Water Safety in Water-parks
17/07/2015MODULE 3:
WATER SAFETY IN WATERPARKS
General Rules
For your safety, consider the following:
■ Children should always be supervised by an adult.
■ Do not do breath-holding exercises under the water.
■ Do not run around the pool. If the floor is slippery you may fall down and injure yourself.
■ Do not do games that may be dangerous for yourself or others such as horse play near others bathers or the poolside etc.
■ Always follow the rules of each aquatic activity.
■ Do not talk to the lifeguard for unnecessary reasons while on duty.
■ Take a shower before and after the use of the pool.
■ Do not swim if you have sores and wounds on your body.
■ Persons with disability may use the pool if they have got permission from their doctor and the water temperature is suitable for their needs.
■ Swim 3 hours after a heavy meal.
■ Do now chew gum or food while in the pool as you may choke.
■ Do not wear sharp objects while in the water that may injure yourself or other bathers.
■ Place the key of your locker on your leg or wrist, making sure that its plastic will cover the metal; otherwise there is a possibility that you may hard yourself or another bather.
■ If you feel cold, get out of the water and cover yourself with a towel.
■ Know the emergency exists of the building.
■ A drowning incident and a spinal injury take place in deep and shallow water respectively. In other words, all the areas of an aquatic location hide potential dangers.
■ Do not swim in deep water if you are not competent swimmer.
■ Make sure that the water is empty of people before you jump in or dive.
Wave Pool
The wave pool is possibly the most exciting attraction for a waterpark. The waves vary in duration, height and style. For your safety, consider the following:
■ Exit from the water is allowed only by the shore or the ladders at the side of the pool.
■ The use of flotation devices is depended upon the rules of the specific aquatic facility.
■ Young children should always be supervised by an adult.
■ Children with armbands should not reach water deeper than 1m.
■ When the waves are in operation, the bathers should not hang on the walls of the pool.
■ Diving when the waves are in operation are not allowed.
■ No horse play is allowed near the wall or nearby bathers.
■ No food, alcohol or smoking is allowed in the water.
■ Do not use masks, snorkel or fins in the water.
■ The young children, the elderly and parents that hold children, should go to the shallow end when the waves are in operation.
Lazy River
The lazy river has a circular or wavy shape. The bathers have the opportunity to see several attractions while being in it, either swimming or traveling on an inflatable tube. The water is often shallow and the speed 2-3 miles/hour. For your safety, consider the following:
■ Use the designated entries/exits of the river.
■ Children not taller than the river’s water depth should be accompanied by an adult.
■ The bathers need to ride an inflatable in the river. Non-swimmers should also wear a personal lifejacket.
■ Do not remove the inflatable rings from the river.
■ No horseplay is allowed.
■ No food, drinks or smoking is allowed in the river.
■ No use of mask and fins is allowed.
■ Armbands and personal flotation rings are allowed for use.
Inflatable Raft
The inflatable devices are connected with a pipe that feeds them with air. They may be 20m in length and 3 m in width. They are connected with 4 ropes with the poolside For your safety, consider the following:
■ Do not enter the water before you are allowed to do so.
■ Never push other people from the edge of the poolside on the raft.
■ Do not pull the ropes that connect the raft with the poolside.
■ Take off all the sharp objects that you may wear (e.g. jewelries, watch, and bracelets) before you stand up the raft.
■ Always start from the beginning of the raft and complete your use going down water using the waterslide at the end.
■ Do not try to climb on the raft before the previous user almost reaches the end or drops in the water.
■ When you reach the end of the raft, jump off and exit the pool from the nearest point; return to the starting point of the raft and try again.
■ If the water is not deep, make a shallow dive when falling off the raft.
■ In indoor pools, the artificial lighting enables the detection of the bathers that remain below the water surface.
■ The lifeguards are placed at the poolside opposite to the four sides of the raft.
Inflatable Waterslides
These are inflatable devices that have a waterslide at the end. They represent a good attraction for aquatic facilities. They are placed at the side of a swimming pool. For your safety, consider the following:
■ Follow the instructions for each waterslide before you use it.
■ Wait patiently your turn to use the waterslide.
■ Use the waterslide only when the lifeguard allows you to do so and the previous user has exited from the water.
■ Lay down having crossed your legs and your arms in front of your chest, unless you instructed differently.
■ Do not run and do not try to stand up at the top of the waterslide.
■ Do not dive from the top of the waterslide.
■ Do not run before using the waterslide.
Activities’ Pool
The swimming pool accommodates various activities based on the age of the bathers. The most popular ones are the logs that are connected with the pool bottom with a chain. The pool is about 1.2m deep. Above the logs there is a net that is held by the users in order to walk or run from the one side of the pool to the other. For your safety, consider the following:
■ Races on the logs are not allowed.
■ Adults should use the adult-area and children the children-area at the pool.
■ If you fall in the water, get out of the pool and try again. Do not attempt to climb on the logs while the other pool users continue to run on the logs.
■ In the swimming area the children should be accompanied by an adult.
■ Armbands and personal flotation devices are allowed.
■ No head first dives, use of mask and snorkel, sunglasses, running out of the water and horseplay is allowed.
■ The pool should have the sign “no diving” when the water is shallower than 1,50m and there is not enough space in front the poolside.
■ Attempt a shallow dive only if this is indicated by a sign.
■ A lifeguard is positioned at the end on the other side of the pool to control a one-way use of the riding materials.
