This debate aims to ensure the discussion level increases and the swimming pool industry future proof.
The panel aim to offer wide and balanced viewpoints on detection & surveillance as opposed to the word ‘drowning’, as the vast majority of pool incidents are not drowning but related to an underlying health condition.
At a time when the industry is under greater pressure than ever a secondary layer of safety to support lifeguards can only benefit safety management.
Technology is with us …..we would never get on a plane knowing that air traffic control technology wasn’t in place; VAR - “love it or hate it”, is with us; driverless cars on the horizon…..which this session isn’t going to be advocating in lifeguarded pools ( at least not for the next few years!)
Ian Ogilvie is an Independent Chartered Safety and Health Consultant who has worked in the leisure industry for the past 30 years. Currently Ian sits on the BSI Committee for Swimming Pools and also the Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group for the UK and has written several publications around design and plant and course material for regulated swimming pool qualifications. Finally he also is a Technical Advisor for the Royal Life Saving Society on swimming pool plant.
GLL
33 years in the industry. RLSS National Trainer Assessor. In some way with some sort of influence over approx. 150 pools and thus thousands of lifeguards.
Current Treasurer of The GLL Society – over 20 years on the board.
Passionate Sailor and competitor in life!
Find out more about GLL here.
Royal Life Saving Society UK
Jo started her career as a lifeguard over 20 years ago, which may explain her passion for lifeguarding and water safety.
Following a 12 year stint with a National Operator, managing lifeguarding and swimming pool health and safety; Jo took a role at RLSS UK, the leading UK organisation for water safety.
In her role at RLSS UK Jo focuses on supporting the industry with high quality training and qualifications.
Jo has a wealth of knowledge for everything relating to swimming pool safety; from supervision to signage to technology.
Everyone Active
Ben has been with Everyone Active since 2007 and has worked in the leisure industry for over 30 years. He started working in leisure as a lifeguard and having worked in many different roles is now Group Development Director for Everyone Active, who operate over 200 facilities on behalf of 64 local authorities. As Group Development Director he leads the group's operational development and innovation across the business.
Poolview
A recognised contributor and industry expert within the field of Drowning Prevention Technology and Safer Swimming Systems. Poolview Limited are the only UK manufacturer and supplier of Submersion Detection hardware and they utilise their own specifically designed “Iris” detection software.
Swim England
Richard is Swim England’s Head of facilities, a vastly experienced expert in swimming pool operation and design. He began his career operationally managing facilities, following that he spent 5 years as a pool plant technical manager for a training organisation, leading on the training of over 3,000 operators a year. He has been with Swim England facilities for over 6 years now providing advice and consultancy ensuring that new built facilities and refurbishments are fit for purpose and sustainable for the future. Richard has been a member of the PWTAG technical committee for over 10 and a PWTAG director for the past 3 years, he is also a representative of the British Standards working group for European standards of swimming pools.
Furthermore, he has worked closely with the HSE on numerous projects, Richard has delivered seminars on swimming pool design and operations at various conferences across the globe including; splash international in Singapore, the World Aquatic Heath Conference (WAHC) in Phoenix Arizona and various exhibitions and conferences within the UK and Europe.
Leisure Expert Panel
Andy Read stood down as Head of Safety at Places Leisure (Responsible for 100 Leisure Centres, Pre-covid 9,500 colleagues and 20 million annual visits) on 31st March 2022.
His involvement with leisure will continue;
A independent member of the ukactive Governance and Standards Committee;
Vice Chair of the Leisure Expert Panel (LEP), member of CIMSPA,
Independent member of the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) Operator Group.
• understanding the role of technology and lifeguarding
• voluntary health and leisure projects
RoSPA
David leads on the development of policy and advice for RoSPA members and networks overseeing the executive and programme support for the National Water Safety Forum, including the Water Incident Database (WAID). He is an author of the UK drowning prevention strategy, an external advisor to the recent Australian drowning prevention strategy and a technical contributor to a number of WHO and UK Government programmes including most recently Covid-19 re-opening impacts, and the MCA Managing beach safety advice. David sits on the managing group for the Leisure Expert Panel in support of RoSPA's contribution towards better sector safety regulation.
David has previously worked on Commonwealth and Olympic Games, led and guided adventurous activities. He has led on fatal accident investigation and independent reviews in Manchester, Bristol and Durham in recent years. Current programmes of interest include; supporting the development of the regulatory framework for E-Scooters & promotion of active travel; evaluation and application of AI/ML technologies to drowning and road risk, crowd safety environments; revisions to a number of HSE and Government guidance.
David is boyhood member of The Salford Lads Club and a graduate from The University of Salford. He is married to Polly and lives in Birmingham with their two young children. He doesn't get enough sleep.