Annual Report 2020
Contents 1
Introduction to the Poolsafe Annual Report
2
Labour Force Overview
3
Labour Force – Workforce Challenges
4
Labour Force - Meet a Lifeguard
5
Labour Force - Meet a Lifeguard Assessor
6
Labour Force - Meet a Poolsafe Assessor
7
Labour Force - Meet a Facility Manager
8-10
Awards
11-12
Qualifications
13
Patronage
14
Injuries & Incidents
15-16
Incident Case Study – Health & Safety
17-19
Incident Case Study – Fatality
20 21-22 23
Poolsafe Facilities Poolsafe Assessors Recommendations
24-26
Hot Water
27-29
Quality Pool
30-31
Watch Me Campaign
Introduction This annual publication will provide a broad snapshot of the overall public pools industry in Aotearoa. This inaugural report will set an initial benchmark, which can then be used to better track and compare key metrics such as industry and workforce size, patronage, and the number of incidents in these facilities. The report provides an opportunity to publish key industry updates, research, major projects and to acknowledge achievements across the industry. The information and data collected to contribute to this report has been provided by Poolsafe facilities, Skills Active and industry stakeholders. Each year, we collect information from our Poolsafe members about attendance, incidents of various types, and workplace injuries. This information helps inform campaigns to raise public awareness about safety around water and decisions around risk management. The more we know about current incident trends, the better we can address them as an industry. The incidents from this year highlighted the need to focus on supervision of our under 5’s in, on and around the water. We were pleased to work with Water Safety NZ and their ambassador Ameliaranne Ekenasio to produce videos to highlight the importance of parental supervision. I would encourage you to read the report and welcome any feedback you may have, now and in the coming months.
Tracey Prince-Puketapu
Aquatics Programme Manager
Labour Force The sport, community recreation and aquatics workforce delivers wellbeing to the population through physical recreation. This group of professionals supports people to be active, and to get the maximum benefit from the shared resources devoted to sport and recreation in New Zealand. This group spans everyone from lifeguards and swim teachers, facility staff and programme managers, through to sport coaches and referees. It includes a significant proportion of volunteers who freely give their time and knowledge. There were some 37,233 people employed in sport, community recreation and aquatics in 2018. This represented 1.5% of the New Zealand workforce. The gender ratio was 54:46 male to female – this is a slightly higher proportion of men than in the total workforce.
Data from Skills Active Workforce Scan 2020
Labour Force
Workforce Challenges
A Skills Active survey of the sport, community recreation and aquatics workforce found that a lack of available workers was a major concern for 70% of those surveyed. Nor was it easy to retain staff once they were employed, with 65% of respondents saying that the industry was seen as a stop-gap on the way to a real career. Lifeguards and swim teachers were the top two hardest roles to fill, according to respondents. Attracting candidates to live in “small town New Zealand” was difficult at times, said one respondent. Another cited the pressure of being a 364-day-a-year operation. “There is an inability for staff to take holidays during our busiest times, which are everyone else’s school holidays and Christmas.”
1964
Lifeguards
3041
Swim Teachers
NZRRP PLPC 3284 registered as current, Lifeguard Assessor 195 registered as current 750
500
250
0
Labour Force Emily Robinson - Lifeguard
Region: Takapuna, North Auckland How long have you been working as a lifeguard? 5 years What’s one thing about being a lifeguard that you didn’t know before but know now? The role includes a lot more cleaning than I initially expected. What do you love the most about working as a lifeguard? The customers and staff. I love meeting our customers, and through providing a great facility and customer service know that we are helping them have a great aquatic experience. The team that I work with are fantastic, are great work mates and we all work really well as a team. What do you find challenging about the job? Dealing with unhappy customers and supporting your staff in those situations, however this has helped me grow as a person and a leader. My goal is to make our customers happy and safe and my staff feel empowered to deal with these situations. How has being a lifeguard influenced your decisions and attitudes? Lifeguarding has helped me learn to make quick decisions under pressure and how to communicate and enact on those decisions. It has also given me the opportunity to work with a wide and diverse community which I really enjoy. One highlight of being a lifeguard in the last year? Receiving the Merit award for Lifeguard of the Year.
