Public can stay cool in your school pool

The summer holidays have arrived and WorkSafe is reminding schools that they can still let people access their pools, through the summer break.

The decision to let people access a school pool is up to a Board of Trustees, but there are some things to keep in mind said WorkSafe’s Chief Inspector Assessments for the Central Region Marcus Nalter.

“The fun of heading along to your school pool during the summer months is still something that every kiwi kid can experience. As long as your school has procedures in place for the day-to-day management of the pool, you’ve got it covered.”

Mr Nalter recommended that schools made sure there were clearly visible rules on display with expectations of behaviour in or around the pool.

“School pools do not need professional lifeguards. But it is recommended that swimmers are supervised by someone who could provide immediate help”.

Some simple things you can do to ensure the pool is safe for use include

Checking pool gates and locks
Locking up pool chemicals
Don’t store pool equipment in the same area as the pool chemicals (to prevent students accessing hazardous chemicals)
Manage water quality in the pool

“Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, the board of trustees must be able to show that the school has taken all reasonable steps to ensure the health and safety of pool users. It isn’t as hard as it sounds. Just put together a plan on how the pool will be managed, assure everyone knows their responsibilities and communicate that to potential pool users”.

ENDS

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