IW7 - Designated Swimming and Recreation Areas

Purpose

To provide guidance on the appropriate risk management minimum practices that should apply at designed swimming and recreation areas at inland waterways.

It should be noted these are minimum best practices and every effort should be taken to adopt appropriate risk management strategies and resourcing relevant to the context, level of risk, and level of exposure.

Definitions of a designated swimming and recreation area

Where access to an inland waterway is unrestricted, it is unreasonable to assume that visitors to the waterway will not seek to interact with the waterway. It is well-known that Australians frequent inland waterway locations for the purposes of swimming and recreation particularly in the warmer months.

Whether a particular location is ‘designated’ as a swimming and recreation area should depend upon its objectively known use by the community.

Scope

This guideline applies to entities and/or individuals who own, operate, or control inland waterways; or own, operate or control public access to inland waterways; or have a responsibility / duty of care for the use of the associated inland waterway, such as land or water managers or inland waterway program or activity operators (hereafter referred to as the ‘responsible person’).

There are many examples where access to waterways is via land owned or operated by a variety of stakeholders, and where the waterway is owned or operated by a third party. A shared responsibility approach between stakeholders to each do what is reasonably practicable to reduce the risk of drowning or serious aquatic injury arising from use or access to the waterway should be adopted.

Classification of designated swimming and recreation areas

Designated swimming and recreation areas shall be classified in accordance with the Inland Waterways Classification and Associated Risk Treatment Measures Summary in Appendix C.

Description

The responsible person should identify the inland waterway classification and provide zoning, access and egress, signage, equipment, and supervision for swimming and recreation areas at the inland waterway.

Management of the area should be in keeping with the Inland Waterways Classification and Associated Risk Treatment Measures Summary in Appendix C.

Location-specific risk assessment

The responsible person should conduct a location-specific risk assessment as outlined in the Guidelines for Inland Waterway Safety IW2 and the IS0 31000:2018 Risk assessment processes.

Specific Risk Treatments for Inland Waterway Swimming and Recreating Locations

identifying hazards

Swimming areas and beaches should be checked daily and wherever possible freed from hazards, such as broken glass, hidden underwater dangers, etc.

All hazards such as drop-offs or rocky bottoms should be clearly identified.

Appropriate hazard and information signage (mobile) should be placed at the waterfront access points and specific hazards if applicable.

Information relating to water quality should be sign posted.

Access and egress

Where access is not sought to, or able to be limited, signage considerations in line with the Guidelines for Inland Waterway Safety IW4 should be provided at the access and egress points to the swimming and recreation area following an appropriate risk assessment.

Wherever possible, the safest access point to the waterway would be marked and designed to assist in injury minimisation. This could be in the form of adjusting the gradient, construction of a ramp, jetty or beach entry.

If at a designated swimming and water safety area, the responsible person wants to limit or prohibit access to the area, they should do so via permanent fencing and appropriate prohibition signage.

In areas of the waterway where swimming is dangerous and the shoreline is easily accessible, signs should be posted to stipulate “No Swimming”

Signage & markers

The responsible person should ensure that signage is posted as outlined in the Guidelines for Inland Waterway Safety IW4.

The swimming and recreation area boundaries should be clearly identifiable from in, on and around the water by bathers, waterfront users and those using personal watercraft and boats.

The swimming area should be designated using signs, and boundary markers such as buoy lines, buoy markers or a combination of these.

Where no suitable supervision is provided, the responsible person should ensure that signs are posted at entrances and exits, or where there are not specific entrances and exits, at reasonable intervals along/near the swimming and recreating area. This signage may include messages in addition to the signage guidance outlined in the Guidelines for Inland Waterway Safety IW4

Equipment

The responsible person should provide rescue, first aid and safety equipment in keeping with the location’s waterfront classification as against the Inland Waterway Classification and Associated Risk Treatment Measures Summary in Appendix C.

The responsible person should make provision for Public Rescue Equipment for the duration of time when the waterfront is not supervised (see Guidelines for Inland Waterway Safety IW5).