Labour Force Yvonne Hughey – Lifeguard Assessor
Region: Hanmer Springs, North Canterbury What is your history in the Aquatics Sector? I started working at the Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa in 2002 as a casual lifeguard, receptionist and learn to swim teacher. In 2007 I took on the full-time role of Reception Supervisor. Around 2010 I took on the full-time training manager and assessor role. I also do some roving training and assessing. When did you become a Lifeguard Assessor? In 2004 I became a National Pool Lifeguard Assessor and have seen a few different Lifeguard Qualifications since this time. I have also been a Senior Assessor Mentor (SAM) since its inception, and I am able to assess most aquatic qualifications along with Intro to Team Leadership and First Line Management. Why did you become a Lifeguard Assessor? I have always had a strong interest in Aquatics having swam competitively, played water polo, completed awards with the Royal Lifesaving Society, Aquacise, Jazi Masters swimming and then finding a passion in swim coaching and teaching learn to swim. I recognized a need for a lifeguard assessor here at Hanmer Springs and thought that was a path I would like to follow. What do you enjoy the most about being an assessor? Being an assessor is challenging and rewarding. I enjoy working with people and seeing them grow, helping them to achieve qualifications and gain more experience in their roles to set them up for future career choices or promotion. Would you recommend becoming an assessor and why? If you enjoy a challenge, are professional, a good communicator and can walk the talk put your hand up. What’s been one highlight for you as an assessor in the last year? Taking on more of a challenge with assessing Introduction to Team Leadership, First Line Management and senior Pool Lifeguard Qualifications.
Labour Force Nick Warwick – Poolsafe Assessor
Region: Christchurch, Canterbury. What is your history in the Aquatics sector? Back in the early 2000’s I started off like many of us as a Lifeguard and Supervisor. After a couple of years I also became a Skills Active Assessor. During my time as an Aquatics Coordinator I worked across several different Christchurch pools. I’m currently the Aquatic Team Leader based at my local (and favourite) Christchurch pool – Pioneer Recreation and Sport Centre. When did you become a Poolsafe assessor? 2014 Why did you become a Poolsafe assessor? Becoming a Poolsafe Assessor gave me an opportunity to see all the awesome Aquatic facilities around NZ. It was also a great way to learn about different ways of operating a pool. After the Christchurch earthquakes we not only lost many of our swimming pools, we also lost some of our best people as they relocated to other parts of the country. Visiting facilities as an assessor was a way for me to continue learning from Aquatic experts. What do you enjoy the most about being an assessor? Being able to help pools improve their standards and find easier ways to operate is so rewarding. I love being able to offer insights into what I have seen that works really well, and hopefully as a result make their job in some way a little easier. Would you recommend becoming an assessor? Absolutely! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every minute of being an assessor and am so grateful for everything I have learnt during my visits. It has allowed me to see so many great ideas ranging from effective training methods through to how people write and implement procedures. What’s been one highlight for you as a Poolsafe assessor in the last year? Visiting the Ohakea RNZAF base, and Linton Military camp was fantastic. It was so interesting to see ‘inside’ the fences and get a glimpse into what life is like for people in our armed services.
Labour Force Lynden Noakes – Facility Manager
Region: Palmerston North, Manawatu History in the recreation sector: I started in the recreation sector in 1997 at an American summer camp, where I became a lifeguard. On my return to NZ in 1998 I became a casual lifeguard at the Lido Aquatic Centre. I moved up the chain to lifeguard supervisor, before becoming an aquatic coordinator and, most recently, facility manager. I have worked between Freyberg Community Pool and The Lido Aquatic Centre over the last 22 years. What have you learned as a facility manager? I have learnt that being a facility manager can be the most rewarding, yet stressful job all rolled into one! You think you have seen it all and then something new pops up, when least expected!! You are always learning and that’s what makes the job so interesting. What’s the best part about your job? Dealing with people. I love the people that I have come into contact with over the years and I have learned a lot from them even if they have taught me a lesson or two in the process! What do you find the most challenging? When everyone wants something from you at once. Being a facility manager, you are often being pulled in many directions and this can make it difficult to balance yourself and prioritise! What is one project or idea that you’ve established that you’re really proud of in the last year? One project I am proud of is building up a solid team of senior staff at the Lido that all work great together. While this may seem like a small task, it doesn’t just happen overnight and I would be lost without them! What’s one tip for being a good manager? The best tip I could give is to always be open to new things and not to be narrow minded, as growth stems from new experiences!! Listen to your staff, sometimes they have the best ideas!
Awards Lifeguard of the Year – Michelle Tetzlaff
With 22 years of service in the aquatics industry Michelle Tetzlaff was awarded our 2018 Lifeguard of the Year title. The award came as a welcome surprise for Michelle, whose hard work and dedication has impacted the lives of so many. Michelle started her aquatics career in 1998 at the Waiwera Thermal Resort in Auckland. She has always been a water baby and comes from a competitive swimming background, where she was selected for the national development squad ahead of the 2000 Olympics. She explains that becoming a lifeguard seemed like the next logical step. Michelle was working at Wanaka Pool for Queenstown Lakes District Council at the time she was elected as Lifeguard of the Year. Her co-workers describe her as an all-rounder who is an extreme comfort to the customers, with an excellent sense of humor, a trait which is backed up by Michelle herself; “[Lifeguarding] is a serious job, but I’s also important to have fun and not take yourself too seriously at times.” Lifeguard of the year also awarded Michelle a scholarship for the Level 4 Skills Active Senior Lifeguard Apprenticeship. The qualification, new to Skills Active’s kete of programmes, is set up for lifeguards wishing to advance their knowledge and expertise in an aquatic facility environment.
Awards Michelle is at the four-month mark of the course (unfortunately delayed by COVID-19) and has found that even after 22 years in the industry, there is still something to learn. “It is difficult to find the time while maintaining 40+ hours a week of regular work,” she says. “But I am happy to be furthering my knowledge and gaining insight that will further my career in the aquatics industry.”
Michelle’s 22 years in Aquatics highlights the value of the industry and we’re seeing more and more young people training to be lifeguards. With her years of experience Michelle has an important message for anyone interested in becoming a lifeguard, “recognise the seriousness of the role. Be aware that unfortunate events can happen at any time and it is our job to be ready to respond,” she says. “It's vital to stay on your toes and alert to any possible hazards or scenarios.” She also highlights the importance of being community focused; being vigilant and maintaining a positive outlook ensures that visits to the local pool are made memorable. She explains that things like seeing the senior community maintaining regular fitness and watching kids progress through their swimming lessons, makes all the hard work worth it. It is this kind of attitude that makes a Lifeguard of the Year.
Awards Aquatic Innovation – Drowning Prevention Auckland
Drowning Prevention Auckland has developed a New Zealand first eLearning platform which allows different audiences to learn 15 water competencies needed to be water safe. This knowledge will assist in the prevention of drowning. The platform can equip all New Zealanders to be safe in, on and around water. Samantha Gunther says, We have over 840 students directly benefiting from our e-Learning platform currently. We know that many more people can benefit from the platform. New Zealand sadly still has one of the highest drowning rates per capita in the OECD; approximately twice that of Australia. We are beginning to work with other wet sector partners to make the eLearning platform a collaborative project where we’re all communicating the same messages to reduce the drowning toll in NZ. The platform is free to all New Zealanders and is setup to educate different age groups and different audiences. It will also have a section to cover water safety for the different water environments as well as a section to cover the various activities. The e-Learning platform is a sustainable form of aquatic education accessible to all people; whilst not replacing practical learning. It is another tool that aids in drowning prevention education. Drowning Prevention Auckland will continue to develop this online learning experience by including further resources and guides that will be based on the 15 water competencies. The e-learning platform is easily accessed from any online device.
Qualifications New Zealand Certificate in Aquatics (Pool Lifeguard) Level 3 This qualification incorporates the Pool Lifeguard Skills Award (PLSA) and Pool Lifeguard Practising Certificate (PLPC). It is delivered and assessed on-the-job at the pool, and some assessments will also be completed online. This 40-credit qualification covers the following areas: • Aquatic supervision techniques • Aquatic rescue techniques • Supervising customers • Identifying and managing hazards and risks • Leading emergency responses. This qualification is designed to be completed in 8 months. Currently 55 lifeguards completed Level 3 in 2019.
Qualifications APPRENTICESHIP: New Zealand Certificate in Aquatics (Senior Pool Lifeguard) Level 4 This is a new qualification launched in 2019 . “The Senior Pool Lifeguard qualification provides trainees with the opportunity to collect naturally occurring evidence while working in their facilities. It is a validation of the complex role that senior leaders in the aquatics industry manage every day,” explains Linda Dorrington, Skills Active Industry Development Advisor. “To retain well trained and balanced senior staff, they need to be recognised not only with financial remuneration, but with the opportunity to gain an industry qualification.” This apprenticeship suits lifeguards who want advanced knowledge and experience in leading lifeguard shifts and teams in aquatic facility environments. This apprenticeship will be delivered on-the-job at the pool, and assessments will be completed online.
Coming out of this qualification, a senior pool lifeguard will have indepth lifeguarding skills, and be armed with the knowledge required to supervise, coordinate and educate pool staff. This 120-credit apprenticeship covers the following areas: • Coordinating pool lifeguard plans and adapting shifts • Applying advanced lifeguarding skills and aquatic supervision and rescue techniques • Supervising health and safety procedures, risk assessment plans and pool water quality checks • Responding to customer needs in an aquatic facility. This qualification is designed to be completed in 2 years. Currently 20 candidates signed up to Level 4.
Patronage Each year we collect information from our Poolsafe members, detailing the total attendance at their facilities and the number of incident/accidents of various types including rescues. These are broken down into non-notifiable and notifiable. These figures are collated and give us an overall picture of how many people are using our Poolsafe facilities and the types of incidents and accidents which occur. This data is used to identify trends and to inform changes in policy and procedures which could reduce the rate of incidents. This data is also shared with Water Safety New Zealand to contribute to the overall national picture of water related incidents. The figures from this year (July 2018 – June 2019) show that aquatic facility attendance numbers increased to over 24 ½ million. The incident rate was lower when compared to last year, with one incident occurring for every 2765 visits, compared to the year previous with one incident for every 2498 visits.
3500000
Injuries
Hospitalisation (overnight stay) 31%
Medical 47.1%
Non-Fatal Drowning 21.8%
Incidents
Further Medical Care 7%
First Aid 79%
Dry Rescues 6.5% Wet Rescues 7.5%
Incident Case Study
Health and Safety Incident – Chemical Reaction Levin Aquatic Centre 2019 Gaston Velez, Operations Supervisor, Levin Aquatic Centre
What happened? A chemical reaction occurred in the skimmer of the hydrotherapy pool after two substances were combined together (sodium hypochlorite 13% and sodium bisulphate). This combination created a strong smell in that area that was quickly noticed by the customers and staff members in the immediate area. The lifeguard team immediately investigated and decided to evacuate the facility and inform management and emergency services. How it happened? After a regular pool water test was carried out by staff, a reading of low FAC and high PH was detected in the hydrotherapy pool. Sodium hypochlorite 13% was manually dosed to one of the pool skimmers of the hydrotherapy pool, followed a few minutes later by sodium bisulphate. Unknown to the staff member involved, the pump that was connected to that skimmer was not running so the chemicals sat in the skimmer and reacted with each other causing the smell and vapour.
Incident Case Study Action taken by staff Emergency services, the LAC management team, and members of the Horowhenua District Council Management were on scene within minutes. Together they drafted a plan for the Fire Service to enter the facility and wash the chemicals out to make it safe for people to return to the building. The Fire Service entered the building after receiving instructions on which valves to open and which ones to close in the plant room. After this was done, the all clear was given for staff to return to the building. An internal debrief was followed shortly after. WorkSafe were informed of the incident, however they did not wish to pursue a formal investigation. The did task an inspector to conduct an advisory visit to Levin Aquatic Centre which proved to be valuable. Not only did the inspector provide advice on the chemical incident but also on other areas of operations which could be improved. We capitalised this opportunity by establishing a positive relationship with WorkSafe and by having them as a reference for further advice. Changes made to operating procedures as a result of incident •
Procedures for chemical dosing were reviewed, which included the chemical calculator used and how we dosed into the pool. If chemicals are to be dosed into the pool itself, the immediate area, and the pathway were it is carried will be isolated.
•
Manual dosing of chemicals was significantly minimised by installing automatic pumps that would dose sodium hypochlorite 13% without the need to be manually handled.
•
H&S procedures about wearing PPE and following safe procedures at work were reinforced.. All permanent full-time lifeguards and all acting team leaders attended chemical handling courses and 1-day water treatment courses. This has become a requirement for the position.
•
More time is allowed between when one chemical is dosed into a pool and the next one.
•
Review of chemical suppliers’ procedures to ensure they were following legislation accordingly.
•
Communication has improved considerably. Emphasis is placed on passing on information and keeping everyone up-to-date.
•
The training structure has been updated to minimise absences and emphasis has been made on keeping fully descriptive records that include as much evidence as possible.
Incident Case Study
Fatality – Medical Event Wanaka Pool 2019 Dot Leggett, Aquatics Manager
What Happened A customer suffered a medical event whilst swimming in the pool. The customer was removed from the pool and given first aid but unfortunately died. How it Happened A lifeguard recognised a casualty in distress in the main pool, they were conscious but gasping, eventually submerges below surface of the water. The lifeguard entered the water and towed the casualty over lane rope to the side of the pool. At this point the casualty appeared to be semi-conscious. The casualty was lifted out of water and appeared to have a seizure or other medical event. Action taken by staff The lifeguard radioed reception to inform them of the ongoing incident. The lifeguard then carried out a signs of life check and radioed reception again to request and ambulance and resuscitation equipment. The casualty was placed in recovery position and appeared to be showing breath sounds. Signs of life then started to diminish and the casualty was not breathing. Casualty was then moved onto back and CPR was initiated along with the defibrillator. The Main was pool cleared and CPR and AED shocks were administered by the lifeguards before the Fire service arrived and took over. The Learner Pool was then cleared. The whole incident took 18 minutes with CPR starting at around 4 min and the first AED shock administered at around 7 minutes.
Incident Case Study What worked well Code red – Our facility code for needing additional assistance/emergency services is a ‘Code Red’ and this was called by the Lifeguard. Receptionist knew exactly what this meant and delivered defib to the location. This worked well. It is important that all receptionists are familiar with their role in an emergency through regular training. Since the incident, we invite reception staff to every second lifeguard training. Public administered CPR vs staff We had a nurse who was close and able assist with compression while our 2 lifeguards were providing rescue breaths and setting up the defib. We talked about whether this was okay, whether we just take bystanders credentials at face value in that circumstance or if we should not have let her assist. We decided that people who are offering to assist are usually competent, and that if their help is of value, then we should use them. It’s important that we (staff) takeover main tasks, as opposed to peripheral tasks, as this is what we are trained to do. Also important that we are confident in asking bystanders to step aside if their assistance isn’t in line with our EAP. What could we improve on Clearing of learners pool In hindsight, the decision to close the Learners pool came too late. All looked under control from the Learner pool lifeguard’s perspective, but quickly progressed to full CPR and emergency services arrived. As soon as CPR commenced, the pool should have been cleared. PPE Second Lifeguard took a few extra seconds to find face shield in bumbag – since we have made it compulsory that only a face shield is located in the front pocket of all bumbags, to make locating it in an emergency easier. Lifeguards didn’t bother with gloves and got straight into it. One had some in bumbag and one didn’t. These are now compulsory in all bumbags. Jaw tilt difficult Jaw tilt on a real unconscious person was difficult to maintain. Emergency services assisted by rolling a towel and placing under the head. This worked very well to maintain an open airway. Signs of life check for normal breathing Judgment call to start CPR or not was difficult and took some time as casualty was still doing some breathing. Talking point around normal, regular breathing. If they are not doing this, then start CPR.
Incident Case Study Post Incident Support Process for Staff We closed the facility after the incident occurred. Had our staff involved sit and write their incident reports. The Supervisor collated these reports and uploaded into our Safety Reporting software. The Centre Manager returned to site to take care of the comms with Media team, Health and Safety team, I spoke with Recreation Aotearoa and WorkSafe. The staff involved were pretty exhausted, they had family come and pick them up. We communicated to the next days staff that the Centre would be closed, with a brief at 9am the next day. At the briefing we talked through what had happened, and let the team know what to expect of our response moving forward ie. That the pool would remain closed that day, be blessed, staff would be supported by EAP services etc. We provided some light food and refreshments, and encouraged staff to hang around, talk and support each other for a long as they wanted to. Managers and an HR rep were onsite for general support. Feedback was that it was appreciated that all staff attended this briefing ie. Cleaner, contracted staff, as it impacted everyone. We had a representative from EAP services set up at the Centre from that afternoon for 1 on 1 chats. We encouraged any staff member who thought they would benefit from it, to meet with the lady for a chat. She was great. Our staff who were involved in the rescue were given priority for the first slots. The counsellor left lots of resources for dealing with grief generally and just general wellness messages, that we posted on group pages and gave to staff. That evening, the family requested to come to the facility for closure and for a Maori blessing (spirit leaving the place). We had a small group of staff members who wished to attend do so, and it was a peaceful and respectful gathering where we were able to talk and hug intimately with the family. The next morning the official blessing of the facility took place. We reopened the facility at 1pm and eased back into it. Staff members involved were offered additional time off – one was keen to get back to work and did a half day, and one took 2 more days off. Everyone else worked and was glad to receive well wishes from the regulars. One staff member struggled with a customer asking for details of the incident, but this was an isolated instance. We were conscious of giving everyone some regular ‘off poolside’ cleaning and maintenance tasks to help with fixating/hypersensitivity on poolside in the following days. About 2 weeks later we brought together the group who responded to the incident and their managers. We discussed the learnings, their experiences and any changes they feel we should make to our operation. Generally it was just a good chance to review and come back together once the dust had started to settle.
