Platinum Pools Program

The Platinum Pools Program was introduced to highlight aquatic facilities achieving the highest standards in aquatic safety and risk management, with accreditation recognised as a sign of excellence within the Industry. The program involves completion of a combination of assessment processes every 12 months.

Aim of the Platinum Pool Program

The Royal Life Saving Aquatic Facility Safety Endorsement program has been introduced to highlight aquatic facilities achieving the highest standards in aquatic safety and risk management, with accreditation recognised as a sign of excellence within the National Aquatic Industry.

The program involves completion of a combination of assessment processes every 12 months.

Stakeholders including facility patrons, rate payers and local Councils are able to identify a facility as having an emphasis on safety by its achievement of an Endorsement.

The overarching objective of the program from an Aquatic Facility’s perspective is to get a Platinum Endorsement by Royal Life Saving which demonstrates a continuing exemplary standard of safety management within the aquatic facility.

Endorsement activities:

In order to be eligible to be endorsed, aquatic facilities must successfully complete all program activities within a given financial year subject to a strict program 'Code of Practice'. The activities include:

RLSSA Aquatic Facility Safety Assessment x 1
RLSSA Mystery Guest Visit x2
Completed Keep Watch / Watch Around Water Partnership Agreement & Associated Collateral Pack (Annual)
Completed Risk Treatment Plan

Program Principles

Provide drowning and aquatic injury prevention leadership for aquatic facilities in Queensland
Create informed policy, advocacy and practice through research, evidence and data collection
Empower lifesavers in every Queensland community through awareness, education and action
Champion swimming and water safety skills for every Queensland community
Advocate and deliver safer pools in every Queensland community
Foster cohesion, growth and a deep connection to safety within the Queensland aquatic industry
Maximise the industry’s social value and impact

Aquatic Facility Endorsement Grades

Bronze Endorsement

Having completed all program activities and achieving a Compliance Score of at least 80% but less than 90% on the Safety Assessment.

Silver Endorsement

Having completed all program activities and achieving a Compliance Score of at least 90% but less than 100% on the Safety Assessment.

Gold Endorsement

Having completed all program activities and achieving a Compliance Score of 100% on the Safety Assessment.

Platinum Endorsement

The aquatic facility successfully completes all program activities for successive financial years and achieves a Compliance score of 100% on the Safety Assessment each year to achieve the prestigious Platinum Endorsement.

Note: A Platinum Endorsement has limited spots available for this prestigious position.

Enquire about the PPP

What is the benefit of Royal Life Saving endorsement?

For 125 years, Royal Life Saving has been working with the aquatic industry to provide a range of expert services and programs that increase the level of safety and compliance, which assist venue operators in implementing appropriate risk management practices specific to aquatic facilities and swim schools.
Significant and ongoing risk management is needed to ensure that the design, scope and operations of these facilities is in keeping with state and federal legislation, Australian Standards, industry guidelines and community expectations.
We have developed the program methodology based on our experience of creating nationwide industry initiatives that drive safety outcomes across the aquatic industry. This considers our:

People

Qualified and accredited auditors
Nationally licensed to deliver Pool Safety audits in line with the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations
Team supported by high caliber and committed national network of experts

Risk Management

Royal Life Saving is the peak body for drowning prevention and water safety
Public liability insurance / Professional indemnity insurance

Methodology:

Nationally-backed assessment tool developed in consultation with the national aquatic industry
Constantly reviewed by leading experts in aquatic facility design, operations and risk
Program based on successful programs in other jurisdictions
Assessments benchmarking available as we are the only provider using the RLSSA National Aquatic Safety Assessment app and tool

Experience:

Platinum Pool program (Victoria)
Keep Watch @ Public Pools program (National)
Swim and Survive (National)
Training and Endorsement of Swim Teachers and Lifeguards (National)

How much does the PPP cost?

The cost varies from facility to facility. As a guide, a standards facility would be about $4,000 (+GST). Please contact us for cost (at no obligation).

Limitations

Neither the completion of an Assessment nor the issuance of any endorsement or Endorsement makes any facility inherently safe from aquatic based risks.
Public, commercial and communal pools will only ever be a safe as the people supervising them at any given time. It is recommended that professional supervision is in place where members of the public participate in aquatic activity and that parental supervision programs are developed and implemented at facilities where young children recreate, learn and play.

What does the Keep Watch partnership entail?

Royal Life Saving research shows that 36 people drowned in public and commercial swimming pools in Australia between 2005 and 2015. The leading age group for drowning was children at 19% of fatal drownings. Among drowning deaths involving children aged 0-14 years, there was no parental or carer supervision in 78% of the cases.

- Promote the importance of appropriate levels of supervision within aquatic facilities to the community
- Provide partners with support mechanisms to promote parent/guardian supervision of children in aquatic facilities
- Research and communicate information pertaining to the appropriate level of supervision within aquatic facilities
- Promote water safety messages to the public

Each year, each Aquatic Facility will be provided with a pack of Keep Watch @ Public Pools / Watch Around Water collateral to display and educate users of the city’s aquatic facilities.
In addition to the collateral, each facility will be required to train all frontline service and leadership staff on the key messages and program components.