The Redwoods Group Insurance Program for YMCAs
Risk Management Alert
Topic: Aquatic Safety Reminders
With the holiday season upon us, many YMCAs anticipate a temporary shift in pool usage. An increased use of the pool facilities by children presents
a need for increased staff and lifeguard awareness. Some items to review with your staff to assist in preventing any pool-related injuries include the following.
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Lifeguard's should deep-water test all swimmers, especially in light of the issues noted above. Many of the swimmers and their skills may not be known to the guards, making this especially important. The test should include:
swimming the length of the pool (without stopping, touching bottom, or grabbing the side);
treading water for at least 1 minute (done immediatly after the swim, without a rest break);
issuing a brightly colored wristband (or some other form of easily seen, difficult to transfer, identification).
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| 2. |
The task of the lifeguard remains unchanged. Each lifeguard should always:
be positioned so glare does not adversely affect seeing the pool bottom;
sit in an elevated chair or stand at the pool's edge to maintain a proper angle of vision to the water surface (sitting in a regular chair even at pool edge creates such a flat angle that vision below the surface is compromised);
regularly and actively scan the entire area of responsibility;
have the rescue tube/buoy in their hand or at least within arm's reach of them;
have their lifesaving equipment (gloves, resuscitation mask, one-way valve) with them, e.g., in a waist pouch, not in a cabinet in the office;
be attired in such a manner that they are clearly identified as the authority and they are ready to enter the pool without any hesitation.
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| 3. |
A few words about lifeguard staffing during the holidays.
Lifeguard ratios should not decrease below the normal standard (1:25 with 2 lifeguards on deck whenever swimmers are present) because of the unavailability of lifeguards;
Lifeguard ratios should possibly increase because of the additional potential for injury caused by an increase in the number and percentage of children, coupled with the possibility that many may be irregular swimmers with limited or insignificant swimming skills;
Make sure non-aquatic staff is aware of their role in case of an aquatic emergency. If possible, utilize staff trained in aquatic safety in non-aquatic positions during this season;
If inadequate staffing becomes an issue, restrict the number of swimmers or close the pool;
Follow your association's guidelines for pool closure in case of a situation or an emergency.
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Please call us at 800-463-8546 if you would like to discuss any Risk Management safety tips, or visit our web site at www.redwoodsgroup.com to learn more about YMCA risk management related issues. We would appreciate any feedback you might have to offer concerning this article. Please click here to send your feedback.
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