The Open Water Safety qualification is aimed at open water swimming coaches and those who provide safety cover during structured open water activity sessions. It enables the holder to initiate the Emergency Action Plan, respond to an emergency and support the casualty to prevent the situation from worsening until further assistance arrives. The course includes the skills and knowledge required to minimise the dangers of open water hazards and risks, open water rescue skills, CPR and first aid skills. Once qualified, you’ll be able to work in a variety of open water environments providing safety cover for competent swimmers, including lakes, rivers and the sea (close to shore).
How Will the Qualification Benefit You?
- Created by STA’s lifesaving experts, providing you with quality training
- Training is in accordance with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’ (RoSPA) Safety at Inland Water Sites document
- Regulated by Ofqual
- It will instill in you the confidence needed to effectively provide safety cover for open water swimmers.
When You Get Your Qualification
- It lasts for 2 years.
How to Take Your Qualification Further
The Open Water Safety qualification is designed to support open water coaches, and progression may be made through additional lifesaving or coaching qualifications.
Interested? Before You Get Started…
You’ll need to make sure you’ve met the following requirements before you attend your course:
- Be 16 years old or over at the time of assessment
- Be competent and confident in open water, e.g. swim continuously for 10 minutes
- Be able to submerge / surface dive under the water confidently in open water.