Current through Reg. 49, No. 38; September 20, 2024
(a) Waterfront
supervision. A waterfront manager or director who holds a current lifeguard
certificate or its equivalent shall be required to manage and direct all
water-related activities in the non-swimming and swimming areas.
(b) Lifeguards required. A lagoon shall
provide lifeguards if:
(1) alcohol is sold,
served, or allowed to be brought in;
(2) motorboats are used or allowed;
(3) the lagoon is open to the general
public;
(4) the lagoon is used for
the recreation of youth groups, including youth camps, childcare, or school
groups;
(5) unsupervised children
under the age of 14 years are allowed; or
(6) users enter the water from any height
above the deck or wall, including from diving boards, drop slides, starting
platforms, or climbing walls.
(c) Minimum number. A minimum of two
lifeguards shall be provided for each swimming area. In the non-swimming area
of the lagoon, the owner or operator shall have a lifeguard safety plan in
place that defines the number of lifeguards for non-swimming areas when open.
(1) The number of lifeguards shall be
sufficient to provide adequate supervision and close observation of all users
at all times.
(2) The number of
lifeguards shall be sufficient to allow for alternation of tasks such that no
lifeguard conducts surveillance activities for more than 60 continuous
minutes.
(d)
Surveillance. Each lifeguard shall be given an assigned surveillance area
commensurate with ability and training.
(e) Other assigned duties shall not distract.
Lifeguards conducting surveillance of users shall not be assigned duties that
would distract the lifeguard's attention from proper observation of the users,
or that would prevent immediate assistance to persons in the water.
(f) In-service training. Lifeguards shall be
provided with alertness and response drills and other training, including:
(1) a pre-season training program to refresh
skills;
(2) review of the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention standards for responding to formed-stool
contamination, diarrheal-stool contamination, vomit contamination and
contamination involving blood;
(3)
a continual "in-service" training program totaling a minimum 60 minutes each
week for each lifeguard; and
(4)
performance audits as recommended by the ARC, Young Men's Christian
Association, or equivalent aquatic safety organization.
(g) Records kept on-site. Records of each
lifeguard's certification, including expiration dates, and in-service training
records, shall be kept on-site for at least three years.
(h) Emergency action plan. An Emergency
Action Plan shall be developed for the lifeguards and shall contain at a
minimum:
(1) a list of emergency telephone
numbers;
(2) the location of the
first-aid kit and other rescue equipment such as the AED, BVM, and the
backboard;
(3) a response plan for
inclement weather such as thunderstorms, lightning, or high winds, including
evacuation areas; and
(4) a plan
following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standards for responding
to formed-stool contamination, diarrheal-stool contamination, vomit
contamination, and contamination involving blood.
(i) Safety equipment. Lifeguards shall have
access to safety equipment, including:
(1) An
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)-compliant 24-unit first
aid kit housed in a durable weather-resistant container and kept filled and
ready for use. The kit shall include disease transmission barriers and cleaning
kits meeting OSHA standards.
(2) A
number of backboards equipped with a head immobilizer and sufficient straps to
immobilize a person to the backboard, in locations sufficient to affect a
two-minute response time to an incident.
(3) At least one portable AED and one BVM
kept in a secure location that can be easily and quickly accessed by lifeguards
or other trained personnel.
(4)
Platforms or stands are required where water surface area is greater than 2,000
square feet or where the depth of the water is greater than 5 feet and shall
include a protective umbrella or sunshade high enough to give lifeguards a
complete and unobstructed view of the area of responsibility for the
lifeguards.
(j) Personal
equipment. Each lifeguard shall be provided:
(1) uniform attire that readily identifies
the lifeguard as a staff member and a lifeguard;
(2) a rescue tube with a strap;
(3) personal protective devices, including a
resuscitation mask with one-way valve and non-latex, non-powdered, one-use
disposable gloves worn as a hip pack or attached to the rescue tube;
and
(4) a whistle or other
signaling device for communicating to users, other lifeguards, or
staff.
(k) Equipment for
lifeguards for surf lagoons. In addition to the requirements for lifeguards in
this section, lifeguards for surf lagoons shall be provided with any equipment
necessary to reach the deepest area of the surf lagoon during an emergency. The
equipment shall be accessible to all lifeguards, clearly labeled as "For
Lifeguard Use Only" and shall be available at all times the surf lagoon is open
and used for surfing.
