Rule 42.6 Swimming

These Rules cover all activities of a recreational or training nature that take place in the water, rather than on the water, with the exception of snorkelling and sub aqua diving which are covered separately.

IMPORTANT

Information and advice contained in the current factsheet Swimming must be read by the responsible person before any swimming activity is organised.

1. Leisure Centres and Swimming Pools with an attendant Lifeguard

When swimming takes place in leisure centres and swimming pools owned by other people or bodies, the leader must have read, accepted and implemented any safety rules and conditions contained in written operating procedures or displayed at the pool. The pool's lifeguard will be on duty to supervise all swimmers; the Leader, however, is still responsible for the good behaviour of a Scout party.

2. All other facilities and locations

Responsible person

All swimming must be under the direct control of a responsible person who will ensure that the appropriate safety cover and safety briefings are provided. The responsible person must:

·         ensure that the location is suitable for swimming;

·         arrange safety cover appropriate to the number of swimmers and the location;

·         brief the persons providing the safety cover on their duties;

·         ensure that the necessary safety equipment is provided;

·         have read and accepted any written operating procedures relating to the location.

Where appropriate, the responsible person must take into account:

·         the location and temperature of the water;

·         the weather conditions;

·         the age, ability and state of health of the swimmers;

·         the suitability of the water with respect to depth, cleanliness, rocks and the movement of any tide, current or undertow.

Briefing of Swimmers

The responsible person must brief the swimmers on the following points:

·         Any matters specific to the location, e.g. limits to the area in use, other water users and hazards.

·         Demonstrate the emergency signal to be used to tell all swimmers to leave the water.

·         Swimmers must swim together in pre-arranged groups of two or three and if one of them gets into difficulties the other(s) must raise the alarm.

Sole Use of Facility or Location

When a single Colony, Pack, Troop or Unit has sole use of a facility or location the responsible person must meet the requirements of any operating procedure and carry out a risk assessment for the location and activity. They must arrange for safety cover to be provided:

·         by a person(s) with a knowledge of water safety. This person need not be formally qualified but must be familiar with the safety equipment provided, be suitably equipped and dressed and have the ability to take effective emergency action. The person must not be in the water. The primary tasks are to oversee the activity and in an emergency carry out effective rescue and resuscitation.

·         in the following numbers:

Multiple Use of Facility or Location

When more than one Colony, Pack, Troop or Unit is using the same facility or location there must be one responsible person in overall control. This person must meet the requirements of any written operating procedure and carry out a risk assessment for the location and activity. They must arrange safety cover:

·         as detailed above;

·         and ensure that at least one of the persons providing the cover holds a valid Royal Lifesaving Society UK National Lifeguard qualification appropriate to the location or a Swimming Teachers' Association National Aquatic Rescue Standard for Lifeguard in Swimming Pools or equivalent.

3. Training and Competitions

Training in swimming and swimming competitions should be carried out to the standards of the Amateur Swimming Association or the Swimming Teachers' Association as appropriate.

4. Scout-owned swimming facilities

Scout Management Committees of property with a swimming facility must have carried out a risk assessment and produced a written operating procedure. The responsible person or party leader appointed for all parties, whether Scout or non-Scout, must be issued with these procedures, confirm their acceptance in writing, and ensure that procedures will be followed, before commencing use of the facility.

Further information and advice is given in the factsheet Scout Association Swimming Pools available from Headquarters.