Poolsafe Facilities 5 7 11
12 10
10 7 6 8 5 10
10 7 9 8 5 10
8
8
Poolsafe Assessors Poolsafe assessors are volunteers drawn from across the industry and chosen for their experience, skills and competencies. They not only provide their knowledge to the facility’s that they visit but also through this process take back learning’s to their own organisations. The role of the assessor is to assess the operations of our Poolsafe pools annually to ensure that they are meeting the criteria as laid down in Poolsafe. The assessment involves a desktop assessment of a facilities operating procedures. Documentation, such as NOP, EAP, water tests, staff training, staff qualifications are closely scrutinized to ensure they meet the criteria. The assessors will then visit the facilities to observe them in operation and speak with staff about their roles and responsibilities. Where there are gaps in documentation or knowledge the Poolsafe assessor will make recommendations and work with the facility to ensure they can meet all the criteria required. Some of our current Poolsafe Assessors are:
Sarah Clarke, Centre Manager, Takapuna Pool & Leisure Centre Auckland
Nick Warwick, Aquatics Team Leader, Pioneer Recreation & Sports Centre, Christchurch
Dave McKenzie, Centre Manager, Riverside Pools & Nayland Pools, Nelson
Dot Legget, Aquatics Manager, Queenstown Lakes District Council
Gaston Velez, Operations Manager, Levin Aquatic Centre, Horowhenua
Keith Martin, Aquatic & Fitness Centre Manager, Toi-ohomai Instuitute of Technology, Tauranga
Poolsafe Assessors Kristin Raynes, Assistant Manager Operations, H2O Xtream,Upper Hutt
Matt Greenwood, Aquatic Facilites Manager, Waimakariri
Nick McConaghty, Operation Manager, Selwyn Aquatic Centre, Selwyn
Stephen Keatley, Strategic Assets & Projects Manager, Hutt City
Janine Laumua, Aquatics Operations Manager, Wellington
Darryl Hamilton, Aquatic and recreation Facilitiies Contract Manager, Auckland Council
Jocelyn Lee, Aquatic Education & Water Safety Advisor, Wellington
Steve Prescott, Sports Facility Manager, Ashburton District Council
Recommendations
What keeps coming up in Poolsafe inspections? Staff Training We saw many comprehensive training matrixes across the Poolsafe facilities we visited which detailed training sessions, staff attendance and qualifications. There were also many facilities that had introduced processes to hold their staff accountable for training by imposing restrictions on duties if training is not attended. The majority of these matrixes were held online, on spreadsheets. Whilst this provided a record, it does not provide evidence that what was said to have been done, has occurred. It is vital that facilities keep records of staff training that is signed by the individuals to say they have attended. There also needs to be a process of verification of training to ensure that what has been taught is understood. Again, this needs to be signed by the individuals. In the event of an incident the questions will be asked as to whether the right procedures were followed and were the staffed trained in and understood those procedures.
Hazardous Substances Register This is a requirement not only under Poolsafe but also from WorkSafe under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. The inventory needs to be available to staff on site so that in the event of an emergency it can be given to the emergency services attending. There is a fantastic resource on the WorkSafe site which provides a template and data on various chemicals making it easy to put together your own Hazardous Substances register.
