Published 26th November 2021
New Draft Guidelines for Inland Water Safety Available for Consultation
New draft guidelines for everyone involved in the management or use of inland waterways to reduce the likelihood of a drowning or serious aquatic injury have been released for public consultation by Royal Life Saving Society – Australia.
The guidelines have been developed following a decade of research into drowning incidents in Australia’s rivers, lakes, creeks, and other inland waterways.
Royal Life Saving Chief Executive Officer, Justin Scarr said the guidelines are a critical policy document to mark a structured approach to drowning prevention in inland waterways.
“Every drowning is tragic and preventable, and rivers and lakes have been the leading locations for drowning for more than a decade,” said Mr Scarr.
“While all Australians love the water, and rivers and lakes are fantastic places to recreate, they present unique drowning risks and hazards. Nothing matters more than the actions in local communities and sensible and evidence-informed risk management approaches can enhance safety without unnecessarily impacting on community use.”
Inland waterways account for more than a third of drowning deaths in Australia. A diverse range of activities and the exposure to natural hazards, including currents and submerged objects, makes drowning prevention in rivers and lakes challenging.
Royal Life Saving research found that between 2009/10 and 2018/19 rivers and lakes accounted for:
Australian Water Safety Strategy Priority Area Places: Rivers and lakes
Source: Australian Water Safety Strategy 2030 - accessible here
The guidelines provide practical guidance for facilitating inter-agency risk management planning and implementation, as well as practical steps for local government to take around swimming and recreation areas.
Inland waterways are typically owned and operated by multiple stakeholders with varying degrees of control over the management and access to the waterway. Stakeholders can include water authorities, tourism operators, local councils, aquatic industry operators, and parks and wildlife authorities.
In the past, legal cases involving inland waterway drowning deaths have not provided a consistently achievable framework for drowning prevention and risk mitigation in these environments.
Royal Life Saving’s National Manager – Aquatics RJ Houston said that the guidelines provide a framework and methodology for community agencies and stakeholders to work together to appropriately target and address local risk factors and design local solutions.
“No single organisation, government, business or advocate can do it alone. Collective action, alignment with other sectors and inspiring others to make a difference are all key to drowning prevention success,” Mr Houston said.
“Owners, operators, communities and even sometimes policy makers are not sure what are reasonable and practical approaches to complex challenges in water safety.
“These guidelines will provide resources and a methodology for addressing complexity as well as practical guidance for the basics such as public rescue equipment and safety signage."
The new draft guidelines have been split into two major sections:
- Education on hazards, exposure and managing inland waterway risks
- Minimum standards for owners, operators and local governments in addressing risk
The guidelines emphasise risk management, the development of local water safety plans and community consultation. They also provide information on minimum water safety qualifications and training for employees as well as guidance on supervision ratios and similar requirements for users recreating and for structured programs.
“We hope that owners, operators and businesses involved with the management and use of inland waterways provide input into these guidelines so that we can all work together to reduce the burden of drowning on all Australian communities,” Mr Houston said.
“We need to start to bring practices in inland waterways in alignment with what the community expects at ocean beaches and swimming pools, particularly when it comes to designated swimming areas.”
The Guidelines are available here for consultation
Consultation closes: 28th February 2022.
Please send feedback to: aquatics@rlssa.org.au
About Royal Life Saving
Royal Life Saving is a public benevolent institution (PBI) dedicated to reducing drowning and turning everyday people into everyday community lifesavers. We achieve this through advocacy, education, training, health promotion, aquatic risk management, community development, research, sport, leadership and participation in national and international networks.
For over 30 years, Royal Life Saving Society – Australia has developed and maintained safety guidelines for public, commercial, body corporate and hotel swimming pools and for water safety design and management considerations in urban developments.
Royal Life Saving is the recognised peak authority for drowning prevention research, policy and programs in Australia as well as the peak body for inland waterway and swimming pool safety.
Royal Life Saving is proudly supported by the Australian Government and works with other key water safety agencies and the aquatic industry in reducing the drowning toll on Australians in every community, so that we can fulfil our vision of a water loving nation free from drowning.
