Pool monitoring: a standard for peace of mind

To allow young and old alike to dive into the deep end, whether heated or unheated, public swimming pool operators are subject to numerous regulatory obligations. All swimming pools that charge admission (municipal pools, water parks, etc.) and those for collective use (hotel and campground pools, for example) are subject to the law, which requires "constant monitoring" of the water. "But the law does not specify how this monitoring should be carried out," explains Patrick Duny, a specialist consultant and chairman of the AFNOR standardization committee on public swimming pools. "It is up to voluntary standardization to define appropriate means of monitoring."

For four years, a working group composed of municipal swimming pool operators, lifeguard federations, academics, representatives of the outdoor accommodation industry, and the Ministry of Sports worked on the issue. This led to the creation of a certified standard on March 15, 2023: the voluntary standard NF S52-014, available in the AFNOR collection. "The project is a continuation of the États généraux de l'encadrement et de la surveillance dans la filière aquatique (National Conference on Supervision and Monitoring in the Aquatic Sector), organized in response to the recruitment difficulties encountered by many operators," explains Pierre Ollivier, Deputy Head of the Office of Sports Ethics and Public Protection at the Ministry of Sports and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. A practical guide, this standard aims in particular to improve the training of lifeguards."

Gone are the days of the classic 25 x 10 meter pool.

Especially since the rules are about to change. Until now, holders of a national water safety and rescue certificate (BNSSA) could only perform lifeguard duties with special permission from the prefecture, and for a maximum of four months, if the operator was unable to recruit a qualified lifeguard (MNS). In view of the recruitment difficulties, a decree is being prepared to remove this exemption, which will simplify the use of the BNSSA. With a large section devoted to training, the standard describes the basic skills to be acquired, primarily for holders of this certificate, and sets out best practices for supervision. Professionals were calling for this: "The regulations that apply date back to 1991," points out Denis Foehrlé, director of the national training center of the FNMNS, one of the main organizations in the profession and a member of the standardization commission. However, pools have evolved considerably since then: wave pools, rivers for swimming against the current, decorations, etc. They are no longer 25 x 10-meter rectangles, so the monitoring requirements are completely different! The standard takes these developments into account in order to adapt to real-life situations, with an emphasis on monitoring techniques."

From clothing to emergency response organization

Specifically, the text outlines physiological parameters for effective scanning and avoiding blind spots when supervising swimming, in different positions (sitting, standing, elevated). It also provides counting methods, which are particularly useful for supervising school groups. "The standard is aimed at both lifeguards and operators," explains Patrick Duny. The reference document describes best practices for implementing an appropriate surveillance and rescue organization plan (POSS), but also confirms the appropriate attire: as on beaches, those in charge of surveillance wear a yellow top and red bottoms so that they can be immediately identified by swimmers. " This should reduce the number of drownings, which still cause several deaths each year in France, and near-drownings, which cause significant psychological trauma to victims.

Developed by consensus within AFNOR, the standard is strongly supported by the Ministry of Sports. "We have decided to make it available for consultation free of charge, so that all professionals concerned can make use of it," insists Pierre Ollivier.