Guidance: Emergency evacuation in the swimming pool environment
Jan 15, 2021GUIDANCE
The following provides a set of questions to help you build or cross-check your Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for emergency evacuations within a leisure centre environment. Controlled evacuations are addressed separately. The following questions should be read in conjunction with general good practice advice on designing or drafting your processes.
The questions below are intended to help those with responsibility for drafting this section of the EAP and should be considered in conjunction with applicable guidance and competent advice.
CONTEXT
1. Scope – Which parts of your operation does this process apply to? Are all times, days, and sessions included? Are out-of-hours included?
2. Definition – How do you define emergency evacuation? How might it differ from a controlled evacuation?
3. Guiding principles – How do you clearly and memorably communicate the key message within your more detailed process?
4. Examples – When should your team conduct an emergency evacuation of the building/site?
5. Third parties – Does this process apply to or rely on the actions of third parties? If so, how do you manage this?
IDENTIFY THE NEED TO EVACUATE
6. Who might discover an emergency?
7. What should they do if they discover an emergency?
8. Who decides whether an emergency evacuation should be initiated?
9. What guidance is provided to help a person decide to initiate an emergency evacuation?
INITIATE THE EVACUATION
10. How do you communicate the need to evacuate?
11. Do you rely on a single communication mechanism or multiple mechanisms?
12. Are there any groups, activities, or situations where people may not identify or understand the need to evacuate? If so, how do you manage this?
13. How do you communicate where to evacuate to?
14. Are there any groups, activities, or situations where people may not understand or be able to evacuate to the designated location? If so, how do you manage this?
15. How do you communicate alternative evacuation routes in the event they are needed?
16. Are there any obstacles, barriers, or deterrents from evacuating the building and/or mustering at the designated collection point? If so, how do you manage this?
CONTAIN THE EMERGENCY
17. Define clear responsibilities and who is accountable. This may include those responsible for (i) locating the source of the emergency, (ii) taking actions to mitigate the emergency, (iii) the evacuation, (iv) the evacuation point, (v) those left within the building, (v) calling the emergency services (vi) deciding to re-enter/not re-enter the building (vii) seeking support from other persons.
18. How long does it take to evacuate all persons from the building, and is it sufficient to ensure all persons’ safety?
19. What do you instruct the responsible person do to mitigate the emergency?
20. How do you keep the responsible person and others safe whilst mitigating the emergency?
21. When should the responsible person cease to mitigate the emergency and evacuate all persons from the building?
22. How does the responsible person confirm the evacuation is complete?
23. How is the safety of those not evacuated protected?
24. When and how should your responsible person contact the emergency services, or other persons, to contain the emergency?
RESPOND TO THE EMERGENCY
25. How is does the responsible person decide to re-enter/not re-enter the building?
26. How are people instructed to re-enter/not re-enter the building?
27. What first-aid and other equipment is needed to evacuate safely, and how is this made available for use?
28. What follow-up is required of the responsible person, and how do they determine what is required?
OTHER
29. Competency – Consideration should be given to how competency will be obtained, maintained, and assessed for those persons responsible within this section of the EAP. This includes any equipment individuals are responsible for using.
30. Test and exercise – Consideration should be given to the use, method, and frequency of test and/or exercise as a method of risk assessment and demonstration of the adequacy of controls (inc. competency).
31. Groups with additional needs – Consideration should be given to a range of users (disclosed and undisclosed) who have/may have additional evacuation needs. Controls (inc. test and exercise) should be evaluated in light of the diverse needs of those using your facility.
32. Behaviour – Consideration should be given to the behaviour (planned and unplanned) of persons (employees, non-employees, and others) when designing, testing, and reviewing this process.
33. Assurance – Consideration should be given to how controls are validated and verified through appropriate assurance (self-assessment, inspection, audit). This should include consideration of who provides that assurance, any conflicts of interest, the scope of that assurance and any limitations.
34. Best practice benchmark – Consideration should be given to what best practice is available, its utility and applicability to your facility, and which parts to utilize in the process you define.
Sector references
EN 15288:2018-2 Swimming pools for public use. Part 2 Safety requirements for operation. Available at: https://shop.bsigroup.com/ProductDetail/?pid=000000000030360257 accessed 15th January 2021. Clause(s) 7.8.1-7.8.5, 9.2.3-9.2.6
HSG179:2018 Health and safety in swimming pools. Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg179.pdf accessed 15th January 2021. Para(s) 273-283.
General references
BS 9999:2017 Fire safety in the design, management, and use of buildings. Code of Practice. Available at: https://shop.bsigroup.com/ProductDetail/?pid=000000000030357099 accessed 15th January 2021.
CIBSE (2019). Fire Safety Engineering: CIBSE Guide E. Available at: https://www.cibse.org/knowledge/knowledge-items/detail?id=a0q0O00000GiPUSQA3 accessed 15th January 2021.
CIEH and CFOA (2008). Housing Fire Safety: Guidance on fire safety provision for certain types of existing housing. Available at: https://www.cieh.org/media/1244/guidance-on-fire-safety-provisions-for-certain-types-of-existing-housing.pdf accessed 15th January 2021.
Fire Sector Federation. (2020). A guide to choosing a competent fire risk assessor. Available at: https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/media/5496/fsf_guide_october_20.pdf accessed 15th January 2021.
HM Government (2006). Fire Safety Risk Assessment: Offices and Shops. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-risk-assessment-offices-and-shops accessed 15th January 2021.
HM Government (2006). Fire Safety Risk Assessment: Small and Medium Places of Assembly. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-risk-assessment-small-and-medium-places-of-assembly accessed 15th January 2021.
Home Office (2006). A Short Guide to Making Your Premises Safe from Fire. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/making-your-premises-safe-from-fire accessed 15th January 2021.
Home Office (2006). Fire Safety Risk Assessment: Theatres, Cinemas and Similar Premises. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-risk-assessment-theatres-cinemas-and-similar-premises accessed 15th January 2021.
Home Office. (2007). Fire Safety Risk Assessment: Means of Escape for Disabled People. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-risk-assessment-means-of-escape-for-disabled-people accessed 15th January 2021.
HSE. (2021). Emergency procedures. Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/managing/emergency.htm accessed 15th January 2021.
LFB (2011). Fire Safety Guidance Note: Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 [GN66]. Available at: https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/media/4821/gn_66_london-fire-brigade-fire-safety-guidance-note.pdf accessed 15th January 2021.
Citation: Jacklin, D. 2021. Emergency evacuation in the swimming pool environment. Water Incident Research Hub, 15 January.
