CalmComplianceRisk Assessment template
School Swimming and Hydrotherapy Pool Operations Risk Assessment
- Version
- v1
- Updated
- 1 October 2026
- Audience
- Primary and secondary schools in England, including maintained schools and academies, excluding independent schools; school leaders, premises managers, pool operators, swimming and hydrotherapy staff, and persons responsible for health and safety.
- Jurisdiction
- england
Activity assessed
Operating, supervising, maintaining and using a school swimming or hydrotherapy pool, including preparation, access and changing areas, swimming or therapy sessions, cleaning and treatment, plant-room activities, contractor work, emergency response and closure or reopening. Apply conditionally where these facilities are present or under the school's control.
Assess each hazard and its controls against your site before use. Template ratings require local review.
Hazards and controls
Drowning, submersion or delayed rescue involving pupils, staff, visitors, contractors or other pool users, including users who may be unable to swim, have a medical or disability-related need, or require enhanced support. A fatal incident could occur very quickly.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls were supplied. Record only controls verified at the relevant school, including supervision arrangements, user information, rescue equipment, emergency procedures and competence records.
- Proposed controls
- Define the pool's user groups and foreseeable needs before use. Set and document supervision arrangements proportionate to the pool, activity, users and foreseeable emergencies, including arrangements for changing circumstances and any users requiring additional support. Establish pool-entry, supervision, conduct and exclusion rules; prevent unsupervised access; maintain clear sightlines where supervision depends on visual observation; provide suitable rescue equipment and ensure it is accessible and checked; establish an immediate alarm, rescue, first-aid and emergency-services response; practise and review emergency arrangements; ensure staff know how to summon help without leaving users unsupervised; record incidents, near misses and lessons learned. The assessment should specifically consider the whole user population and the possibility that a fatal incident may occur quickly.
Local assessment and additional controls
Inadequate competence, supervision, staffing or communication during swimming, hydrotherapy or recreational use, leading to missed distress, unsafe behaviour or ineffective emergency response.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls were supplied. Record verified role descriptions, competence evidence, staffing arrangements, induction, communication systems and supervision records.
- Proposed controls
- Identify the duties and competence required for each role, including session supervision, rescue, first aid, pool operation and emergency coordination. Confirm who has authority to stop a session or close the pool. Provide induction and refresher arrangements, clear handovers, reliable communication methods and a process for obtaining additional assistance when user needs or activity conditions change. Do not rely on unverified competence or informal assumptions.
Local assessment and additional controls
Unauthorised, unsupervised or uncontrolled access to the pool, plant room, chemical store, changing areas or associated equipment, including access outside planned sessions.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls were supplied. Record verified access restrictions, locking arrangements, key or code control, visitor management and opening and closing checks.
- Proposed controls
- Define authorised users and access responsibilities. Secure the pool and hazardous ancillary areas when not under appropriate supervision. Control keys, codes and access devices; manage visitors and contractors; display clear access and conduct information; check that barriers, doors, gates and safety features function as intended; and establish documented opening, closing and isolation arrangements.
Local assessment and additional controls
Falls, slips, trips, collisions or impact on wet floors, pool surrounds, steps, ladders, diving areas, changing rooms or access routes, causing injury or accidental entry into the water.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls were supplied. Record verified floor condition, drainage, housekeeping, lighting, access equipment, signage and inspection arrangements.
- Proposed controls
- Assess routes and surfaces used by each user group. Maintain effective drainage, housekeeping, lighting, access equipment and visibility; control trailing items and obstructions; provide suitable footwear or other arrangements where appropriate; manage running, diving and other unsafe behaviour; inspect surfaces and equipment; promptly isolate and rectify defects; and provide a safe response to spillages or contamination.
Local assessment and additional controls
Entrapment, entanglement, suction or contact with pool outlets, grilles, covers, moving equipment or other fittings, causing serious injury or drowning.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls were supplied. Record verified equipment safeguards, inspection and maintenance records, isolation arrangements and emergency release procedures.
- Proposed controls
- Identify all foreseeable entrapment and entanglement points, including those associated with pool fittings and therapy equipment. Keep guards, grilles, covers and safety devices in place and in suitable condition; prevent access to hazardous equipment when not required; inspect and maintain equipment; establish isolation and emergency shutdown arrangements; and ensure staff know the response to a person becoming trapped or entangled.
Local assessment and additional controls
Exposure to pool-treatment chemicals, including accidental mixing, release, splash, inhalation, skin or eye contact, incorrect dosing, contaminated containers or unauthorised access.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls were supplied. Record verified chemical inventories, assessments, storage arrangements, labels, safety information, dosing systems, personal protective equipment, training and spill-response arrangements.
- Proposed controls
- Identify the substances and tasks used at the pool and assess storage, delivery, dosing, testing, cleaning, maintenance and spill scenarios. Keep chemicals correctly labelled, segregated, secured and handled by trained and authorised persons; prevent incompatible substances from being mixed; maintain ventilation and dosing equipment; provide accessible safety information and suitable emergency facilities; establish spill, exposure and evacuation arrangements; and keep unauthorised persons away from chemical areas.
