Aquatic Facility Safety Assessments

The Annual Trainers workshop serves to ensure quality training and consistent practices are upheld and to ensure legislative requirements are being met and maintained. To ensure course participants receive professional and concise training, trainers are required to attend the annual trainers’ workshop to reaccredit their qualifications and validate assessment tools and procedures. The 16th annual workshop was held on September 4 with 90% of trainers in attendance.

Since 2009, Royal Life Saving NT has recognised one trainer each year for their outstanding commitment to training. The trainer of the year for 2020/2021 is Kate Conway. Kate is a full-time trainer with RLSSANT. In the past 12 months Kate has delivered and assessed 189 training courses with 1033 participants across the whole of the Northern Territory. Kate brings a considered and thoughtful approach to her training and equally a willingness to strive for high quality training outcomes for her participants. Her honest, friendly, and considerate nature are qualities that make her participants feel at ease in the learning environment.

Trainer of the Year Award for highest standard of excellence in training 2009 / 2010 - Alice McDonald

2010 / 2011 - Rebecca Gawne

2011 / 2012 - Mark FitzSimons

2012 / 2013 - Petina Franklin

2013 / 2014 - Rodney Cremona 2014 / 2015 - Tom Cannavan

2015 / 2016 - Joan Burns

2016 / 2017 - Wayne Van Sambeek 2017 / 2018 - Stephen Gazzola 2018 / 2019 - Rebecca Brown

2019 / 2020 - Pamela Dillon

2020 / 2021 - Kate Conway

Risk management is an essential tool for the successful and continued operation of an aquatic or leisure facility. The AFSA is based on the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operation, Australian Standards and relevant State and Territory legislation. Creating recommendations for the best practice for public safety, management and operation in aquatic facilities.

In line with the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operation, the areas the AFSA covers are general operations, emergency procedures, record keeping, first aid, plant room operations and chemicals, facility design, supervision, programming and specific aquatic areas such as wave pools and diving towers. The increased demands on facility managers to improve safety standards and keep abreast of industry best practice can be difficult and time consuming. Often, the skills required to assess and improve safety are not available internally, yet risk management is an essential tool for the successful and continued operation of an aquatic or leisure facility. To assist facility managers, Royal Life Saving has introduced the Aquatic Facility Safety Assessment (AFSA) to provide best practice recommendations for public safety, management and operation of aquatic facilities. It is recommended that an AFSA is conducted at least annually. During 2020/2021, 11 aquatic facilities across the Northern Territory undertook an Aquatic Facility Safety Assessment.