During supervised time, the responsible person should make available professional rescue equipment for use by Lifeguards or the Lifesaving service. These may include:

• Reach pole(s)
• Rescue tube(s)
• Throw rope(s)
• Suitably stocked first aid kit(s)
• Oxygen resuscitator(s)
• Spinal rescue equipment, including boards, straps and head block(s)
• Defibrillator(s)
• Lifesaving rescue board(s)  / paddleboards (unless risk assessment deems inappropriate)
• Telecommunication device(s) & connectivity

All equipment should be clean, well maintained and ready for use by the appropriate personnel.

All equipment should be inspected daily prior to deployment.

All equipment should be stored and/or secured safely when not in use.

Supervision planning

Lifeguard supervision is desirable for swimming areas, particularly where it is known or anticipated to attract swimmers, such as during periods of warm weather, on weekends and school holidays.

The responsible person should provide supervision in keeping with the location’s waterfront classification as against the Inland Waterway Classification and Associated Risk Treatment Measures Summary in Appendix C, following a detailed risk assessment.

The responsible person cannot be responsible for direct and constant supervision of the designated swimming and recreation area at all times of the day or night. However, there are certain circumstances that would make it reasonable and practicable to provide lifeguard supervision at a swimming and recreation location. These include:

• Where an admission fee is charged for access to the facility or location in which the swimming area is located
• The known bather load is high
• Past incidents indicate a high risk
• Other activities are occurring adjacent to the swimming area
• Advertising promotes the swimming and recreation area
• The swimming area is associated with a licensed establishment
• Features that make the swimming area attractive are available within the area, such as:
  • An entrance to the water which is beach-like (consisting of sand, dirt, grass or mud)
  • Where waterfalls are present
  • Rafts / floating docks / pontoons
  • Diving boards
  • Tree rope swings
  • Inflatable equipment
  • Docks / piers

Direct professional supervision is recommended when the visitation rate is more than 100,000 visits per year, or 250 per day (on a given day). Supervision can be provided for specific periods which should be advertised to promote swimming during these supervised periods-only.

Intermitted patrols by rangers, waterway operators or marine authorities may be provided at other times.

Supervision ratios

Where professional lifeguard supervision is provided, while any lifeguard supervision is better than none, there are difficulties responding to incidents as a single lifeguard without backup support either by additional lifeguards or support staff.

Ideally two lifeguards would be provided so that lifeguards can effectively manage any emergencies that arise and provide backup supervision coverage.

Swimming and recreation area operators should consider the amount of users that lifeguards can safely supervise (while noting that controlling bather numbers may not be possible). Research shows that supervising more than 50 persons per lifeguard can be difficult to perform effectively.

Factors affecting the number of lifeguards required include:

• The length of the shoreline
• Bather load
• Concentration of bather load
• Potential hazards / dangers
• Geographical features such as curves or bends to the shoreline affecting the lifeguards’ view
• Water and weather conditions
• Experience and training of lifeguards
• Swimming skill level of users and their activities
• Width of the swimming area

See also 'Bather capacity and bather load' below.

Public Education - Supervision

Public education, including communications, should be provided to users which promote competent adult supervision of children and other non-swimmers should be in place at the designated swimming location to reinforce the importance of avoiding unnecessary risks and taking care around the water.

Information signage consistent with the Guidelines for Inland Waterway Safety - IW4 - Safety Signage section should be provided.

Public education information is encouraged to be provided through additional means, such as through pamphlets, media, social media and other means.

Public education information should provide information about the level of risk, any hazards, the level of supervision provided and tips on safe use of the swimming area.

Lifeguards

Shelter

Consideration should be given to appropriate shelter and weather-appropriate clothing for the lifeguards.

Lifeguard shelters, tents or bases shall be based in the most appropriate position to ensure full surveillance of and access to supervised areas and be publicly identifiable and accessible.

Clothing

Lifeguards should be attired to be identifiable as lifeguards (e.g. predominantly red and yellow uniforms).

Lifeguards should be attired to perform an immediate contact rescue if necessary.

Positioning

Lifeguards should be appropriately positioned to ensure that they have constant view of all swimmers at the swimming and recreation area and are able to respond promptly where assistance is required.

At least one lifeguard should patrol the water’s edge with a rescue tube whilst swimmers are in the water.

Lifeguard Supervision

Lifeguards should never leave bathers unsupervised or become distracted with non-supervisory activities where waterway users are in the water and/or around the waterfront.

Lifeguards should conduct regular scanning and surveillance strategies such as grouping and head counting and proactively communicate to ensure bathers do not become at risk or  unaccounted for.

Lifeguards assigned to surveillance duties must not utilise personal mobile phones or other devices which may distract attention from duties.

In a multiple person team situation, lifeguards should be assigned duties and tasks (e.g. supervising at the water’s edge, roving supervision, public education etc.).

Lifeguards should rotate roles on a regular basis to minimise fatigue/boredom and ensure full attention and efficiency. Rotation will depend on the risk assessment (e.g. every 20 minutes, with every 30 minutes a recommended minimum).

Management of Lifeguards

Lifeguards should ensure the access (beach) to the swimming area is in a safe and clean condition prior to setting up the supervision area. Particular attention should be made to hazardous items such as broken glass, bottles, needles, branches, floating debris, etc.

Lifeguards should inspect all equipment, signage, markers and amenities prior to opening an area for supervised swimming.

All lifeguards must be fit and competent in rescue competencies in the aquatic environment in which the activity is being conducted.

Lifeguards should be inducted to the workplace/location, trained on the use of any specialised equipment and provided with training on supervision and emergency procedures.

In-service training should be provided/held at least once every three months during the supervision season for lifeguard to maintain their skills/currency.

Lifeguard Qualifications

Lifeguards should hold the current Inland Open Water Lifeguard Skillset, or the nationally recognised units of competency that make up the Skillset, or most recent superseded version of those units, or successive replacements, regardless of whether deemed equivalent or non-equivalent, including:

• HLTAID011 Provide first aid
• SISCAQU019 Supervise clients in aquatic locations
• SISCAQU021 Perform complex water rescues
• SISCAQU022 Provide oxygen resuscitation and therapy in an aquatic environment
• SISCAQU029 Perform open water rescues; and,
• a current Working With Children Check.

Where applicable to fast moving water and/or flooded areas, they should also hold:

• PUASES014 Apply flood and fast moving water safety techniques

Design of the designated swimming and recreation area

The design of a swim area can enhance safety and health and reduce the risk of drowning death and other injuries. There are many design issues to consider when developing and operating a designated swimming and recreating area. Some of these considerations include the anticipated or known number of visitors, size of the area, boundaries marking the area, removal of obstructions and sudden drop-offs in the water, and restrooms and changing facilities.

Boundaries and other markers

The boundaries of a designated swim area should be marked to prevent other water activities from entering the area and to provide a safer area for people to swim and play.

Perimeter boundaries may consist of anchored artificial floats connected with ropes, buoys marking the perimeter, or other floating materials.

If floats are used to keep the boundaries and other markers visible, they should be spaced to provide enough buoyancy to stabilize an adult above water for every 1.5 metres of line in areas beyond the shallow water line. These can provide support for persons wanting or needing to rest.

Within the swimming zone, consider whether additional markers are needed to identify inherent hazards such as drops off or submerged objects. For example:

• Caution shallow water (up to 1.2m) – A line that separates the shallow water area from the deeper water area. This line can communicate a relatively safer place to play and swim, especially for non-swimmers. Can be marked with a buoy with a sign indicating shallow water.
• Danger deep water (greater than 1.2m) – A line that separates the shallow water area from the deeper water area. This line can communicate where water is deep.
• Drop off (sudden changes in depth) – A line that communicates where a sudden drop off occurs.
• Submerged object – a buoy or marker where a submerged object exists.
• No wake zone – Boats and other vessels which create a wake are not allowed within 50 m of the designated swim area.

Boundaries and other markers should be checked regularly for damage by boats or vandalism or due to the change of water levels that may affect placement of water lines.

