Lifeguard
(Lifesaver, Pool Attendant, Swimming Pool Attendant)
Fact Sheet
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Monitoring pool chemical levels |
Lifeguards look after the safety of people at beaches or swimming pools through public relations, public education, accident prevention and rescue.
Duties and Tasks
Lifeguards may perform the following tasks:
- supervise swimmers and bathers to prevent accidents and make sure they follow safety regulations
- rescue swimmers in difficulty and provide first aid treatment if required
- educate the community in water safety
- place signs or barriers to warn of dangerous conditions or areas, and make sure users are aware of potential dangers
- caution people behaving in an unsafe manner and expel those who refuse to cooperate
- report incidents to management or other authorities
- design and implement emergency procedures
- undertake basic water quality control and testing procedures
- maintain rescue equipment
- care for lost children
- perform basic administrative duties such as writing reports
Quick Facts
School subjects that include some aspect of physical education provide a useful background to these jobs. In some cases a physical education subject is a pre-requisite for entry to courses that provide the training for the job.
These jobs require you to be able to see clearly to examine items close-up. It covers jobs where poor vision e.g. tunnel vision, could make the work place unsafe or the job difficult to undertake, e.g. draftsperson working with detailed drawings; checkout operator reading dockets; work requiring good hand-eye co-ordination for working with precision or semi-precision tools.
These jobs are generally performed in an unusually hot, cold or humid environment, so may be unsuitable for people who have diabetes or other conditions aggravated by extremes of temperature or humidity. Jobs where work is performed in a hot, cold or humid environment are excluded.\par
Workers performing these jobs would usually be expected to spend more than three-quarters of their day outdoors, exposed to the weather. They may report back to an office, station, depot or other central site. Jobs requiring mainly outdoor work are excluded.
The main duties and tasks involved in these jobs require daily physical exertion, such as bending and twisting, lifting, climbing, pulling, pushing, carrying or other effort where physical fitness is required. People with heart, back or other conditions who should avoid physical strain may wish to avoid these jobs. Jobs requiring physical effort have been excluded.
These jobs require moderate or better reading and writing skills. Workers may be expected to prepare, understand or act on written materials, such as letters or reports. People may wish to avoid these jobs if their reading or writing English skills are limited to a small range of words or phrases and symbols. Jobs remaining may still require very basic reading or writing skills.
Included are jobs providing health care diagnosis and treatment, such as general medicine, pharmacy, optometry, radiography, speech therapy, dental health, etc. Also covered are community and welfare services, such as social work, family and children services, and counselling, and personal services such as hairdressing and funeral services.
These jobs involve WORKING WITH PEOPLE, to help, inform, teach or treat them. Activities include discussing personal issues, listening to people's problems, and providing advice, instruction, information or treatment to meet their needs.
These jobs involve WORKING WITH THINGS in the natural world, such as conservation, handling animals, raising crops or livestock, or sport. Activities include growing and caring for living things, or an involvement with sport, leisure or the environment.
These jobs do not usually require completion of secondary education, however further part-time study such as a Certificate III or IV, and on-the-job training, may be required.
Work Conditions
Lifeguards who work at outdoor venues spend most of their time in conditions that vary from extremely hot to cold and windy.
Personal Requirements
- enjoy outdoor activities
- physically fit
- good communication skills
- work well in a team environment
- able to be alert for long periods
- age limits may apply