North Tyneside Council Children, Young People and Learning Directorate Guidance for the Safe Use of Hydrotherapy Pools Further advice can be sought from: Angela James, Inspector PE & Outdoor Education 200 1533 angela.james@northtyneside.gov.uk Jayne Dixon, SSCO Special Schools 07967 435484 jayne@peppercornhouse.fsnet.uk RATIONALE FOR HYDROTHERAPY POOL USE During school time the hydrotherapy pool is used for pupils with special educational needs where access to a public swimming pool is deemed inappropriate due to size, temperature, changing facilities and environment. The pool is also used to meet pupils therapeutic needs. 1. Aims To provide opportunities for pupils to explore their environment; To develop confidence in the water; To promote physiotherapy routines, circulation, exercises and toleration of touch; To provide an opportunity for freedom of movement, balance, weight bearing and coordination; To develop communication skills; To provide a safe environment for fun and relaxation; To promote water based activities including basic water skills and water safety; To access national curriculum physical education.
2. Hydrotherapy Curriculum Guidance The hydrotherapy pool is a small heated pool built for therapeutic purposes. Sessions are conducted by staff accompanied by other adults attending in a supportive role. Other adults such as parents and volunteers will have been checked through the safeguarding children procedures. One member of staff must be appropriately qualified to act as a lifeguard and be present throughout every session. 3. Risk Management Guidance Each pool must have procedures in place to ensure that the pool is safe and suitable for use prior to each session. A logbook of testing must be kept. The hydrotherapy pool, entrance doors must be closed on entry and locked when not in use. Failure to do so could lead to a serious accident. A suitably qualified member of staff who fulfils the role of group leader must oversee all sessions. An adult who is appropriately qualified to act as a lifeguard must be in attendance while the pool is in use. Written parental consent must be sought before a pupil begins sessions in the pool. Pool size and group/ individual pupil risk assessments must be individually undertaken for each pool and must determine the maximum number of pupils in the pool at any one time, additional spotters required and 1 to 1 support provision. A member of the senior management team must regularly monitor these risk assessments. A spotter is a person responsible for observing pupils in the pool during a session to ensure their safety by alerting the person in charge of anyone experiencing difficulties or needing assistance. Guidance on pupil teacher ratios is available in the ISRM document on safe supervision for teaching and coaching swimming. Pupils must be managed in line with individual pupil risk assessments. Medical advice must be followed prior to a pupil participating in sessions in the hydrotherapy pool. Guidance from the school nursing service should be considered if any pupil is suffering from additional medical conditions or illness. Personal dignity should be respected at all times and staff should change in a separate area. Only experienced and trained staff should operate the pool hoist. Moving and handling guidance for individual pupils should be adhered to at all times. Any pupil suffering from diahorea or sickness must not swim. They must be symptom free for 24hrs. In the case of any incontinent accidents or a pupil being sick in a pool please evacuate the pool immediately and inform school business manager. This rule also applies if pupils costumes are found to have been soiled on exit from the pool. A first aid kit must be available on the poolside. Routines must be in place for checking stock regularly. All accidents in the hydrotherapy pool must be reported to school business manager and an accident form completed. Shoes should be removed in the pool corridor. Overshoes must be provided and must be worn by all adults. Jewellery should not be worn in the pool. Running around the poolside is not allowed. Pupils must not enter the water until instructed by the group leaders.
