Deficient detection

Detection is the process of any person having a line of sight to a person in the water. 

1. No Supervision

Where a pool user is unsupervised when they are in distress, it may delay detection. 

Reasons pools may be unsupervised may include: 

• No constant poolside supervision provided
• CCTV cameras not observed
• Lone swimmer
• Poolside supervisor has left poolside unattended
• Users have gained unauthorized access to poolside

Common risk mitigation may include: 

• Provision of constant poolside supervision. 
• Provision of gates/water disturbance alarms. 
• No lone swimmer policy. 
• Training for staff. 

2. Obstructed visibility

Where visibility of a pool user in the water is obstructed it may delay detection. This may obstruct someone providing poolside supervision, other users, CCTV or drowning detection systems from having visibility of the pool user. 

Reasons pools may have obstructed visibility may include: 

• Glare, reflective, turbulence, reflection issues caused by the environment or water features.  
• Water clarity issues. 
• Users obstructing visibility as they move about the pool. 
• Position of cameras or poolside supervisor obstructs visibility. 
• Natural and artificial lighting levels. 

Common risk mitigation may include: 

• Visibility assessment informs the correct camera or poolside supervisor positioning. 
• Water clarity management process in place. 
• Maximum pool user limits established. 

3. Distracted supervisor

Where a poolside supervisor is distracted, detection may be delayed. 

Reasons supervisors may become distracted may include: 

• Undertaking cleaning, session changeovers, and other duties whilst responsible for supervision. 
• Intervening to manage customer behaviour in other parts of the pool. 
• Communicating with other persons. 
• Using a mobile phone or similar device whilst responsible for supervision. 

Common risk mitigation may include: 

• Information, instruction, and training for poolside supervisors.
• Disciplinary process in place.  
• No personal electronic devices on poolside. 
• Poolside supervisor rotation policy in place. 

4. Mistaken whereabouts

Where a pool user or poolside supervisor is under a misapprehension about the whereabouts of another pool user, this may delay detection. 

Reasons poolside supervisors may be mistaken about the whereabouts of a pool user may include: 

• A pool user or employee has reported a sighting of the user somewhere else in the building. 

Common risk mitigation may include: 

• A policy instructing employees to thoroughly check the pool before searching other parts of the building. 
• Information, instruction, and training for poolside supervisors. 

Deficient recognition

Recognition is the process of assessing whether a person is in danger. 

5. Obstructed visibility

Where visibility of a pool user in the water is obstructed it may delay recognition that the pool user is in distress. This may obstruct someone providing poolside supervision, other users, CCTV or drowning detection systems from having visibility of the pool user. 

Reasons pools may have obstructed visibility: 

• Glare, reflective, turbulence, reflection issues caused by the environment or water features.  
• Water clarity issues. 
• Users obstruct visibility. 
• Position of cameras or poolside supervisor obstructs visibility. 

Common risk mitigation may include: 

• A move to investigate policy if poolside supervisors need to adjust their position. 
• Visibility assessment informs the correct camera or poolside supervisor positioning. 
• Water clarity management process in place. 
• Maximum pool user limits established. 

6. Mistaken breath-holding

Where a pool user is thought or known to hold their breath for extended periods it may delay recognition that the pool user is in distress. 

Reasons poolside supervisors may mistake a user for holding their breath: 

• They are taking part in an organized activity which requires them to hold their breath. 
• It is part of the pool users typical training regime to hold their breath (e.g. underwater hockey player, competitive swimmer or diver etc.) 

Common risk mitigation may include: 

• A policy which sets out the prohibition or additional controls in place for structured activities which require a user to hold their breath for long periods. 
• Information, instruction, and training of those providing poolside supervision on the behaviours and warning signs associated with those who fall unconscious whilst holding their breath. 
• An "if in doubt, get them out" policy for such activities. 

7. Mistaken swimmer movement

It is a common misconception that unconscious swimmers remain still or face-down in the water. Where pool users or those with responsibility for poolside supervision mistake movement of a swimmer as a sign of safety, it will delay recognition that the pool user is in danger. 

Reasons swimmer movement may be mistaken for a sign of safety: 

• Lack of knowledge around the spasms and unusual movements a swimmer may make shortly after cardiac arrest whilst underwater. 
• When combined with Risk Factors 5 and 6 above. 

Common risk mitigation may include: 

• Information, instruction, and training to help those providing poolside supervision with the knowledge to recognise the behaviours and warning signs associated with those who fall unconscious whilst holding their breath.  
• An "if in doubt, get them out" policy for such activities. 

Deficient intervention

Intervention is the process which follows detection and recognition that a pool user is in danger. 

8. Delayed rescue or recovery

Where a pool user's rescue or recovery is delayed post-recognition that a user is in distress, the likelihood of a more severe outcome will increase. 

