The Club undertakes to agree with pool operators on the arrangements necessary for ensuring the safety of the Club members and volunteers at all times when pool hire occurs. The Club Health and Safety code follows the ASA safety guidelines.
Such agreement will provide either for the Pool Operator or the Club itself, to provide for lifeguard cover. The detailed Health and Safety code that follows relates to the Clubs life guarding and other responsibilities and also includes general guidelines and rules for all Club members, including swimmers, volunteers, teachers, coaches, lifeguards and parents and carers who have defined responsibilities and duties which complement and reinforce or aid the Club’s basic obligations.
Basic Obligations
When the Club itself either agrees or is required to provide lifeguards, suitably qualified personnel will be present on each and every occasion and in appropriate numbers as circumstances dictate. Where this cannot be done adequately on any occasion no activities will take place. For normal training sessions the Club will provide the required lifeguards either itself or as part of the hire facility. Where the agreement is for the Club to have full responsibility, the Club will provide a qualified teacher or coach and lifeguard. During Inter-Club Galas, Club Championships or other organised competitions, the above supervision will be maintained either by the Club, other clubs attending or by the hire facility.
Poolside Alarms, this may be in the form of an electronic sounder or bell, if one of the alarms is sounded. All Club representatives should take all instructions from the host venue lifeguards until the safe area is reached or the alarms are silenced.
Fire / Emergency Drill.The purpose of this will be to get all the members familiar with leaving the pool safely. The following will indicate this. If the whistle is blown sharply three times during a session this will indicate a Fire / Emergency Drill. Everyone should leave the pool in a calm and orderly manner and assemble at the designated fire alarm assembly area indicated by the Head Teacher or Coach of the session or the Health and Safety Officer.
Swimmers should not enter the water if they have the following:-
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Infectious skin rashes
- Open wounds
- Ear infections
Parents must at all times remain responsible for any medication required by a swimmerand for administering it as required.
Swimmers should not run on poolside, as the tiles are slippery when wet.
The Club will draw the attention of all its members to its Safety Policy and will ensure that they are familiar with and understand the emergency procedures.
Club lifeguards, where provided, will be issued with Guidelines on their duties and responsibilities, (as will coaches, teachers and parents) and will be required to check from time to time with the pool operators for any changes which affect their functions.
Written Operating Procedures
The Club will ensure that all Volunteers, Teachers, Coaches, and Club Lifeguards are familiar with the Pool operator’s written statement or rules setting out the organisation and arrangements for ensuring users safety in normal and emergency conditions.
Range of Activities Covered
The Club’sactivities covered by this Safety Policy include the following:
- Club Training Sessions
- Club Home Galas – for the duration of the Gala
- Club Away Galas – for the duration of the Gala where the host Club have not provided adequate arrangements
- Open Competitions – the Club expect host clubs/organisations to provide adequate lifeguard facilities
Accident / Incident Reporting and Insurance
The Club will ensure a current and valid insurance policy is in operation. Details of this are available from the Club Secretary and on the Club Noticeboard. All accidents or incidents will require a report verbally immediately following the occurrence and in writing subsequently from those responsible for the group or event in progress at the time of such accident / incident. This written report must be submitted to the Club Secretary and the details entered in the venue’s accident report book.
Updating the Health & Safety code
The Club will receive and update this Safety code as and when required by new circumstances, Pool Operator requirements or changes to current safety legislation.
The ASA Health and Safety guidelines are available on the ASA website.