LG SUP 1 Extend Adoption of the Lifeguard and Water Safety Provisions of the Model Aquatic Health Code
Extend adoption by authorities having jurisdiction over public pools and spas of the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC), specifically the lifeguard and water safety provisions.
Spectrum level: Influencing Policy and Legislation
Evidence level: Low
Rationale:
For nearly a decade, the MAHC has included lifeguard and safety provisions for public pool operations. Over this time period, review and revision of these provisions has occurred establishing a best practice standard of care in the United States.
Anticipated Impact:
After implementing this recommendation, you can expect to experience the following outcomes.
- Extending adoption of the Model Aquatic Health Code by authorities that have jurisdiction over public pools and spas helps insure these best practice lifeguard and safety provisions in closed water settings.
Evidence:
Water safety experts expressed that the existence of Lifeguard and safety provisions encoded in the MAHC have helped them gain support and acceptance for implementing these provisions in their individual situations. Extending the provisions to designated swimming areas in natural bodies of water is an important next step as there is evidence that for individuals ages 11 through 77, the number of fatal drownings in natural bodies of water exceed those in pools, up to a factor of eight for some ages.
Evidence Sources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) (2023). Model Aquatic Health Code. 4th Edition, February 2023.
High Risk Populations Addressed:
All populations can benefit from implementation of this recommendation.
Evaluation Metrics:
Indicators of long-term impact: - Increase in the number of states, counties, and communities that adopt the lifeguard and safety provisions of the MAHC
Indicators of intermediate impact:
- Increase in the number of insurance companies providing liability insurance where lifeguards are present that require their customers to implement the lifeguard and safety provisions of the MAHC
Indicators of initial impact:
- The CMAHC recommends the changes to the CDC and gains acceptance
Implementation:
Consider the following to ensure successful implementation:
- Gain support of the CMAHC to make the recommendation to the CDC to change the MAHC.
- Advocate the importance of adopting the MAHC provisions to state or local legislatures.
- Use the importance of the National Water Safety Action Plan process to get states, counties, or cities to adopt these provisions if they have not already done so.
- Encourage insurance companies providing liability insurance where Lifeguards are present to require these best practice provisions from their customers.
Challenges to Implementation:
When implementing this recommendation, you might encounter challenges related to the following factors.
- A coordinated effort to educate and advocate for these changes at the state, county or city levels may be a challenge.
- Determining the Insurance Association(s) representing companies providing liability insurance to customers where Lifeguards are present may be a challenge.
Potential Facilitators:
The following factors might facilitate the implementation of this recommendation.
- Lifeguard certifying agencies
- The Pool and Hot Tub Alliance
- USA Swimming
- National Recreation and Parks Association
- National Drowning Prevention Alliance
- US Lifesaving Association
GAP Recommendation:
Extension of the MAHC to natural bodies of water will require resolution of details such as venues requiring lifeguards, lifeguard training for different natural water venues, and recommended ratios of lifeguards to patrons. Those are not resolved in this recommendation and will need further consideration.