Protecting Children and Youths in Water Recreation - European Child ...

Protecting Children and Youths in Water Recreation

Safety Guidelines for Service Providers

Text or parts of the text may be copied, provided that reference is made to the authors, the title of the publication and publisher.

Suggested citation: Norman N. and Vincenten J. Protecting children and youths in water recreation: Safety guidelines for service providers. Amsterdam: European Child Safety Alliance, Eurosafe; 2008.

The findings and views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the partner organisations.

ISBN 978 - 90 - 6788 - 370 - 2 ? March 2008 External report 344

European Child Safety Alliance EuroSafe P.O. Box 75169 1070 AD Amsterdam The Netherlands Tel: + 31 20 511 4513 Fax: +31 20 511 4510 Email: secretariat@

With the support of the

European Commission

Design by Joanna Haines

Protecting Children and Youths in Water Recreation Safety Guidelines for Service Providers

European Child Safety Alliance

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Foreword by Meglena Kuneva European Commissioner for Consumers

Protecting Children and Youths in Water Recreation: Safety Guidelines for Service Providers

It is estimated that each year 50,000 Europeans in the EU 27 are injured whilst taking part in water sports or boating activities. Drowning is the second leading cause of death in young people, from infancy to 18 years of age.

As part of my mission to inform, protect and empower consumers, I am pleased to lend my support to these guidelines, which are the direct and practical result of our recent work in the area of water service safety.

These water safety guidelines, developed by the European Child Safety Alliance under the umbrella of a broader project called "Safety of Services for Children's Water-Related Sport, Tourism and Leisure Activities in the EU", are of major importance. Developed in collaboration with professional water recreation associations and injury prevention organisations across Europe, they provide informative data on injuries and hazards, and outline specific safety recommendations for many common water sports and waterside settings, in order to encourage safe water activities for children aged 0-18 years.

This initiative is consistent with the European Commission's overall approach to injury prevention as set out in the 2006 Communication on Actions for a Safer Europe [COM (2006) 328 final of 23.6.2006].

I hope that these guidelines will help those working in the water recreation industry ? whether as a hotel manager, a rental provider or a tour operator ? to fulfil their responsibilities in terms of injury prevention and safety promotion, and that our recommendations will allow them to implement good safety practices that will help to save children's lives.

Protecting Children and Youths in Water Recreation Safety Guidelines for Service Providers

European Child Safety Alliance

ii

Protecting Children and Youths in Water Recreation Safety Guidelines for Service Providers

European Child Safety Alliance

iii

Table of contents

Introduction

1

Water safety fact sheets

Tourism and water-related injuries

2

Alcohol and water recreation

7

Protecting your business and your customers

Responsibilities of service providers in the EU

8

The importance of risk assessment

9

Criteria for assessment of safe services

10

Guidelines for specific activities and settings

Swim sports

Snorkeling

11

SCUBA diving

13

Boating sports

Canoeing and kayaking

16

Sailing

19

Personal Watercraft

21

Motorboats

23

Tow sports (water-skiing, tow inflatables)

25

Wind sports

Kite surfing

27

Windsurfing

30

Water settings

Safety by the waterside

32

Swimming pools on holiday properties

34

Waterslides

36

Further resources

38

European Child Safety Alliance country partners 41

References

46

Acknowledgements

47

Protecting Children and Youths in Water Recreation Safety Guidelines for Service Providers

European Child Safety Alliance

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