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October is National Safe Work Month - a time employers and workers across Australia commit to creating safe and healthy workplaces. Royal Life Saving Society – Australia is encouraging aquatic facility managers to ensure they are well-prepared for summer by adopting key health and safety guidelines and regulations that have come into effect throughout 2024. These changes, which address crystalline silica use; child safety; training and qualifications; chemical handling; and water quality management are set to enhance safety measures for both workers and patrons in public aquatic facilities.

Key Updates

Psychosocial Risk Management
In 2024, psychosocial risk management became a central focus for regulators of workplace health and safety laws across Australia.

Psychosocial hazards are now formally defined in Workplace Health and Safety laws as aspects of work that may cause psychological harm. This includes exposure to traumatic events, excessive job demands, poor support, workplace bullying, violence, harassment, and poor organisational change management.

Employers have a duty to identify, assess, and control psychosocial risks in the same way they would manage physical hazards. This is particularly important in roles where employees witness or respond to distressing events, such as in frontline emergency response and public safety. This involves consulting with workers, monitoring working conditions, and taking proactive steps to minimise stressors.

The new regulations require organisations to implement formal risk management processes for identifying psychosocial hazards. This includes regular assessments, consultation with staff, and effective controls to mitigate identified risks.

A Model Code of Practice was introduced by Safe Work Australia to provide guidance on managing psychosocial risks. It outlines practical steps for assessing risks, implementing controls, and ensuring ongoing monitoring and review. Employers are encouraged to promote workplace cultures that prioritise mental health and well-being.

Training programs focusing on mental health awareness and the management of psychosocial hazards are now encouraged. Organisations are expected to raise awareness among employees about recognising and responding to workplace stressors.

Scott Vanderhayden, Acting Group Manager – Work Health and Safety at Belgravia Group, highlighted the increasing focus on managing psychosocial risks in the aquatic sector noting "Psychosocial risk management is an area that can't be ignored. The mental well-being of staff is as critical as their physical safety, especially in high-pressure environments like aquatic facilities. We’re adopting new protocols to support our teams, helping them manage stress, reduce burnout, and build resilience. These measures are essential for maintaining a healthy, productive workforce."

Crystalline Silica
Crystalline silica is the crystalline form of silicon dioxide and is a naturally occurring mineral that forms a major component of most rocks, soil, sand and clay. It is found in natural stones like granite and sandstone and is used to create manufactured products like bricks, pavers, concrete and tiles. Crystalline silica is defined in the model  Workplace Health and Safety Regulations as crystalline polymorphs of silica, and it includes quartz, cristobalite, tridymite and Tripoli.

Crystalline silica particles that are less than 10 µm in diameter are known as respirable crystalline silica (RCS). RCS is invisible under normal lighting or with the naked eye and stays airborne for long periods of time. When breathed in, RCS can travel deep into the lungs and cause damage. Some pool filter media can contain RCS.

Starting 1st September 2024, Safe Work Australia’s revised regulations on crystalline silica introduce stricter controls, including mandatory dust management measures and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). These changes are particularly relevant for technical operators and maintenance teams working with ultrafine pool filtration systems.

Health, safety and risk managers should consult the safety guidance and material safety data sheets to ensure filter media processing is conducted safely.

Child Safety
In Victoria, from 1st July 2024, child safety oversight was transferred to the new Social Services Regulator, ensuring organisations working with children, including aquatic centres, follow structured guidance aligned with the Royal Commission's recommendations on child protection.

In Queensland, new child safety laws were introduced in September 2024 under the Child Safe Organisations Bill, aligning with other states by adopting the 10 national child safe standards.

Tasmania and Western Australia have also introduced new regulatory frameworks that reinforce the need for organisations to create child-safe environments, reflecting the national standards.

Kate Barnett, Health, Safety & Environment Manager – Recreation at the Y Victoria, commented "while the Y has long been a leader in child safety management, these new regulations have provided us with an opportunity to reinforce our commitment. Enhanced staff training and robust reporting mechanisms are key to safeguarding children and young people across all of our facilities."

Safety Signage
The Australian Standard for Water Safety Signage AS2416 has been replaced by the International Standard ISO 20712, which guides the design and application of water safety signs. These changes emphasise consistency in signage with global conventions.

Craig Roberts, General Manager – Drowning Prevention & Education at Royal Life Saving New South Wales advised "while the international standards bring some subtle changes, there is no need for aquatic facilities to update recent signage already in place solely to replace diamond warning symbols with triangle-shaped symbols for example if all of the information remains accurate."

