Swimming pool operating procedures

The legal position

There is no swimming pool regulation as such. The duties come from section 2 and section 3 of the 1974 Act and from the Management Regulations. HSG179, Health and safety in swimming pools, published jointly by the HSE and Sport England, is the recognised guidance and is what an inspector or a court will measure the operator against.

Departing from HSG179 is possible but the operator has to be able to justify the alternative and show it achieves the same standard. In practice, most operators follow it closely.

Most pools sit inside a wider leisure site, so pair this with the gym equipment inspection regime.

The normal operating plan

The NOP describes the pool as it actually is and how it is run day to day.

• Pool details: dimensions, depths, gradients, features, water treatment plant and any moveable floor or bulkhead.
• The hazards identified, including diving into shallow water, slips on wet surfaces, disorientation in flumes, entrapment at outlets, glare and blind spots.
• Dealing with the public: admission policies, ratios for children, non swimmer identification, and rules for hirers and clubs.
• Lifeguard numbers and zoning, scanning and rotation, and what other duties staff may and may not carry out.
• Systems of work: opening and closing checks, pool water testing frequency, plant checks and cleaning.
• Training, qualification and competence requirements, including ongoing lifeguard competency assessment.
• First aid provision and equipment, including a defibrillator where provided.

Poolside cover levels come straight out of your first aid needs assessment.

The emergency action plan

The EAP sets out the response to each foreseeable emergency, with the alarm signal, who does what, and how the pool is cleared and reopened.

It should cover at least: a swimmer in difficulty, an unconscious casualty in the water, a spinal injury, a missing person, fire evacuation, a chemical release or plant failure, a fouling of the water, lighting failure, structural failure such as broken glass or ceiling material, disorderly behaviour and a lack of water clarity.

Every emergency section should end with the reopening criteria, because the pressure to reopen quickly is exactly when the wrong decision is made.

Visiting groups arrive with their own paperwork, covered in the school trip risk assessment guide.

Lifeguarding and supervision

Lifeguards should hold a current recognised qualification such as the RLSS National Pool Lifeguard Qualification and must receive ongoing competency training, commonly a minimum of around twenty hours a year with monthly sessions.

Zoning should be based on the actual pool, sightlines and bather load, with rotations frequent enough to maintain concentration, typically every twenty to thirty minutes. Constant poolside supervision is the default. Programmed or non lifeguarded operation is possible for some pools, but only after a specific written risk assessment covering pool design, bather profile, alarm arrangements and response times.

Water quality and plant

Water treatment sits alongside the safety procedures. Disinfectant residual and pH must be tested at intervals set in the NOP, microbiological sampling carried out routinely, and results recorded with the action taken when a result is out of range.

Chemical storage and dosing systems carry their own COSHH assessment. Chlorine gas release from mixing incompatible chemicals is a recurring cause of pool evacuations and injuries, so storage separation, labelling, decanting rules and delivery supervision all belong in the procedures.

Training, testing and review

Every member of staff, including reception and cleaning staff who have a role in an evacuation, must be trained in the parts of the PSOP that apply to them, and that training must be recorded. New staff should not work unsupervised until signed off.

Rehearse the EAP. Run unannounced scenarios, time the response, and record the outcome and the improvements. Review the PSOP at least annually, after any incident or near miss, after any change to the pool, the plant or the programme, and whenever guidance changes.

Training, drills and keeping the PSOP current

The emergency action plan is worthless unless it has been rehearsed. Run regular drills covering the common scenarios: an unconscious casualty in deep water, a spinal injury in shallow water, a missing child, a chemical release and a pool evacuation. Record every drill, what went wrong, and what changed as a result.

Lifeguard competence needs currency, not just a certificate on file. Hold ongoing training through the season, cover scanning zones and rotation timing, and check that supervision numbers in the normal operating plan match what actually happens at the busiest session of the week rather than the quietest.

Review the whole PSOP annually and after any change to the pool, the programme, the plant or the staffing, and after any significant incident. Every member of staff who works poolside should sign to say they have read the current version, because in an investigation the question is not whether a document existed but whether the people on duty knew it.

Common questions

Is a lifeguard legally required at all times?

Not automatically. Constant supervision is the norm and any departure needs a documented risk assessment covering pool design, users, alarms and response times.

Who signs off the PSOP?

The pool operator, normally through the manager responsible for the facility, with a dated review record.

Do school pools need a PSOP?

Yes. HSG179 applies to any pool operated by an employer, including school and hotel pools, scaled to the size and use of the facility.

Related guides

• gym equipment inspection regime
• first aid needs assessment
• school trip risk assessment