Notifiable Diseases All facilities had procedures relating to Cryptosporidium but not all had procedures relating to other Notifiable Diseases such as Legionnaires and Giardia. It is important to detail procedures for these so they can be responded to quickly to reduce spread. These procedures need to include procedures for closing and cleaning the facility and notifying health authorities and patrons.
Hot Water From time to time we face challenges at our facilities which test our customer service skills to the max. With the rising popularity of social media and everyone being connected sometimes these challenges can show up in the public domain before we have had time to investigate and respond. In most cases misreporting leads to a negative public response and sometimes abusive behaviour and comments towards staff.
Recent Cases Breastfeeding In Pool – a woman who was breastfeeding her baby in the pool at a wellington Council facility was asked to leave the pool and feed her baby on poolside. This was done due to the facility rules around food and drink in the pool and possible contamination of the water should the baby vomit during feeding. This was reported in the media as the woman being asked to leave the facility and being told she could not breastfeed at all. Wellington council responded by clarifying that breastfeeding was allowed in the facility but not in the water. This was later reversed as there was no such regulations in place in other councils and Wellington felt they needed to be consistent with others. Better signage around the subject was displayed at Wellington Council facilities along with better communication to the customer. Cultural Sensitivities – a group of Muslim ladies were reportedly asked to leave an Auckland council facility by staff as they were not dressed in correct swimwear. This was initially reported on social media by members of the public as the women had been kicked out but had been wearing burkinis, so the inference was that they were kicked out for being Muslim. Investigation by Auckland council revealed that the women had been wearing sports clothing and not swimwear specific clothing and had been advised by staff that they could not swim in their attire. Auckland council agree that their swim clothing policy had not been clearly communicated with the public. They consulted with the Muslim Association and the Islamic Women’s Council and a new clearly defined swimwear policy was drawn up for all Auckland Council facilities.
Hot Water Racism In Signage – Auckland Council new signage campaign to bring awareness to the growing number of code brown in their facilities. The campaign featured a girl of European descent and a boy of Maori/Pasifika descent. One of the signs depicted the girl telling the boy to make sure he goes to the toilet before swimming , this was viewed by some a casual racism and could possibly incite animosity towards Maori/Pasifika as the main perpetrators of code browns. This was taken up by an MP who stated it would have been more appropriate to have a neutral character and not single out any ethnicity at all. Auckland Council stated they had been trying to be diverse in their representation of their customers but admitted that perhaps their judgement had been off. The campaign has been pulled and is being rethought.
Hot Water Current & Future Issues At Waves 2019 we held a workshop where we discussed these issues and other potential issues and how we would deal with them as an industry. Below are the top 10 current and future issues as a result of that workshop: Current Issues
Future Issues
1. 2. 3.
1.
4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Breastfeeding in the pool Social Media/ Mobile phones & photos Transgender changing rooms/swimwear codes Cultural dress and swim wear dress codes Free entry – problems associated/ Exceeding capacity having to limit entry Staff anxiety/Staff Turnover Under 5s – parental supervision Free Entry Aging facilities and lack of investment Spectrum of moral standards and people’s intolerance
2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Baby boomer population /elderly/ change in user profiles Kids in opposite sex changing rooms – age limit Gang insignia/offensive tattoos Child safety/vulnerable childrens act New technologies replacing staff Language barrier/ Cultural issues Work pressures/living stress Carbon footprint Drugs Mental of health – staff & customers
Interestingly #11 in Future issues was Public Health Scare. With COVID-19 still prevalent, we have all experienced this and the huge impact it has had on our facilities. It was not simply a case of closing the doors, there was staff concerns to deal with such as unemployment, financial, mental health, engagement, training as well as plant maintenance and retention of customers. New ways of operating within restrictions needed to be developed and even on re-opening there are still many challenges ahead. It did highlight the need, and the appetite, for sharing information and a collaborative approach across the aquatic industry to meet these challenges. What Can We Do? It’s a case of identifying what these issues might be and providing the necessary training and support to our staff to help them deal with them should they arise. Communication is key. Communication with our staff about what is expected and training in how to deal with issues in addition to communication with our customers about our intent, our expectations and our staff roles. Different issues will occur at different times at different facilities and require different responses. A whole of industry response is required with collaboration and ideas sharing to find solutions and new ways of operation.