Royal Life Saving – Australia supports that existing safety signage compliant with AS2416 remains effective and there is no immediate requirement for updates, though facilities should review their signage periodically as part of ongoing continual improvement safety practices.

Pool Fencing
Standards Australia has released a new standard AS 1926.1:2024 focusing on safety barriers for (mainly backyard) swimming pools. The updated standard introduces several key changes, including new definitions, revised non-climbable zone requirements, improved gate latch and hinge security, and guidelines for combined structures forming barriers.

While aquatic facilities rarely contain internal pool fencing, some do, and should ensure these are maintained in line with standards and local regulatory requirements.

Industry Guidelines, Codes of Practice & Safety Assessments
Royal Life Saving - Australia released new Guidelines for Child Safety in Aquatic Facilities and Guidelines for Training and Qualifications in Aquatic Facilities in December 2023. These guidelines provide detailed recommendations to enhance safety and operational standards in aquatic environments, specifically designed to address the unique risks faced by pool operators.

RJ Houston, General Manager – Capability & Industry at Royal Life Saving – Australia, explained the importance of continual vigilance and alignment in safety management "the management of safety at aquatic facilities is constantly evolving, with new risks emerging as the industry advances.

"The new guidelines represent an important step forward in aligning our sector with best practices for safety and qualifications. They offer facility managers clear, actionable guidance on ensuring their operations meet the highest standards of safety and staff competency.”

In Western Australia, amendments to the Code of Practice for the Design, Construction, Operation, Management and Maintenance of Aquatic Facilities were introduced in March 2024. Changes include updated safety protocols and updated terminology to reflect changes to training packages, Australian Standards and industry guidelines.

Travis Doye, Acting Executive Officer at the Leisure Institute of Western Australia Aquatics said updates to the Code of Practice helped ensure all Western Australians were accessing the safest possible aquatic facilities across the state.

Doye noted “whether attending a pool in the Kimberly, Esperance or the suburbs of Perth, Western Australians have a right to expect the highest standards of safety delivered by the Western Australian aquatic sector. The sector has been actively engaged not just in ensuring local operations and codes of practice reflect the highest standards of safety but have actively advocated for improvements to national guidance and resources with positive effect, equally reinforcing the importance of local and national collaboration.”

Victoria has published the third version of the Safer Public Pools – Code of Practice, developed by Life Saving Victoria and supported by Emergency Management Victoria (EMV). This Code offers practical guidance for those with responsibilities under the Occupational Health & Safety Act and Regulations, aiming for consistency in the application of industry standards, benchmarking, and reporting.

Alek Olszewski, Manager – Aquatic Industry Services at Life Saving Victoria, stressed the importance of the Code advising "The Safer Public Pools Code is a critical tool for facility managers, providing them with a comprehensive framework to manage risk and comply with public health and safety laws. It helps ensure pools across the state remain safe environments for all users, regardless of the challenges that may arise."

Royal Life Saving – Australia has recently updated its Aquatic Facility Safety Assessment to include provisions for child safety and training and qualifications. However, broader regulatory changes like psychosocial risk management and crystalline silica are yet to be integrated into the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations (GSPOs).

Draft Model Code of Practice: Managing Fatigue Risks at Work
Safe Work Australia (SWA) is developing a model Code of Practice which provides guidance for PCBUs (employers and organisations) on fatigue risks at work.
This draft model Code of Practice has been developed with the support of Safe Work Australia Members and other safety regulators.

Safe Work Australia welcomes submissions from all interested stakeholders, including duty holders, regulators, government agencies, unions, workers, legal professionals, researchers, members of the public and other parties.

If approved by Safe Work Australia Members the draft model Code will be provided to the Commonwealth, state and territory WHS ministers for approval. If approved, it will become a model Code of Practice. It is expected this process will be finalised in the first half of 2025.

Have a say here 

Further Resources
For further resources and guidance on how to comply with these changes, health and safety managers can refer to the Workplace Health and Safety resources compiled by Royal Life Saving - Australia. These resources cover topics such as managing psychosocial risk, crystalline silica, manual handling, chemical safety, managing falls, and preventing hearing loss, which are essential for maintaining safety in aquatic facilities.

In addition practical guidance for interpreting the provisions of key work health and safety requirements are contained in the GSPO – available here.

Royal Life Saving Society – Australia (RLSSA) extends thanks to the National Aquatic Industry Committee for their ongoing work in authorising safety guidance.

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