Reasons rescue or recovery may be delayed: 

• The poolside supervisor panics and is slow to initiate a rescue. 
• Need to cease operating a special feature (e.g. wave machine, flume). 
• Limited or insufficient rescue equipment is readily available. 

Common risk mitigation may include: 

• Provision of suitable and sufficient rescue equipment which is readily available. 
• Planned arrangements to ensure the emergency stop of special features can be achieved as soon as possible in the event of an emergency. 

9. Obstructed rescue or recovery 

Where a pool user's rescue or recovery is obstructed, the likelihood of a more severe outcome will increase.  

Reasons rescue or recovery may be delayed: 

• Obstructed access to the water and/or pool user in distress (e.g. sun loungers, queueing, crowds). 

Common risk mitigation may include: 

• Limit the number of moveable objects which could obstruct access around the pool edge. 

10. Harmful rescue or recovery

Where the rescue or recovery causes further harm to the pool user as they are rescued or recovered, the likelihood of a more severe outcome will increase.

Reasons the rescue or recovery may cause the pool user harm: 

• An untrained pool user attempts to perform the rescue unaided and causes injury to the pool user in distress. 
• A poolside supervisor fails to take precautions to protect the spine in circumstances where a suspected spinal injury has occurred. 
• The pool user is dropped, striking the poolside, as they are lifted out of the water. 

Common risk mitigation may include: 

• Information, instruction, and training for poolside supervisors. 
• Provision of suitable and sufficient rescue equipment which is readily available.

11. Inability to rescue or recover

Where the poolside supervisor was unable to rescue or recover the pool user in distress, the likelihood of a more severe outcome will increase. 

Reasons the poolside supervisor may be unable to rescue or recover the pool user to a point of safety: 

• The poolside supervisor is unable to dive to the required depth to recover the pool user. 
• The poolside supervisor is unable to recover the pool user to the poolside to begin CPR or utilize a defibrillator (e.g. casualty size/weight, lack of sufficient persons to perform a lift-out). 

Common risk mitigation may include: 

• Suitable and sufficient staffing levels with the required skills to rescue and recover pool users from the water. 
• Information, instruction, and training for poolside supervisors (depth tests, lift-outs etc.). 

Deficient pre-hospital care

Pre-hospital care is the process that follows the recovery of the pool user to the poolside. 

12. Delayed or deficient emergency call

Where there is a delay or deficiency to the emergency call made to summon professional assistance, the likelihood of a more severe outcome is increased. 

Reasons there may be a delay or deficiency in the emergency call made may include: 

• Lack of coordination or instruction to make the emergency call. 
• The information provided to the emergency caller is incomplete or inaccurate. 
• Background noise present when the emergency caller makes the call hinders communication. 

Common risk mitigation may include: 

• Information, instruction, and training for emergency callers. 
• Provision of means to silence the pool alarm where it may obstruct communication. 

13. Delayed or deficient CPR

Where there is a delay or deficiency in the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) provided, the likelihood of a more severe outcome is increased.

Reasons there may be a delay or deficiency in the CPR provided may include: 

• Lack of a person with the knowledge or skills to perform CPR. 
• Obstruction or interference by bystanders may delay or interrupt CPR. 
• Poorly trained persons may deliver deficient CPR. 
• Exhaustion may result in a cessation of CPR. 

Common risk mitigation may include: 

• Provision of suitable and sufficient trained persons to perform CPR. 
• Information, instruction, and training for those with the responsibility to perform CPR. 
• Process for controlling bystanders in the event of a resuscitation. 

14. Delayed or deficient defibrillation 

Where there is a delay or deficiency in the use of the automated external defibrillator (AED), the likelihood of a more severe outcome is increased. 

Reasons there may be a delay or deficiency in the use of an AED may include: 

• No AED is provided on-site. 
• The AED provided is uncharged/no batteries. 
• Lack of persons with the knowledge or skills to use the AED. 
• The AED is available but not used. 

Common risk mitigation may include

• Provision of an on-site or nearby AED. 
• Information, instruction, and training for those with the responsibility to use the AED. 

15. Delayed or deficient aftercare

Where there is a delay or deficiency in the aftercare provided, the likelihood of a more severe outcome is increased. 

Reasons there may be a delay or deficiency in the aftercare provided may include: 

• Mistaking agonal gasps as breathing and placing the pool user in the recovery position. 
• Resuscitating the pool user successfully but failing to notice the pool user relapse to not breathing normally. 
• Placing the pool user in a position where their airway is fully or partially blocked. 
• Sending the pool user home without having their condition reviewed by a qualified medical professional. 

Common risk mitigation may include: 

• Information, instruction, and training for those with the responsibility for aftercare.