NP12 - Pool Safety Auditors

Purpose

To provide guidance on the minimum standards of currency and competency for those involved in the auditing of aquatic locations and / or facilities and to ensure consistency and quality in safety auditing while contributing to the maintenance and improvement of industry standards.

Definitions

An Aquatic Safety Auditor is a person who has successfully completed a nationally accredited training course or an equivalent level of training that has given them the competencies required to audit compliance with Legislation, regulations, standards or the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations or Guidelines for Inland Waterway Safety in relation to an aquatic location or aquatic facility.

An Aquatic Safety Audit is an assessment of the level of conformance of an aquatic facility or location to relevant guidelines, standards, codes of practice and/or regulations.

Royal Life Saving Approach

Royal Life Saving Australia and its State / Territory Member Organisations will govern and administer the delivery of Aquatic Facility / Pool Safety Assessments in line with this policy (NP12) and NP5.

Description

Guidelines for Aquatic Safety Auditors

Training and Qualifications

To perform the duties of an Aquatic Safety Auditor an individual should hold either:

• The current nationally recognised Lead Auditor skill set, or most recent superseded version, or successive replacement(s), regardless of whether deemed equivalent or non-equivalent; or,

• The below current nationally recognised units of competency that make up the Lead Auditor skill set, or most recent successive version of those units, or current replacements, regardless of whether deemed equivalent or non-equivalent:

  1. BSBAUD511: Initiate a quality audit
  2. BSBAUD512: Lead a quality audit
  3. BSBAUD411: Participate in a quality audit
  4. BSBAUD513: Report on a quality audit.

Aquatic Safety Auditors should hold additional training and/or competencies associated with relevant subject matter of Aquatic Safety Audits / Assessments, such as current nationally recognised core industry skills sets or equivalent units of competency, including:

• SISSS00131 Aquatic Technical Operator.
• HLTAID011 Provide first aid
• SISSS00133 Pool lifeguard

Aquatic Facility Safety Auditors are encouraged to hold additional training and/or competency in subject matter areas covered by Aquatic Safety Audits / Assessments, including:

• Emergency planning and management
• Risk assessment and management
• Work health and safety management
• Business management and administration.

Currency Training and Professional Development

Aquatic Safety Auditors should undertake an organisational induction and onboarding training and maintain a current Working with Children Check (or equivalent).

Aquatic Safety Auditors should maintain a subscription to the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations and/or Guidelines for Inland Waterway Safety.

Aquatic Safety Auditors should maintain a professional membership of an appropriate state/territory peak body association.

Aquatic Safety Auditors should have access to all applicable national, state and/or territory standards, legislation, guidance material or information which underpin each element of a safety audit.

Aquatic Safety Auditors should undertake extensive professional development, including currency sessions aligned with the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations (GSPO) / Guidelines for Inland Waterway Safety (GIWS), national and state/territory-specific legislation, guidance and relevant codes of practice.

Professional Standards

Aquatic Safety Auditors should demonstrate professionalism in conduct, dress, and interactions with aquatic facilities, land and waterway managers and their stakeholders.

Organisational Requirements

Employing organisations must:

• Maintain detailed induction, initial training and onboarding records for all Aquatic Safety Auditors
• Ensure Aquatic Safety Auditors meet qualification and professional development requirements at all times
• Maintain professional indemnity and public liability insurance to a minimum level of $10 million per annum
• Maintain a safety management system associated with the planning, delivery and reporting of safety audit, including in particular access to changing areas, office locations, poolside and plant/chemical storage areas

The content of Aquatic Safety Audits / Assessments should be developed in conjunction with an appropriate and broad cross-section of the applicable industry to ensure suitability, quality and currency. This cross-section group should be formally recognised and governed through agreed terms of reference.

Reporting and Monitoring

Aquatic Safety Audits / Assessments should be maintained on a secure technology platform, with all appropriate records maintained for a minimum period of ten-years.

The Aquatic Safety Audit System should ensure the establishment and maintenance of safeguards and protections against the destruction, loss, unauthorised access, and disclosure of protected data.

The Aquatic Safety Audit System should be no less rigorous than best industry practice, include regular security audits and penetration testing and comply with all standards and applicable laws.

The Aquatic Safety Audit System should ensure robust processes for granting and revoking privileged access, make and maintain secure backups and ensure protected data is stored at sites in Australia.

Aquatic Safety Auditors and their employing organisations should provide RLSSA with shared data and intelligence on the level of conformance with the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations as found in their audits for the purposes of improving national safety guidelines and resources and monitoring and reporting on the state of industry safety.

References

• AS/NZS ISO 19011:2014 Guidelines for Auditing Management Systems
• Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations