SD5 - Design Development Phase of Aquatic Facilities

Purpose

To ensure identified risks are documented and managed prior to construction.

Description

In this phase, the design concepts for the aquatic facility should be converted into detailed drawings and technical specifications. Control measures should be decided and construction documentation prepared. The design is completed and handed to the owner or operator of an aquatic facility.

Control measures for common hazards should be chosen from known solutions contained within the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations (GSPO). The design development phase should involve:

• Developing a set of design options in accordance with the GSPO
• Selecting the optimum solution while balancing the direct and indirect costs of implementing the design against the benefits derived
• Testing, trialling or evaluating the design solution (where possible)
• Redesigning to control any residual risks
• Finalising the design, preparing the safety report and other risk control information needed for the aquatic facilities lifecycle

Recognised Standards and Guidelines for Aquatic Facility Design

The Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations have been developed by Royal Life Saving Australia in conjunction with a National Aquatic Industry Safety Committee which includes representative from a broad cross section of the aquatics industry. In Lieu of a specific legislative and regulatory instrument this is considered best practice for the design of aquatic facilities.

Other legislative provisions governing the design of buildings and structures in Australia include the building laws in each jurisdiction and the National Construction Code of Australia (NCCA). The Building Code of Australia (BCA) is part of the NCCA. In addition, there are technical and engineering guidelines and standards produced by other government agencies, Standards Australia and relevant professional bodies.

Further Risk Assessment for the Design of Aquatic Facilities

For other new or complex hazards not contained within any of the relevant standards or guidelines a risk assessment may be necessary to assist in determining the most effective control measures for the design of an aquatic facility.

Designers and the owner or operator of an aquatic facility (and any aquatic risk consultants) should conduct a risk assessment using the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations – Aquatic Risk Management

Upon completion of the Risk Assessment the designers and the owner or operator of an aquatic facility (and any aquatic risk consultants) should:

• Discuss the design options
• Check that the evaluation of design risk control measures are complete and accurate
• Prepare information about risks for the aquatic facility that remain after the design process
• Ensure that changes which affect the design do not increase risk at the aquatic facility

Repealed by NAIC

Safety Report

A designer should provide a written report to the owner or operator of an aquatic facility who commissioned the design that specifies the hazards relating to the design of the structure that, so far as the designer is reasonably aware:

• Create a risk to persons who are to carry out the construction work, and
• Are associated only with the particular design and not with other designs of the same type of structure

The safety report also applies to designs of aquatic facilities that have unusual or atypical features which present hazards and risks during the construction phase that are unique to the particular design. This includes swimming pools, waterslides and water park features.

The safety report should include information about:

• Any hazardous materials or structural features and the designer’s assessment of the risk of injury or illness to construction workers arising from those hazards
• The action the designer has taken to control those risks, for example changes to the design
• Any risk that may increase as a result of alternative construction

The information requirements under the WHS Act may be incorporated into the safety report prepared under the WHS Regulations.

The owner or operator of an aquatic facility should provide a copy of the safety report to the principal contractor.

Work Health and Safety File

The development of a work health and safety (WHS) file for an aquatic facility could assist the designer meet the duty to provide information to others. It could include copies of all relevant health and safety information the designer prepared and used in the design process, such as the safety report, risk register, safety data sheets, manuals and procedures for safe maintenance, dismantling or eventual demolition.

Handover to the Builder

A designer of aquatic facility should ensure, when the design of the aquatic facility is made available to the builder of the aquatic facility that the builder is provided with:

• Information to enable the aquatic facility to be built in accordance with the design specifications; and
• The hazards and risks associated with the use of the aquatic facility that the designer has identified; and
• The testing or inspections to be carried out on the aquatic facility by the builder

If a builder of aquatic facility advises the designer of the aquatic facility that there is a hazard in the design of aquatic facility for which the designer has not provided a control measure, the designer should:

• Revise the information originally supplied to the builder to ensure that:
• The risk is eliminated so far as is reasonably practicable; or
• If it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the risk, the risk is minimised so far as is reasonably practicable; or
• Notify the builder, in writing, that the designer is of the opinion that it is not necessary to revise the information originally supplied to the builder to ensure compliance with this Guideline

References

• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice – Safe Design of Structures
• Building Code of Australia - 2006. Australian Building Code Board.