Bottom slope and drop-offs

Steep slopes and sudden drop-offs in the water can be a drowning hazard. Designated swim areas should have a gradual slope:

• Water entry to water depth of 1.8 metres - have a maximum slope of 1:10 for silt and clay materials. For sand and pea gravel, have a maximum slope of 1:8.
• Ideally, the maximum slope extends 3 meters around the perimeter of the designated swim area.

If there is a wading area (water depth 0.6 metres or less), care should be taken to avoid  sudden holes or indents greater than 15 cm deep. If the holes are greater than 30 cm in diameter, waterfront operators should fill them with suitable material such as river sand.

Waterfront shore area and shore load

A beach shore area with no large obstructions (such as trees and buildings) helps maintain safety as obstructions can limit the ability for lifeguards and other supervisors to monitor the area and can be a safety hazard for people on the shore.

To ensure a safer shore area, provide a minimum of 3 metres of unobstructed shore area from the water to other amenities or activity areas.

Consider extra shore area when there are likely to be many people on the shore (such as sunbathers).

For smaller beaches that are unable to provide 3 metres of unobstructed shore area, ensure a direct line of site from the lifeguard(s) to the full swimming zone.

Bather capacity and bather load PLAN

Consideration should be given to ensuring the density of swimmers does not exceed the lifeguards’ ability to supervise is critical when designing a designated swimming and recreating zone.

It is recommended that the waterfront operator develop and implement a bather capacity plan which details how bather capacity will be managed.

Warm weather, the size of parking lots, the size of neighbouring communities, availability of public transportation, and other factors affect the number of people who visit a designated swim area. While it may be hard to know how many people will use a designated swim area, designing the site with the anticipated normal bather load helps to maintain good water quality and to establish lifeguard staffing levels.

As a general guide, 5m2 of water surface per person can be used to calculate bather capacity. This equates to 125 people in a 25m x 25m space.

Where the waterway is narrow and does not have currents and it is easy for a lifeguards to see and access a swimmer in distress, the capacity may be greater.

Sometimes bather capacity may exceed the normal bather load. Some techniques to manage a high bather load include but are not limited to:

• Increasing the number of lifeguards
• Strategic placement of lifeguards
• Deploying lifeguards on watercraft such as rescue boards and paddle boards
• Using short breaks to clear people out of the water
• Providing life jackets to users
• Closing the deep end of the swim area

References

• Australian Skills Quality Authority. (2023). National register of vocational education and training. Australian Government. Viewed 9 August 2023. https://training.gov.au/Training/Details/SISSS00134
• Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2023). Remote areas: Australian statistical geography standard (ASGS) (3rd ed.). Australian Bureau of Statistics. Viewed 23 August 2023. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/standards/australian-statistical-geography-standard-asgs-edition-3/jul2021-jun2026/remoteness-structure/remoteness-areas
• International Organisation for Standardisation. (2018). Risk management – Guidelines (AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018). International Standards Organisation, Geneva, Switzerland.
• Lifesaving Society BC & Yukon Branch. (2019). Waterfront safety standards. Lifesaving Society BC & Yukon, Burnaby, Canada.
• Life Saving Victoria. (2017). Standard operating procedures (version 4.1). Life Saving Victoria, Port Melbourne, Australia.
• New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service. (2023). Australian walking track grading system. New South Wales Government. Viewed 24 August 2023. https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/safety/bushwalking-safety/australian-walking-track-grading-system
• Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel. (2019). Safety in Recreational Water Activities Act 2011. State of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
• Royal Life Saving Society – Australia. (2016). Guidelines for safe pool operations: Risk management. Royal Life Saving Society – Australia, Sydney, Australia.
• Royal Life Saving Society – Australia. (2022). Lifeguarding (6th ed.). Royal Life Saving Society – Australia, Sydney, Australia.
• Victorian State Government. (2019). School policy and advisory guide: Swimming instruction and water safety education. Victorian State Government Department of Education and Training, Melbourne, Australia.
• Washington State Department of Health. (2015). Washington State designated swim area guidelines. Washington State Government, Tumwater, United States of America.
• World Health Organisation. (2003). Guidelines for safe recreational water environments. World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.