities should refer to the National Principles for the Resumption of Sport and Recreation Activities, which provides the pathway for a safe return to sport in conjunction with the following:

Specific guidance on physical distancing as it pertains to COVID-19 can be found https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/covid-19-information-workplaces/industry-information/general-industry-information/physical?tab=tab-toc-employer

Ventilation

Where possible, activities that involve multiple persons should be conducted outdoors and/or where there is a risk of the spread of COVID-19 appropriate face masks should be worn by all participants in line with local health advice.

Where activities must be conducted indoors, there are two ventilation options available to reduce the likelihood and consequence of the spread of COVID-19 in indoor settings:

  • Increasing the amount of fresh air entering the building from outside as well as the movement of air within the facility; and/or,
  • Removing the virus from the air inside the building by sufficient and appropriate air filtration.

Some common ways of filtering air appropriately within indoor environments are: (Some aquatic facilities may not have an HVAC system. Where an HVAC system is not present, consideration should be given to the use of air purifiers.)

  • HVAC systems; and/or,
  • Air purifiers with HEPA filtration

When used properly, air cleaners and HVAC filters can help reduce airborne contaminants including viruses in a building or small space. By itself, air cleaning or filtration is not enough to protect people from COVID-19.

There is currently no evidence that COVID-19 can be spread through HVAC systems according to Safe Work Australia. However, adjusting the settings of HVAC system may help minimise the risk of COVID-19 spreading in aquatic facilities, such as:

  • allowing more air circulation in common areas
  • limiting or not using recirculated air
  • increasing outside air intake
  • upgrading air filters to the highest efficiency possible that is compatible with the system
  • minimising filter air bypass
  • consider using portable air cleaners to supplement increased HVAC system ventilation and filtration

It is recommended that operators consult with asset owners and seek advice from appropriately qualified personnel to determine what reasonable and practicable adjustments may be made to the operation of HVAC systems to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission. If the HVAC system in your building does not have a setting that allows for recirculation of air to be stopped or limited, you may wish to consider working with the building owner and/or facilities manager to organise for doors and windows to be opened to increase the intake of fresh air within the building, so far as is reasonably practicable. However, do not open windows and doors if doing so poses a safety risk to staff, patrons, or swimmers.

Where HVAC systems have been temporarily shut down, owners and operators of aquatic facilities must take all reasonably practicable steps ensure risks to health and safety are eliminated or minimised. This includes any risks associated with the HVAC system being restarted. HVAC maintenance must be carried out by a competent person and in accordance with all recognised standards. If a complex HVAC system (those that can be found in large buildings that can transfer heating and cooling to secondary units or are integrated into the Building Automation System) has been shut down, the building owner or facilities manager should consult experts to implement the correct start-up procedures, to check control settings and to compare the system’s operation with commissioning baseline data. Before you restart the HVAC, you should confirm with the building owner or facilities manager that this has taken place if your building has a complex HVAC system installed

Consideration should be given, where HVAC systems are available, to maintaining the air temperature at 1 or more degrees Celsius above the pool temperature which can assist with ‘pushing’ humidity (and droplets) down to the pool and floor surfaces where chlorine/bromine disinfection may eliminate the virus. Air circulation patterns can be demonstrated through a so-called ‘smoke test’ as used in hotel quarantine facilities as part of their risk assessment and management process.

Further advice on Ventilation in Aquatic Facilities can be obtained from the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations – Aquatic Facility Design www.guidelines.royallifesaving.com.au

Hygiene Measures

Owners and operators of aquatic facilities should require workers and patrons to practice good hygiene.

Owners and operators of aquatic facilities should ensure appropriate medical/biohazard waste containers are provided and covered under an appropriate service contract in line with the First Aid Equipment Guideline. Refer to specific guidance above for staff and patrons (CV2.09 and CV2.10).

Specific guidance on hygiene measures as it pertains to COVID-19 can be found https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/covid-19-information-workplaces/industry-information/general-industry-information/hygiene?tab=tab-toc-employer

Cleaning

Owners and operators of aquatic facilities should ensure aquatic facilities are cleaned at least daily. Cleaning with detergent and water is sufficient.

High touch surfaces at the workplace which may become contaminated, such as door handles, taps or access control points such as keypads should be frequently cleaned and disinfected by appropriate means.

Specific guidance on hygiene measures as it pertains to COVID-19 can be found https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/covid-19-information-workplaces/industry-information/general-industry-information/cleaning?tab=tab-toc-employer

Checklists for cleaning can be found here: https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/how-clean-and-disinfect-your-workplace-covid-19

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Owners and operator of aquatic facilities should implement additional measures for PPE to patrons and workers that can be used to protect against COVID-19. This includes but is not limited to:

  • masks (surgical or three-layer cloth)
  • gloves
  • eye protection, and
  • screens (if applicable)

Specific guidance on PPE measures as it pertains to COVID-19 can be found https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/covid-19-information-workplaces/industry-information/general-industry-information/ppe?tab=tab-toc-employer

Specific guidance on Face Masks as it pertains to COVID-19 can be found https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/covid-19-information-workplaces/industry-information/general-industry-information/masks?tab=tab-toc-employer

Specific guidance on gloves as it pertains to COVID-19 can be found https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/covid-19-information-workplaces/industry-information/general-industry-information/gloves?tab=tab-toc-employer

Staff Training and Induction

Owners and operator of aquatic facilities should implement additional measures for staff training and induction in relation to COVID-19. This includes but is not limited to:

  • The COVID-19 hazard and its impact
  • Legal requirements
  • The risk assessment
  • Additional risk treatment measures
  • Use of equipment including PPE
  • New policies and their roles and responsibilities in response to enforcement of policies
  • Emergency planning
  • Emergency response to a COVID-19 incident

Where applicable training and induction information may be delivered in the native tongue of employees. Specific COVID-19 information is available in a range of languages here: https://covid19inlanguage.homeaffairs.gov.au/

Signage

Owners and operator of aquatic facilities should implement additional signage measures that support their policies and health and safety guidance in relation to COVID-19. This includes but is not limited to signs and posters around the aquatic facility to remind workers and others of the risks of COVID-19 and the measures that are necessary to stop its spread. Sample posters are below

Providing visual traffic and distancing cues

Owners and operator of aquatic facilities should provide visual clues or guides i.e. tape and decals on foyer and pool deck floors, at reception etc) to ensure that patrons are able to understand physical distancing measures easily.

References