Local assessment and additional controls
Poor water quality, contamination or inadequate water-treatment control causing illness, infection, skin or eye injury, or unsafe pool conditions.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls were supplied. Record verified water-management arrangements, testing and monitoring records, cleaning schedules, bather controls, maintenance records and closure criteria.
- Proposed controls
- Define responsibilities for water treatment, testing, recording, cleaning, plant operation and escalation. Establish documented monitoring and response arrangements for abnormal readings, contamination, faecal or vomit incidents, treatment failure, plant failure and suspected illness. Set decision points for restricting use, closing the pool, obtaining competent advice, correcting the condition and documenting reopening.
Local assessment and additional controls
Failure of pool plant, electrical systems, heating, ventilation, lighting, alarms, communications or other building services, creating unsafe water, environmental or emergency conditions.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls were supplied. Record verified maintenance, inspection, testing, fault reporting, isolation, alarm and business-continuity arrangements.
- Proposed controls
- Identify critical plant and services and the consequences of failure during an occupied session. Establish planned inspection, testing and maintenance by competent persons; provide fault-reporting and escalation routes; prevent use when critical safeguards are unavailable; control isolation and restart; maintain emergency lighting or communication arrangements where required by the assessment; and define safe closure, evacuation and reopening decisions.
Local assessment and additional controls
Medical emergency, seizure, sudden illness, injury, exhaustion or adverse reaction during pool use, including risks associated with individual health needs.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls were supplied. Record verified user information arrangements, medical response procedures, first-aid provision, emergency equipment, staff competence and communication with responsible adults or healthcare professionals where applicable.
- Proposed controls
- Obtain and communicate relevant information lawfully and proportionately before participation, including support needs and known emergency considerations. Plan responses for illness, seizure, injury, exhaustion and other foreseeable events; provide suitable first-aid and emergency equipment; ensure access for emergency responders; define roles for removing a person from the water and managing other users; and review arrangements when user needs or activities change.
Local assessment and additional controls
Fire, smoke, gas release or other emergency requiring evacuation from the pool, changing areas, plant room or chemical storage areas, with possible delay caused by wet conditions, mobility needs or unfamiliar users.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls were supplied. Record verified fire and emergency procedures, escape routes, alarms, assembly arrangements, equipment, drills and arrangements for people requiring assistance.
- Proposed controls
- Integrate pool-specific scenarios into emergency planning. Keep escape routes and exits available; identify how alarms are raised and understood in wet or noisy areas; plan evacuation and accounting for all user groups, including people needing assistance; coordinate with the site's fire and emergency arrangements; control hazardous work and storage; provide suitable information and practice; and review the plan after drills, incidents or changes.
Local assessment and additional controls
Unsafe manual handling, transfers or use of hoists and access equipment when assisting users into or out of the pool, changing, showering or undertaking hydrotherapy.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls were supplied. Record verified handling assessments, equipment inspections, training, staffing and arrangements for individual assistance.
- Proposed controls
- Assess transfers and handling tasks for each relevant user and activity. Use suitable, maintained equipment and agreed techniques; ensure sufficient competent assistance; keep routes clear; inspect and safely position hoists, slings and other equipment; manage battery, charging and hygiene considerations where relevant; and stop the task if the planned assistance or equipment is unavailable.
Local assessment and additional controls
Safeguarding, privacy or dignity concerns in pool, changing, showering, therapy or supervision arrangements, including inappropriate conduct or inadequate boundaries.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls were supplied. Record verified safeguarding procedures, staff checks and training, supervision boundaries, changing arrangements, privacy measures and reporting routes.
- Proposed controls
- Apply the school's safeguarding arrangements to pool activities and ancillary spaces. Define professional boundaries, supervision expectations, changing and photography rules, reporting routes and arrangements for responding to concerns. Consider age, vulnerability, disability, communication needs, mixed groups and privacy. Coordinate pool access with safeguarding leads and contractors, and review controls when activities or user groups change.
Local assessment and additional controls
Unsafe contractor, maintenance, cleaning, delivery or plant-room work affecting users, staff or the integrity of pool safety systems.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls were supplied. Record verified contractor selection, competence information, induction, permits, isolation, supervision, handover and work-area segregation arrangements.
- Proposed controls
- Plan and coordinate non-routine work before it begins. Verify relevant competence and arrangements; define responsibilities and interfaces; segregate work from users; control chemicals, tools, electrical energy and moving plant; use isolation and permit arrangements where needed; communicate temporary restrictions; inspect the area after work; and do not reopen until safety-critical controls have been checked.
Local assessment and additional controls
Failure to identify, communicate or review changes in the pool environment, activities, equipment, user population, staffing, opening hours or emergency arrangements, allowing controls to become unsuitable.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls were supplied. Record verified review dates, change-control arrangements, consultation, incident and near-miss records, inspection findings and action tracking.
- Proposed controls
- Set a documented review process for routine and non-routine use, new or changed equipment, altered user needs, staffing changes, incidents, near misses, defects, contractor work and emergency exercises. Consult relevant staff and, where appropriate, users or responsible adults. Track actions to completion, retain supporting records and communicate material changes before affected activities resume.
Local assessment and additional controls