As a responsible leisure centre, gym or even hotel it is imperative to carry out the necessary risk assessments on your swimming pool and surrounding amenities to ensure they are safe for the public and your staff. The HSE states that ‘swimming operators must comply with their general duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the associated regulations’ meaning regular assessments of health and safety risks are a must.
Here at National Testing we have put together some handy swimming pool safety tips to help get you started with your risk assessment:
Uneven Surfaces
Amenities such as swimming pools often have areas which are uneven, be it a step down to the shower areas or a graduated flooring to enter the shallow end of a pool. These areas can be prime locations for slips, trips and injuries so it is important to put preventatives in place to combat this. The most basic and easiest thing to do is to have eye catching signage to indicate steps or other floor level changes such as ‘mind the step’ or ‘caution uneven floor’. Another good way to prevent slips is to add handrails to these types of areas giving greater stability when negotiating uneven flooring or to add contrasting flooring to the affected areas.
Humidity, Temperature & Lighting
Swimming pools are an area where humidity and temperature can make the area feel very hot which is why good ventilation and temperature checks should be observed on a daily basis. Couple the humidity and warm temperatures with poor lighting and you could run into further problems. With swimming pools being high risk areas for falls and other accidents it is important that suitable and sufficient lighting is available at all times, particularly in those areas mentioned above that have uneven surfaces.
Assessing The Changing Room Area
Due to being high traffic areas, changing rooms need regular risk assessments to ensure there is no deterioration to the flooring as well as other equipment such as benches and cubicles. Removing the main walkways of obstacles and placing lockers strategically can help prevent accidents from occurring. The addition of anti slip mats in areas that are prone to puddles is also a great way to help reduce any falls. Above all your changing room, as well as your poolside, needs a good flooring material.
Flooring Material
Without a doubt, the most important aspect when preventing trips and slips around a swimming pool is your flooring. Floors surrounding the swimming pool are prone to water spillages as well as customers walking in the area with wet feet, it is therefore imperative to have a good slip resistant material which performs well in wet conditions. If you are unsure as to whether your flooring is up to scratch then it would be beneficial to have a professional carry out an on-site slip test such as a pendulum test. These tests can be carried out in both wet and dry conditions to determine whether your flooring is safe for both staff and customers.
Whether you need help with your swimming pool risk assessment or you simply want to test whether your flooring material is safe and adequate for your poolside area then call our friendly team at National Testing today. We can carry out on-site slip testing quickly and easily causing you minimal disruption, in most cases we can even give you the results the very same day. Alternatively why not fill out our quote form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.