30 years of the GSPO and 25 years of Aquatic Facility Safety Assessments
Reflections on past challenges and developments and why these are still relevant today.
Description:
This year (2021) marks 30 years and 25 years respectively of Royal Life Saving having developed and maintained the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations (the GSPO) and our Aquatic Facility Safety Assessment service, reflecting a proud legacy of innovation and collaboration towards lifting standards and supporting communities and owners and operators of aquatic facilities in delivering safe and sustainable aquatic facilities.
Intended to be voluntary, the Guidelines were created in 1991 to provide locally developed practical guidance for the safe operation of swimming facilities and aquatic locations. Safety Assessments were created in 1996 to assist aquatic facility owners and operators measure their success in managing risk and preventing serious incidents. Together, the guidelines and safety assessments have:
- helped aquatic facility owners and operators be protected from the imposition of inappropriate standards;
- driven down both drownings and aquatic based injuries in public aquatic facilities;
- and provided a standard by which to measure safety performance for the sector.
Over the course of the last three decades, Royal Life Saving Australia has continued to work with its members and industry partners to evolve and meet more sophisticated standards, legislation, facilities, programs and community expectations.
Now under the oversight and guidance of the National Aquatic Industry Committee, the Guidelines are as relevant as ever considering an increasingly complex operating environment, with Royal Life Saving safety assessments being a critical measurement tool which feeds into sector advocacy and standards development.
Royal Life Saving is pleased to facilitate its fourth aquatic industry webinar for 2021-22 and will be joined by some of the creators and administrators of the GSPO and safety assessments as well as key industry partners integral to the development and use of the Guidelines:
- Norman Farmer AM ESM, RLSS Commonwealth
- Craig Roberts, Royal Life Saving New South Wales
- Matthew Griffiths, Aquatic Recreation Institute New South Wales
- Mel Rahtz, the Y NSW
Facilitator:
- RJ Houston, National Manager - Aquatics, Royal Life Saving Australia
Webinar Details - Thursday 30th September 2021, 11:00am-12:00pm AEST
