National foreword

This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN 15288‑2:2018. It supersedes BS EN 15288‑2:2008, which is withdrawn.

The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical Committee SW/136/8, Swimming pools and aquatic equipment.

A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on request to its secretary.

This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

This British Standard was published under the authority of the Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 31 December 2018.

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 10 September 2018.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom.

European foreword

This document (EN 15288‑2:2018) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 136 “Sports, playground and other recreational facilities and equipment”, the secretariat of which is held by DIN.

This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by June 2019, and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by June 2019.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

This document will supersede EN 15288‑2:2008.

In relation to EN 15288‑2:2008 the following main amendments have been made:

introduction has been revised;
scope has been revised by excluding EN 16582;
normative references have been updated;
definition “Indoor swimming pools” has been revised;
definition “therapeutic pool” has been revised;
definition “As Low As Reasonably Practicable” has been added;
definition “harm” has been added;
definition “hazard” has been added;
definition “risk” has been added;
definition “risk estimation” has been added;
definition “risk analysis” has been added;
definition “risk evaluation” has been added;
definition “risk assessment” has been added;
classification Type 3 pools has been revised;
organizational and operational requirements have been fully revised;
new table “Special risk factors and possible solutions to reduce the risk with reference to As Low As Reasonably Practicable” has been added;
emergency plan has been added;
new Clause “Verification of safety measures and / or protective measures” has been added;
Annex A “Dye test” has been moved to EN 15288‑1;
new Annex A “List of possible hazards” has been added;
new Annex B “Risk assessment” has been added;
new Annex C “Model of risk assessment” has been added;
wording aligned with EN 15288‑1;
Bibliography has been updated.

This standard series EN 15288 “Swimming pools for public use” consists of the following parts:

Part 1: Safety requirements for design
Part 2: Safety requirements for operation

According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

Introduction

This standard has been prepared principally to provide a reliable basis regarding operational characteristics of a public swimming pool.

The standard provides a framework for enhancing consumer protection and confidence by identifying hazards and putting controls in place to manage them, demonstrating compliance to customers and suppliers. The standard can reduce swimming pool accidents and illnesses to cut related costs and reduce the risk of prosecution and litigation. The standard can act to achieve cost savings, efficiencies and compatibility of pools throughout Europe. The use of this standard can engage and motivate staff with better, safer working conditions. Finally, this standard can be used to support public policy objectives and, where appropriate, offer an effective alternative to regulation.

This standard provides a means of review and assessment of the hazards associated with public swimming pools; their monitoring and assessment; and activities available for their control through education of users, and good operation and management. The standard includes both specific guideline values and good practices. It addresses a wide range of types of hazard, including hazards leading to drowning and injury, water quality, contamination of associated facilities and air quality. The intention of this standard is to provide a structured and methodical approach to meeting the needs of swimming pool safety.

It lists the main hazards, gives ways in which these may be addressed, and states what actions a pool operator should take to attain the standard.

It is not intended that this standard should be used as a method of carrying out a risk assessment. Adopting and following this standard will undoubtedly assist in the carrying out of a risk assessment. And for completeness, the principles of a risk assessment are described in Annex B and a model risk assessment for a swimming pool is given in Annex C. Pools come in a wide range of types, from water parks with thousands of visitors per day, through to communal pools, hotel pools, campsite pools and pools at guest houses, where bather loads may be much lower. Such a wide range implies a gradation of the safety requirements, which take into account the specific level of hazard. It should also be considered that in type 1 swimming pools the user would expect poolside supervision to be provided, while in other types, the user would not expect it.

This standard is concerned with swimming pool safety and recognizes the ISO guidance on safety thresholds that describe safety as freedom from unacceptable risk (e.g. CEN/ISO TR 20183). Safety is achieved by reducing risk to a tolerable level. There is no complete absence of risk. In turn, there is no product or system that is without some risk, which should be reduced to a tolerable risk.

Pool operators should also consider EN 15288‑1, as well as other European standards, national standards and regulations when using this document.

This European Standard includes requirements, recommendations and notes for all existing pools and new pools. While compliance with requirements is mandatory to fulfil this standard, recommendations indicate best practices and notes give additional information and / or explanations.

1 Scope

This document specifies safety requirements for the operation of classified pools according to Clause 4. It is intended for those concerned with the operation and management of classified swimming pools. It provides guidance about the risks for staff and users associated with public swimming pools, by identifying the precautions needed to achieve safety.

This document has limited application to classified pools which consist of segregated areas of rivers, lakes or the sea. It is advised to follow the requirements for safe working methods and supervision insofar as they are relevant.

National and / or local legislation may apply.

This document is not applicable for domestic swimming pools according to EN 16582 (all parts). Further definitions of domestic swimming pools and / or use are given in EN 16582.

2 Normative references

3 Terms and definitions

4 Classification

4.1 Swimming pool type 1

4.2 Swimming pool type 2

4.3 Swimming pool type 3

5 Safety management system

5.1 General requirements

5.2 Safety policy

5.3 Organization and planning the PSOPs

5.4 Non-conformance, corrective and preventive action

5.5 Monitoring, measurement and analysis, review and improvement

6 List of hazards

7 Safety requirements and / or protective measures and procedures to reduce risks in pool operation

7.1 General

7.2 General requirements for access and occupancy — all pools

7.3 Arrangements for poolside supervision

7.4 Operational requirements for the management of supervised pools

7.5 Operational requirements for unsupervised pools

7.6 Hiring pools to external partners

7.7 Operational requirements for checking the pool site, the buildings and the associated technical equipment

7.8 Operational requirements for emergency procedures

8 Verification of safety measures and / or protective measures

9 Instructions to the users

9.1 General

9.2 Information for the users

Bibliography

BS EN 15288-2:2018

Swimming pools for public use - Safety requirements for operation

Current

Published:

31 Dec 2018