Pool Lifeguard Core/Non-Core Status
POOL LIFEGUARD CORE/NON-CORE STATUS
GENERAL INFORMATION
1. General
A non-core lifeguard is one that is considered ‘inexperienced’ and should not therefore be allowed to supervise a swimming pool, without the presence of a ‘core’ lifeguard, who should also be directly supervising the pool. Non-core status may also be designated for other reasons not directly relating to experience.
A ‘Core’ lifeguard is considered to have received sufficient training and experience to be able to lifeguard competently on their own.
2. Achieving Initial ‘Generic’ Core Status
* 18 years of age or older
* Hold a current RLSS NPLQ or STA NARS award
* Successfully complete a City & County of Swansea pool test
* Complete a minimum of 74 hours actual pool Life-guarding, over a minimum
period of four weeks. At least 8 hours must be worked over a weekend.
* Complete at least one training session within the initial four weeks.
N.B. Prior, confirmed lifeguard experience will be considered towards a partial exemption of this requirement.
3. Achieving Site Specific Core Status
* Complete section 2 as above
* Complete a full, comprehensive induction course
* Complete a minimum 20 hours pool Lifeguarding duties at the site, 8 of which
must be over a weekend.
4. Maintaining Core Status
* Hold a current NPLQ or NARS
* Maintain a valid City & County of Swansea pool test. A pool test cannot be
taken if the minimum of 3 training sessions has not been achieved.
* Complete a minimum of one hours training, within the Water Safety’s training
programme in 3 separate months, between pool tests.
* Complete all 8 training modules within each 12 month period.
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5. Maintaining Non-Core Status
* Successfully complete a City & County of Swansea Water Safety pool test
every 13 weeks. A pool test cannot be taken if the minimum of 3 training
sessions has not been achieved.
6. Core Warning
* A core warning will be issued to a ‘Core’ lifeguard if they do not train in
accordance with section 4. This warning does not mean that the lifeguard will
lose their ‘Core’ status immediately.
7. Loss of ‘Core’ Status
* If a lifeguard fails to meet the criteria of section 4 over the period after their
‘Core’ warning or on regaining their core status, they will lose their ‘Core’ status immediately if they fall outside of this criteria.
* Core status will also be lost immediately, when a lifeguard can only complete
all 3 of their trainingsessions in the two week period before their pool test.
8. Re-gaining Core Status
*If a lifeguard loses their ‘Core Status’, it can be regained when they attend the
first training session after their next pool test as long as it is within the first four weeks after the pool test.
NB It is the responsibility of the lifeguard to ensure that they attend the required number of training sessions before their next pool test.
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