Pupils should not be in the water for longer than 30-40 minutes. Another responsible adult must supervise pupils who are not taking part in the session at all times. Staff should be clear about the emergency procedures, which must be displayed in the pool area. On hearing a whistle all staff must follow the instructions from the adult fulfilling the lifeguard role. Antibacterial wipes should be used to clean buoyancy aids before blowing up. Any buoyancy equipment that is damaged should be removed and school business manager notified. Failed equipment must be destroyed. At least once a term all buoyancy aids should be cleaned. This is the responsibility of PE TA.. All equipment must be removed from the water after use and stored in the designated area. If interactive sensory equipment is being used this must be carefully supervised at all times. Any damage or repairs need to be reported to School Business Manager The poolside should be tidied after use. 4. Headteacher s Responsibility Overall responsibility for the safe use of the pool rests with the headteacher who must ensure procedures are in place for: Plant room, testing pool water and chemical treatment; Cleaning the pool and pool area; Access to the pool; Regular maintenance and servicing of specialist equipment; Timetabling and staffing the pool including regular breaks for staff undertaking back to back sessions in the hydrotherapy pool; Emergency procedures including evacuation on the event of fire; Risk assessment of pool; Appropriately trained group leaders and lifeguards; Pupil behaviour code. 5. Group Leader s Responsibility The group leader is responsible for ensuring: Appropriately qualified staff and adults are available for the session; Appropriate equipment is available; Planning for the session is in place including activity risk assessment; Individual pupil risk assessments are adhered to; In consultation with the lifeguard all adults understand their roles and responsibilities during each session; All adults know the emergency procedures; Any incident is reported in line with school guidance; Pupils adhere to behaviour code. 6. Lifeguard s Responsibility The lifesaver is responsible for the overall safety of the pupils in the water and their decision is final. The lifesaver must:
Be suitability dressed for immediate entry into the water if required; Carry a whistle at all times; Be present whilst a session is in progress; Scan water at all times to alert all adults in the event of any danger; Use one long blast to indicate that the water should be cleared. The lifesaver in consultation with the group leader must allocate specific roles to other adults at the pool. These may include: Regular head count Use of telephone Seeking additional help Involvement in rescue 7. Emergency Procedures All adults must know and adhere to emergency procedures. These procedures need to be regularly practiced, particularly at the beginning of each term and on induction for new staff or user groups. Everyone must be aware of the location of the following: Emergency cord (if system is fitted) Telephone (landline or mobile) Whistle First aid kit Fire procedures The member of staff acting as the lifeguard must carry a whistle at all times in order to alert staff to any dangers. One long blast on the whistle should be used to indicate that the pool must be evacuated. In the event of a serious incident: Pull the emergency cord (if available) Telephone for assistance Send a responsible adult for additional support Adults in the pool are responsible for bringing the pupils to the poolside where they will either be hoisted or lifted out of the pool depending upon their size and disability in the presence of the person acting as lifeguard. Instructions on how to proceed will be given by the group leader.
8. Qualifications The Group leader should be appropriately trained to lead the session. When the pool is being used for activities other than the teaching of swimming the group leader must receive permission, advice and guidance from the Headteacher One of the following qualifications would be deemed appropriate when the teaching of swimming takes place: ASA Assistant Teacher Certificate (Swimming for People with Disabilities) ASA Level 1 Certificate for Teaching (Swimming for People with Disabilities) Halliwick Association of Swimming Therapy Course. Lifesavers should be appropriately trained to fulfil their responsibilities. The following qualification would be deemed appropriate: RLSS National Rescue Award for Swimming Teachers and Coaches RLSS National Pool Lifeguard Qualification When a hydrotherapy pool is used solely for the purpose of teaching swimming further information and guidelines can be sought from: Amateur Swimming Association Royal Life Saving Society Swimming Teachers Association Association of Swimming Therapy Useful Documents for guidance on the Teaching of Swimming: Safe Supervision for Teaching and Coaching Swimming Managing Health and Safety in Swimming Pools BAALPE Safe Practice in PE and School Sport