Quality Pool
Quality Pool was developed by Recreation Aotearoa in partnership with Water Safety New Zealand. Targeted at private swimming pools such as holiday parks, gyms, retirement villages, seasonal pools, hotels and motels, and schools, Quality Pool works as a self-review of an aquatic environment. Benchmarking against specific standards the programme is conducted via a user-friendly online system – gone are the days of paper filing and manila folders. The standards encompass risk assessment and management, pool water quality, supervision, emergency procedures, signage, and health and safety. The programme allows operators to review their pool or pools through one simple assessment system. Currently there are 11 Quality accredited pools in NZ, with a large selection based in Christchurch. Nigel Cox, Head of Recreation, Sports and Events for Christchurch City Council, is a recent Quality Pool convert. “Even with the best intentions and written procedures, standards can slowly slip over time. The opportunity to have an independent audit once a year helps to keep standards up,” explains Nigel. Christchurch City Council currently have 10 pools under the Quality Pool accreditation eight of which are park paddling pools. Nigel says that the implementation of Quality Pool was a welcome one particularly for their unique operating model, that is part-time and unstaffed pools, “it provided assurance we were meeting national quality and safety standards.”
Quality Pool Rhiann Collins is the Quality Programmes Coordinator for Recreation Aotearoa and part of her role is to take care of the Quality Pool assessments and offer guidance for facilities taking part in the programme. She explains, “my role is to assist the facility to meet the requirements as opposed to issuing a pass or fail… we offer guidance and advice to help them achieve the criteria.” When a facility signs up to the programme they will be sent a checklist to complete. They are required to upload documentation and photographs to meet the criteria, which covers operating procedures, emergency action plans, water testing, staff training, and health and safety.
Once submitted Rhiann will conduct the desktop assessment and if there is anything missing or incorrect, she will add a comment and provide guidance on what action needs to be taken. Once a facility has met all the criteria, they are awarded Quality Pool certification and sent a certificate to proudly display at their facility. “Quality Pool is a great tool that takes the guess work out of compliance with industry best practice and health and safety requirements,” says Rhiann.
Quality Pool Since joining the Quality Pool scheme Nigel has noticed a marked change in their operations and processes. He explains that Quality Pool gave them scope to revaluate their processes and shake things up a bit, particularly where those processes had not changed for many years. “Quality Pool clarified benchmarks for budgeting, maintenance, and planning. It’s also helped us introduce checks and balances to our processes to improve consistency and transparency.” He says that the incentive of meeting nationally accepted standards and being in league of some of the larger facilities is a real for motivator for his team to keep their operations refined. In the extraordinary times we are facing worldwide, the health and safety of our facilities is more important than ever and with Quality Pool reducing risk, compliance and maintaining customer assurance are the key pillars of its innovation. “For small operators this may be the only chance for them to compare their operations with others,” says Nigel. “Quality Pool has introduced a way for all pool managers to benchmark and safeguard themselves. I would highly recommend the Quality Pool accreditation for all; hotels, holiday parks, schools, gyms, community pools and park paddling pools.” Programmes like Quality Pool exist to give not only operators peace of mind, but also the users. A Quality Pool certification is tangible evidence that a facility or aquatic environment meets national standards and is a healthy environment to recreate in. You can learn more about Quality Pool by contacting Rhiann at rhiann@nzrecreation.org.nz.
Watch Me In 2018 we focused on the issue of parental supervision by delivering a campaign designed to educate parents and caregivers at the pool. The poster campaign is based on the phrase "Watch Me", and highlights the distraction from parents' mobile phones. The posters are designed to remind parents and guardians that accidents can happen in seconds. Even if there are plenty of lifeguards at a pool, putting down your cellphone and making sure there are no distractions can mean the difference between life and death. As a caregiver you should support the lifeguard by giving the kids your full attention. In 2019, we built on the success of the poster campaign with a series of videos featuring Silver Fern and Water Safety NZ ambassador Ameliaranne Ekenasio. As a water safety ambassador for toddlers and babies, Ameliaranne knows how important it is for parents and guardians to be in the water with their children. "Even if there are plenty of lifeguards at a pool, putting down your cellphone and making sure there are no distractions can mean the difference between life and death. As a caregiver you should support the lifeguard by giving the kids your full attention" she said.
Watch Me
'Lifeguards are not babysitters’ is the message from Silver Fern Ameliaranne Ekenasio