The majority of us enjoy taking a trip to the local swimming baths, or simply escaping those scorching sun beams whilst enjoying a long awaited holiday. Swimming enables you to remain healthy and partake in fun activity. However, every year there are approximately 10 deaths caused by people drowning in swimming pools (HSE, 2003).
It’s a legal requirement for anybody who operates a swimming pool, spa pool or similar facility to prove that you are adhering to regulations. The world of regulatory compliance is vast with so many components to consider, and leisure systems are no exception. HSG179 (Managing Health and Safety in Swimming Pools) requires all pool operators to create clearly written, detailed pool safety operating procedures.
Shieldyourself understand that complying with the legislation can be somewhat challenging, particularly for large sites with lots of facilities including leisure, but we believe in making safety simple.
Our team of Environmental Health experts have developed a brand new product, the PSOP (Pool Systems Operating Procedures) or Leisure Systems Implementation Pack. Similar to our Food Safety Management Systems and Health and Safety Management Systems, the unique and easy-to-use document contains all of the required information in order to stay legal. What’s more, when you receive the pack, one of our industry experts will provide implementation training to ensure you are fully comfortable and confident in everything associated with your pool.
Our in-house trainer, Cheryl Herbert has already helped implement many PSOPs, “the packs are so useful because they give clear guidance in complying with the latest legislation and they are already used by large complex multi-site operations”.
As we know different circumstances apply to different pools, so we’ve designed the pack so that it can be tailored to fit your location’s exact needs. All packs focus on the need for pool operators to put provisions in place for Health and Safety based on risk. You can be certain that you have all of your systems in place, with everything you need at the touch of your fingertips.
The Pool Safety Management System contains a Normal Operating Plan (NOP) to ensure you have all of the right measures in place for day-to-day life. Some of the topics covered in this plan include:
• dealing with the public
• pool water testing
• backwashing
• bacteriological testing
But what if something goes wrong? Fear no more – your pack also contains an Emergency Action Plan (EAP). This covers situations such as:
• lack of water clarity
• faecal or vomit contamination
• blood contamination on the pool side and pool water
• a casualty in the water
• lighting and power failure
• chlorine gas leak and chemical spillages
In addition to your PSOPs pack, you will receive an accompanying Leisure Risk Assessment Booklet containing a set of generic risk assessments. When managing Health and Safety, risk assessments are essential in ensuring risks are recognised, monitored and controlled in order to avoid harm. The step-to-step guide clearly explains how to conduct risk assessments and can also be tailored to your business. You are also provided with a Leisure Compliance Diary where you can record all you are doing.
Just this week, pool safety rose to the forefront of everyone’s minds with an incident at a well-known diving pool in Brazil. The water in the pool gradually began to turn more and more green, and whilst tests were conducted and found the water to be safe, discussion about “pool gate” continues to rattle on.
Ermmm…what happened?! pic.twitter.com/pdta7EpP2k
— Tom Daley (@TomDaley1994) August 9, 2016
On a more serious note, there was a report last year of a chlorine gas leak at Wild Duck Holiday Park, caused by a small piece of grit stuck in the flow switch in part of the pool’s chemical and circulation system. This resulted in it locking in position and 40 people being taken to hospital. It is vital to make sure all of the necessary checks are being completed, as the consequences of incidents such as these can be tragic.
If you’re a pool operator or know somebody who could benefit from a PSOP pack, visit our homepage or call us today on 020 3740 3744.
The information contained in this blog article has been created for marketing purposes and is not official guidance and should not be used as a substitute for official food safety, health and safety or fire safety advice. Shieldyourself take no responsibility if the information in the blog article is used to form part of a safety management system or used to form part of any legal or regulatory compliance for your business. For official guidance and to engage with Shieldyourself services please do call our team on 020 3740 3744 or email sales@shieldyourself.co.uk.