Chariot Waterslide
It is a long waterslide with 4 individual slides in which the riders develop progressively high speed, holding a mat from handles. For your safety, consider the following:
■ To do the ride, you should have minimum height equal to the depth of the water at the end of the slide, unless the regulations permit the use even from younger children that wear lifejackets.
■ Lifejackets and armbands are allowed.
■ Lay your body on the mat and hold the handles at all times.
■ Maintain a safety distance of at least 1m from the rope that separates this activity from others in the same swimming pool.
■ When you finish the riding, get out of the water immediately.
■ Use the waterslide, only when the previous riders are away of the water.
■ No sunglasses are allowed while riding.
Covered Spiral Waterslide for Two Riders
It is a small closed waterslide, longer than 100m. The riders go through the waterslide seated on a double inflatable tube. For your safety, consider the following:
■ Wait outside the pool to take your inflatable.
■ To use this facility you should have the same height with the water’s depth.
■ Armbands and lifejackets are allowed.
■ On each inflatable, the heaviest person sits on the back.
■ Κατά την κατάβαση της τσουλήθρας, κράτησε γερά τα χερούλια της τσουλήθρας.
■ Περίμενε το σήμα του ναυαγοσώστη για να ξεκινήσεις.
■ No sunglasses are allowed while using the waterslide.
■ Exit the pool immediately after you complete the activity.
■ When you finish the activity, give the inflatable to the next bather.
Covered Spiral Waterslide for a Single Rider
The rider is seated on a single tube and goes through a dark waterslide with many curves. For your safety, consider the following:
■ To do this activity, you must have minimum height equal to the depth of the water at the end of the waterslide.
■ Armbands and lifejackets are allowed.
■ Remain out of the water as you are waiting to get the inflatable tube from the previous user.
■ One rider per inflatable tube is allowed.
■ During the descending of the waterslide, you should always stay on the inflatable tube and hold the handles.
■ The lifeguard will notify you when you can start your ride.
■ No sunglasses are allowed when using the waterslide.
■ When you complete the riding, get out of the water immediately.
■ Pass on the inflatable tube to the next user when you finish your ride.
Spiral Open Waterslide for Body Riding
This is a spiral open water slide with many curves for riding with the body. For your safety, consider the following:
■ Lay down on the waterslide with your legs crossed in front of you and your arms crossed on your chest or below your head.
■ The waterslide is used by a single user at the time. No exemptions should be made by parents that seek to accompany their young children.
■ You can start your descending, only when the lifeguard at the top of the waterslide tells you to do so.
■ Do not stop your descending at the middle of the waterslide for no reason.
■ If you feel scared, you can take a sitting position to slow down the speed of your descending.
■ Do not wear a t-shirt while using this waterslide.
■ If you are the parent of a young waterslide, use first the waterslide and then wait your child at the end, staying in the water.
■ After you completed your descending, please get out of the pool immediately.
Kamikaze Waterslide
The descending of this water slide may reach speed up to 56 km/hour. The rider has a sense of free fall that lasts a few seconds. The waterslide may be even 20m high. For your safety, consider the following:
■ The minimum height of the rider should be 1.20m.
■ The descending of the waterslide should be with the rider layed down, feet first and crossed, with the arms crossed behind the head or in front the chest.
■ No use of armbands, shoes, t-shirts or sunglasses are allowed.
■ One rider per time is allowed to use the waterslide.
■ After the user completes his ride, he should get out of the waterslide immediately.
■ During the descending of the waterslide, the user should not take the sitting position for any reason.
■ The user starts descending the waterslide only when the lifeguard gives permission.
Children’s Pool
This is a shallow swimming pool with varied design. It contains many water-based games that aim to entertain young children. For your safety, consider the following:
■ Children must be up to 8 years old and up to 1.5m tall.
■ Babies should be accompanied by an adult.
■ Do not remove the toys from this playground.
■ No running, horseplay or other games that could be dangerous are allowed.
Playground Pool
It is a very shallow swimming pool that has many water-based toys. For your safety, consider the following:
■ Only children up to 12 years old are allowed to use this activity.
■ Children should be supervised always by an adult.
■ Armband and lifejackets are allowed.
■ Do not remove the toys from this area.
■ No running or horseplay is allowed in this area.
Family Waterslide
It is a large waterslide that can be used by many people together that are seated on a large inflatable tube. For your safety, consider the following:
■ The maximum number of riders is 4 persons.
■ Remain seated at all times while riding the waterslide.
■ After you finish the ride, leave the water immediately.
■ Do not take away the inflatable tube of this activity for use in another pool of the waterpark.
■ Do not wear sunglasses while riding the waterslide exept in cases where they have embedded lens for corrected vision. Notify the lifeguard about it and that you are using them at your own responsibility.
■ Armbands and lifejackets are allowed.
Adult Pool
This pool can be found in large waterparks. It has been designed to provide calm atmosphere and relaxation to adults. An underwater hydraulic mechanism generates the water offering hydro massage for those sitting in the water. For your safety, consider the following:
■ Only adults are allowed.
■ No diving, horseplay or other activities are permitted.
■ Smoking, food and alcohol consumption are not allowed.
Note
The above general aquatic safety information does apply equally well to ALL participants, including individuals with a variety of disabilities. A disability does not cancel out safety precautions.
TEST OF UNDERSTANDING
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