Swimming in open water

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Includes

Sea Swimming
Lake Swimming

General requirements for water activities

Description

This activity refers to taking young members swimming in the sea, lakes and other open water.

Forms

An Information and Consent for Event/Activity form is required to participate in this activity.

Who can participate?

Open to all.

Participants do not have to be able to swim unaided as long as the appropriate swimming aids are used.

Guides may go swimming without a Leader, provided:

they are accompanied by a responsible adult who has been approved by the Leader
they have permission from their Leader
appropriate lifeguard cover is available
they use the buddy system (swim in pairs or small groups for safety).

Senior Section members may go swimming without an adult, provided:

they have permission from their Leader
appropriate lifeguard cover is available
they use the buddy system (swim in pairs or small groups for safety).

Ratio of adults to girls

The ratio for swimming in open-water is one adult to every five girls with a minimum of two adults for all sections (except the Senior Section for whom adult helpers are not applicable).

There must be sufficient adult helpers to supervise and maintain the appropriate ratio for the section at all times.

Regulations

The Leader must ensure that all participants under 18 have written permission to take part from an adult with parental responsibility.
The local Commissioner must be informed that the activity is taking place.
Carry out a risk assessment for the activity.

The Leader must:

ensure that safety rules and alarm signals have been explained to the participants
be satisfied that everyone understands the need for instructions to be obeyed immediately
follow the guidelines in the Water Safety Code and ensure that the responsible adult helpers are familiar with them
ensure that the water is suitable for swimming, seeking advice if necessary
arrange appropriate lifeguard cover and sufficient responsible adult helpers based on: the number of swimmers and their section, the ability of the participants and the type of water.
discuss with the lifeguard(s) and responsible adult helpers their responsibilities
provide the lifeguard(s) and responsible adult helpers with safety equipment, or ensure that it is provided
decide on the day, with the lifeguard(s), whether conditions are safe for swimming.

Instructor qualifications

Instructors

If receiving instruction in inland open water, the instructor should hold the RLSS Aquatic Rescue Test for Outdoor Activity Supervisors.

Lifeguards

A lifeguard must:

be at least 16 years old
hold an appropriate and current lifeguarding qualification
stay on the alert and be capable of making a rescue if necessary
carry a whistle and wear appropriate footwear.

Lifeguard qualifications

Beaches (non-patrolled and patrolled):

Lifeguards must hold one of the following awards:

RLSS UK National Beach Lifeguard Qualification (NBLQ)
Surf Life Saving GB NARS Beach Lifeguard

Inland open water:

In inland open water the minimum lifeguard qualification is RLSS UK Bronze Cross.

Finding a lifeguard

Contact your local swimming club, the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS UK) or the Swimming Teachers’ Association (STA) for information on booking a lifeguard.

Useful information

Water should be inspected for signs of visible pollution, for example rubbish, blue-green algae or chemicals.

The Leader should ensure each participant (or her parent if the participant is under 18 years old) is aware of the dangers and symptoms of Weil’s disease and knows what action to take if infection is suspected. On the day of the activity participants should be advised to cover cuts and grazes with waterproof plasters.

A responsible adult helper should:

remain alert throughout the activity
check numbers frequently
call swimmers out of the water if necessary
inform the lifeguard(s) if anyone is in difficulty.

Swimmers must:

be paired according to ability, stay in these pairs and be responsible for watching each other (the ‘buddy’ system)
enter unheated water gradually and come out of the water if they start to get cold.

It is advisable for swimmers to wear protective non-slip footwear: even sand can hide hazardous objects and creatures.

Lifeguards must be satisfied that the conditions on the day are suitable for safe swimming, taking into account:

local advice
the weather conditions
the location and temperature of the water (water below 12ºC/54ºF is too cold for swimming)
the age, ability and state of health of the swimmers
natural hazards, for example weeds, rocks, state of the tide and any visible pollution (chemical or rubbish).