Normal Operating Procedures Beacon Hill Pool 1. The pool will be maintained by the caretaker of the building who will check the safety of the water and the pool area. 2. The caretaker will carry out the covering and uncovering of the pool 3. The pool area will be cleaned daily when in use. 4. Any faults or difficulties with the condition of the pool or equipment should be reported to the caretaker. (either directly through his work book or through the office) 5. Outdoor shoes will be left in the pool entrance and or overshoes will be worn in the changing rooms and pool area. 6. Entry into the pool and changing area is through an electronically fobbed door which must be closed at all times. Entry into the pool from the changing rooms and corridor is also fobbed Entry into the pool via the disabled access is unlocked therefore care must be taken to ensure that this area and the pool are supervised and risk assessed. 7. No one is permitted into the pool area without a lifeguard being present. 8. No one must swim unless they are in a group of 3 one of whom must be a life guard and one stay on the pool side. 9. All swimmers should know the pool evacuation procedure and get out of the water when instructed to do so. 10. No running. 11. No Diving. 12. No dangerous or irresponsible behaviour. 13. Swimmers should be encouraged to use the toilets before going into the pool. 14. No one should enter the pool with an infectious disease or skin complaint. 15. No food or drink allowed in the pool area. 16. No pupil /user will be in the water for longer that 30 minutes 17. No staff support or therapist should be in the pool environment /water for longer than one hour without a break. 18. One person should be in charge of the session. (If this is not the life guard then the teacher will need to liaise with the life guard) All staff, especially temporary helpers, should know who this person is. 19. The life guard/ teacher will do a risk assessment To ensure the ratio of supporters to pupils is correct. To ensure pupils have to correct floatation aids. To ensure that the pool is not too full of people. To ensure the risks in the pool area are identified and reduced. To ensure that only trained staff will use of hoists
That individual pupils have their own risk assessment for being hoisted. All staff/supporters will be made aware of the risks identified and their role in the pool. Staff working with individual pupils must be aware of their limitations, and should work carefully within these. 20. There should always be one responsible observer on the side of the pool, unless there is 1:1 supervision in the water. This person will need to be briefed by the life guard and read the risk assessment they should know what their responsibility is and should not be busy doing other things to be able to watch carefully. 21. If a pupil is wearing armbands or other swimming aids, care should be taken to ensure that they are not damaged, and are the appropriate size for the child. The armbands should always be put away carefully. 22. Entry to the water should be from the side, or the platform entry steps. 23. A pupil should never be carried on the steps of the pool, but should be passed from one person to another at the side of the pool. 24. Take extra care when using electrical equipment. Do not use such equipment when hands or feet are wet It is important that all staff, students and volunteers are aware of these rules and know about the emergency alarm the fire alarm and exit and the emergency telephone 99112 It is the responsibility of the person in charge to check that staff have been fully inducted in these matters
Emergency Action Plan Beacon Hill Pool 1. Numbers of staff and pupils in the pool will be no more than 20 the risk assessment will assess the number depending on the ability of the group and the number of staff needed or assisting in the water or at the side of the pool. 2. Any disorderly behaviour in the pool area or changing rooms will be dealt with by the teacher in charge or the life guard and they may need to remove the pupil from the pool. 3. If the water is not clear the pool will not be used and it will be reported to the caretaker via the office. 4. In the event of a fire the pool will be evacuated via the emergency exit. ( foil sheets are available) 5. In the event of the release of toxic gases the pool will be evacuated via the emergency exit. ( foil sheets are available) 6. In the event of a serious injury to a bather the life guard will attend to the casualty, the alarm will be called and the emergency services called Telephone in the entrance to the pool 99112 7. In the event of a casualty being discovered the life guard will attend to the casualty, the alarm will be called and the emergency services called. Telephone in the entrance to the pool 99112 8. The risk assessment of the group will identify how the pool will be cleared and the responsibilities of the staff.
The Role of the life Guard Beacon Hill Pool The life guard may or may not be the leader in the session. If the lifeguard is not the leader of the activities they are still in charge of the safety in the session. The life guard must make themselves known to all staff, especially temporary helpers or volunteers. The life guard/ teacher will do a risk assessment To ensure the ratio of supporters to pupils is correct. To ensure pupils have to correct floatation aids. To ensure that the pool is not too full of people. To ensure the risks in the pool area are identified and reduced. To ensure that only trained staff will use of hoists. That an individual pupil has their own risk assessment for moving and handling. All staff/supporters will be made aware of the risks identified and their role in the pool. The life guard will make sure staff working with individual pupils are aware of their limitations, and should work carefully within these. They will make sure there is a responsible observer on the side of the pool, unless there is 1:1 supervision in the water. They will brief this person and ensure they read the risk assessment they should know clearly what their responsibility is and should not be busy doing other things to be able to watch carefully. They will ensure that if a pupil is wearing armbands or other swimming aids, they are not damaged, and are the appropriate size for the child. As part of the risk assessment the life guard will decide to observe the group from the side of the pool or in the pool.