Following a recent spate of drownings in British pools, Serco Leisure has teamed up with the Institute of Qualified Lifeguards (IQL), the organisation that manages the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ), to deliver a bespoke pool safety training seminar to staff working at sites across the UK.

Serco manages 65 leisure centres across the UK on behalf of local authorities or through bespoke leisure trust facilities and Jan Francis, Quality, Health and Safety Manager at the company says: "We have always taken the safety of our customers and employees very seriously.

"To maintain this we have employed the IQL to present to all our staff from top level management to the junior ground staff. We're keen to identify any gaps in our current knowledge and implement changes to ensure that the HSE's 'Management of Health and Safety in Swimming Pools' is followed.

"This refresher is pertinent due to the recently enacted Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act which comes into force next April."

The IQL initially presented two seminars at this year's Leisure Industry Week and the sessions identified a shortfall of knowledge amongst employees and employers on how to prevent crises within their facilities and how to manage them when they occur.

Tara Dillon, the Executive Director of the IQL, comments: "We’re happy to create bespoke training packages for each individual organisation’s needs. The HSE’s guidelines are very effective but are often misinterpreted. This is where the IQL can help. If implemented thoroughly, operators have a far greater chance of preventing incidents, and avoiding hefty fines should an accident occur."

Pic: Tara Dillon, Executive Director of IQL