Water Safety in the UK

Water Safety in the UK

Coasteering

Coasteering is an increasingly popular physical activity. It involves movement on foot or by swimming along the intertidal zone of a rocky coastline, without the aid of boats, surf boards or other craft.

As a result, there are various factors that make entering the water from height dangerous.

The height of the fall or jump.
The depth of the water - this changes with the wave effect and the water may be shallower than it appears.
Submerged objects may not be visible.
Obstacles or other people in the water.
Lack of safety equipment.
The shock of cold water can make swimming difficult and increase the difficulty in getting out of the water.
Strong currents can rapidly sweep people away.
Increased difficulty for rescue.

All of these potential hazards can be controlled through proper organisation and planning.

Many outdoor pursuits centres now often include coasteering within their activities.

For safe coasteering activities,

Use a reputable outdoor pursuits centre
Make sure all your safety equipment fits and is worn correctly
Always follow the instructions of the activity leader

Tombstoning

Tombstoning is a high-risk activity involving jumping into water from cliffs or ledges.

Every year tombstoning causes a number of fatalities and serious injuries, which has led to the use of safety messages to try to control the activity.

There are many factors that make tombstoning dangerous:

The height of the fall or jump.
The depth of the water - this changes with the wave effect and the water may be shallower than it appears.
Submerged objects may not be visible.
Obstacles or other people in the water.
Lack of safety equipment.
The shock of cold water can make swimming difficult and increase the difficulty in getting out of the water.
Strong currents can rapidly sweep people away.
Increased difficulty for rescue.

All of these hazards can be controlled through proper organisation and planning.

The best way to learn about the risks involved and enjoy a good experience in a safe environment is to try coasteering. Use a reputable outdoor pursuits centre who include coasteering as part of their activity programmes, and always follow the instructions of the activity leader.

Rivers

Rivers are natural channels of water normally flowing towards the sea or other bodies of water such as lakes or reservoirs. Tributaries, which are supply channels to rivers, are smaller flows of water created from rainfall, surface run-off and ground water. There are a number of names given to tributary water flow including streams, brooks and creeks.

Rivers can provide great fun, proving a relaxing environment and places to swim. However, some rivers can be very dangerous due to the force of water, eddies and undercurrents that are created by obstacles, uneven banks and river beds and cold water.

Safety Considerations:

Unstable banks that can collapse, either creating a fall into the water or collision onto people underneath
Fast flowing, deep and cold water
Underwater hazards creating entrapment
Recirculating currents at the foot of weirs
Unstable river bed creating trips and falls

Stay safe:

Let someone know where you are going
Take notice of warning signs
Stay clear of bank edges
Do not enter fast flowing water
When crossing slow moving rivers/streams be careful of uneven river bed
If in trouble try not to panic and go with the flow of the river and swim towards and exit point
If someone is in difficulty in the water shout reassurance to them and shout for help and ensure the emergency services are on their way (call 999 or 112). Without endangering yourself see if you can reach out to them, extend your reach with a stick, pole, item of clothing, lie down or stay secure. Alternatively throw something buoyant to them such as a ring buoy, part filled plastic container, ball or anything that will float. Keep your eye on them all the time and shout reassurance urging them to propel themselves to safety
Remember to slip on a t-shirt, slop on sun cream and slap on a hat and try to avoid being exposed to the sun during the hottest part of the day

Lakes

Lakes, Lochs and Reservoirs

Flat or Still water is defined here as water that has minimal movement, except for locally induced wind currents. Examples include lakes, lochs, ponds, quarry pool and reservoirs. Flat water found in lakes and lochs is the safest open water natural environment. However, water is by its very nature hazardous and care must always be taken when being near water margins.

Lakes and Lochs can vary considerably in size, but they are commonly large expanses of deep, cold water, formed when natural basins fill with water flowing from rivers and streams or from the water table.

Controlled recreational activity is permitted in many lakes, lochs and reservoirs, particularly fishing and boating. Swimming in these water bodies can present risks and should only take place where adequate safety management and supervision is in place.

Safety consideration should be given to:

Slips, trips and falls
Deep and cold water
Underwater objects, such as rubbish and debris
High banks when egress is difficult
Collision with other water users
Water quality

Toxic algal blooms
Industrial/agricultural pollution

Stay Safe:

Let someone know where you are going
Take notice of warning signs
Stay clear of bank edges
If someone is in difficulty in the water shout reassurance to them and shout for help and ensure the emergency services are on their way (call 999 or 112). Without endangering yourself see if you can reach out to them, extend your reach with a stick, pole, item of clothing, lie down or stay secure. Alternatively throw something buoyant to them such as a ring buoy, part filled plastic container, ball or anything that will float. Keep your eye on them all the time and shout reassurance urging them to propel themselves to safety.
Remember to slip on a t-shirt, slop on sun cream and slap on a hat and try to avoid being exposed to the sun during the hottest part of the day

Canals

Canals are artificial (man-made) channels of water. Depending on the surrounding ground composition, canals may be lined with concrete or clay. They are mainly used for transportation.

The depth of canals varies depending upon their use. Canals used purely for the transportation of water (aqueducts) may be as shallow as 2-3 feet, whereas shipping canals such as the Panama Canal can reach depths of up to 60 feet.

Swimming in canals is prohibited by British Waterways General Canal Bye-Laws.

Locks are a key feature in many canals and present unique hazards. They are used to control the flow of water between two levels in a canal, whilst also enabling boats to pass through.

Safety consideration should be given to:

Slip, trip and fall hazard (the lock edges cannot be fenced)
High edges creating difficult egress
Variable water depth
Cold Water
Turbulent and irregular water flow

Stay Safe:

Let someone know where you are going
Take notice of warning signs
Stay clear of bank edges
Do not go close to locks
If someone is in difficulty in the water shout reassurance to them and shout for help and ensure the emergency services are on their way (call 999 or 112). Without endangering yourself see if you can reach out to them, extend your reach with a stick, pole, item of clothing, lie down or stay secure. Alternatively throw something buoyant to them such as a ring buoy, part filled plastic container, ball or anything that will float. Keep your eye on them all the time and shout reassurance urging them to propel themselves to safety.

Open Water Swimming

Open water swimming takes place in outdoor bodies of water such as open oceans, bays, lakes, rivers, canals, and reservoirs.

Around 85% of accidental drownings occur at open water sites. Many of these drownings occur due to a lack of knowledge and understanding of the hazards at open water sites, and the lack of care and planning when visiting them.

If you want to try open water swimming, find a club that knows the best places to swim and has organised safety cover.

The basic principles of open water safety, combined with knowledge and understanding of the hazards, can increase enjoyment of open water and significantly reduce the number of incidents that occur each year.

Signs and Guidance

The conditions at open water sites change constantly:

Always look for warning and guidance signs.
Check the tidal activity when at the coast.
Take guidance from Lifeguards about the safest areas to enter the water.

Swimming, Paddling and Playing

Only enter the water in areas with adequate supervision and rescue cover (indicated by the red and yellow flags)
Swim parallel with the shore (not away from it)
Avoid drifting in the currents
Get out of the water as soon as you start to feel cold
Never enter the water after consuming alcohol

Children

Always keep children under close supervision
Ensure that children's buoyancy aids fit and are worn correctly
Go Together
Always take someone with you when you go into or near water. If something goes wrong they will be able to get help