Frequently Asked Questions

Evaluation Reports

Being an accredited facility means that you are part of a State-wide initiative. The program and industry has the peak body support of LSV and includes a link to the highly recognisable Play It Safe by the Water campaign (PISBTW).

Evaluation 2019:

Public pools provide an ideal setting which allow people to engage with and enjoy aquatic recreation in a controlled environment with lifeguard supervision. However, lifeguards are supervising up to 100 people at a time and therefore cannot be supervising every patron constantly. Therefore, by making those individuals at higher risk aware of the need to inform pool staff of their potential vulnerabilities, staff can then provide simple information to reduce the likelihood of an injury or drowning event occurring. 

Rationale

A Victorian coroner recently recommended that:

-“[pools] implement a system, not limited to, but which may be in the form of signage, requesting patrons to inform a staff member of their vulnerabilities before entering the water.”

-“[pools]… explore the options and means for best communicating with and encouraging patrons who have English language challenges, to inform staff members of their vulnerabilities before entering the water.”

These recommendations have implications for the wider aquatic industry; it is recognised that all public pool operators need to be able to better communicate with patrons with certain vulnerabilities and English language challenges. Materials were developed in response to the above-mentioned coronial recommendations, however an evaluation of these resources revealed low levels of recall and uptake. It was identified that prior to any further development of resources research was required to determine the ideal messages and methods of communicating these messages to the two key audiences: i) CALD communities and ii) those who have a physical disability.

Response

In response, a research project was undertaken by Life Saving Victoria (LSV) from May to August 2019, to evaluate the suitability of draft communication resources that were developed for patrons who may be weak or non-swimmers.

This project involved three stages:

-Stage 1 involved exploratory research into the above objectives.

-Stage 2 involved concept testing of the submitted communication materials in order to inform the final campaign. This included key message development as well as materials (posters, brochures, banners) ready for print or use with digital media and on websites/ social media.

This report summarises the evaluation of Stage 3 of the Communication with vulnerable swimmers at public pools campaign, which piloted the communication materials at public pools in Victoria and was re-branded as the SwimSafe In The Pool campaign. The LSV Public Training and Pool Safety (PTPS) department engaged LSV’s Aquatic Risk & Research department to conduct the study.

The report is available here: SwimSafe Evaluation 2019

Previous research:

‘Are you a non-swimmer’ Year 1 Evaluation – https://lsv.com.au/wp-content/uploads/35_VS.pdf

‘Are you a non-swimmer’ Year 2 Evaluation – https://lsv.com.au/wp-content/uploads/34_VSFU-2.pdf

Compliance

SwimSafe although born out of coronial recommendations also happens to satisfy several requirements contained within the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations (GSPO) and during the research phase of the campaign care was taken to align the resources with the requirements of the GSPO. Life Saving Victoria would like to thank Royal Life Saving Society Australia and the National Aquatic Industry Committee for their continued research into water safety and the development and revision of the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations.

The applicable sections of the GSPO that SwimSafe applies to are included here:

SV16.5.1 The owner or operator of an aquatic facility should implement policies to encourage patrons with inexperience / vulnerabilities or who may be non-swimmers to inform a staff member of their inexperience / vulnerabilities at the point of entry to the aquatic facility.

16.5.2 This may include, but not limited to, membership conditions, entry-based signage / information, website information and information displayed in changing facilities.

16.5.3 Based on this information the owner or operator of an aquatic facility should have in place risk mitigation procedures to reduce the likelihood of drowning from occurring. This may include but is not limited to:

-Additional Parent/Guardian and Lifeguard Supervision

-Activity Zoning or restriction of activities / areas where the depth is greater than 900mm

-Personal Protective Equipment

-Public Education and Skill development programs

SV 16.6.4 The Owner or operator of an aquatic facility should ensure adequate signage supporting the policies for the supervision of non-swimmers is displayed at the following points:

-Entry to the facility

-Entry or exit of change areas

-Aquatic environment where this is areas deeper than 900mm or a change in gradient.

SV4. 4.2.9. Special consideration should include those user groups who through drowning and injury research are more prone to need supervision

SV 16.4.5 The owner or operator of an aquatic facility should implement a broad ranging program to manage the risks associated with non-swimmers. This should include but is not limited to:

-Policies

-Engagement and Public Education and skill development

-Parent / Guardian and Lifeguard Supervision

-Clothing and Personal Protective Equipment

-Facility Design