This presentation covers the main features of the new National Occupational Standards for Swimming Pool Plant Operators.

1. The
NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL
STANDARDS
POOL PLANT OPERATIONS
Presented by Mike Shuff M.ISPE
Carlton Associates Ltd
Physical Activity & Leisure Management Academy Ltd

2. National Occupational Standards are written
for many industries, to ensure that training
meets an agreed standard.
In the ‘wet leisure’ industry, those Standards are regulated by
SkillsActive.
There have been standards, but they were written years ago,
and were completely outdated.
A group was created to re-write them in mid-2015
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3. Who could they affect, and who would
be interested in them?
At one time, if the qualification met the NOS, it could be
included on the Qualification and Curriculum
Framework, and employers could even apply for
governmental funding for their training!
There isn’t any funding any more, for the majority of
employers.
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4. Do they affect the wider
spectrum of the industry?
The National Operational Standards are about
the OPERATION of pools; there are no specific elements
relating to design, building or installation of pools.
There are other industries that would be involved in
producing the NOS’s for these other elements.
There ARE implications for builders and installers,
especially in terms of writing Method Statements and
O & M manuals, etc. These SHOULD be compliant with
the NOS.
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5. So, are they still needed?
Many employers will still ask for the
accreditation of any training or qualification offered.
Meeting the NOS therefore gives a great advantage to
those providers who meet those Standards.
There are also implications for students, employees,
etc., who will need to build up their CV’s etc.
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6. How were these Standards
produced?
There had to be a ‘STEERING GROUP’
created to oversee the whole process.
There was then an ‘EXPERT WORKING GROUP’, who were
charged with producing all the details within the standards.
Both of these groups were made up of people from within
the industry; POOL PEOPLE!
We were managed by an organisation who specialise in using the
system, so that we got the wording and settings correct. This was
an enormous help!
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7. What are the ‘Standards’?
SKAPPO1: Maintain the Quality of Water in
Pool Plant Operations
SKAPPO2: Deal with Substances Hazardous to Health
SKAPPO3: Co-ordinate and Supervise Pool Plant Maintenance
and Repairs
SKAPPO4: Ensure Health & Safety Requirements are met in the
Pool Plant operational area
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8. SKAPPO1: Maintain the Quality of Water in
Pool Plant Operations
The main outcomes of this Standard is to :-
Monitor and Maintain Pool Plant Operations, and
Carry out Incoming Source Water and Pool Water Testing
but it includes everything from filtration and disinfection, to
calibration and testing protocols.
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9. SKAPPO2: Deal with Substances Hazardous to Health
The main outcomes of this Standard:-
Transport and Handle Substances Hazardous to Health
Safe Use of Substances Hazardous to Health, and
Store and Dispose of Substances Hazardous to Health
and it includes everything from the methodology of adding
chemicals to pools, to personal protective equipment.
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10. SKAPPO3: Co-ordinate and Supervise
Pool Plant Maintenance and Repairs
The main outcomes of this Standard:-
Co-ordinate and Supervise the Schedule of
Maintenance and Repair for Pool Plant Facilities and
Equipment
and includes communication systems, to monitoring
work, and maintaining records.
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11. SKAPPO4: Ensure Health & Safety
Requirements are met in the Pool Plant
operational area
The main outcomes of this Standard:-
To Ensure Health and Safety Requirements in the Pool Plant
Operational Areas are met.
and includes everything from compliance with H & S legislation,
to monitor and reporting of deficiencies.
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12. What are the ‘Standards’?
Each Standard is then divided into:-
• Performance Criteria
• Knowledge and Understanding
• Scope and Range
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13. Performance Criteria
‘Performance Criteria’ lists all the points that
need to be shown during a training course.
It also means that a training programme has to include the
opportunity for candidates to be able to demonstrate the points.
For instance, one performance criteria could be:-
• Testing pool water
Therefore, the training programme/timetable needs to include
some form of water testing workshop; practical work, on the
poolside!
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14. Knowledge and Understanding
‘Knowledge and Understanding’ does what it says
on the tin! It is all the information that the candidate
needs to know, but not necessarily be able to show
during a course.
There are dozens and dozens of these. One may be:-
‘the different types of waterborne and airborne diseases and infections’.
Hopefully, these won’t be present in a training venue, but the candidate
needs to be aware of them; how they are transmitted; how they can
affect people; destroyed; etc.
The delivery of the course and/or the training manual must cover all of
the knowledge and understanding points.
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15. Scope and Range
‘Scope and Range’ are related to both the
Performance Criteria and Knowledge and
Understanding statements.
For instance, if the PC says that you need to test pool water, the
Scope and Range specifies which tests need to be done:
• pH
• Free and Total Disinfectant levels, etc
It follows, therefore, that the training provider must ensure that
there are suitable test equipment available, or provide his/her
own, for candidates to use.
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16. Where are we now?
The Standards were approved and included on the
National Occupational Standards website in January of this year;
just a couple of weeks ago.
www.nos.ukces.org.uk and search for ‘pool plant operations’
Anybody who has access to the internet can now see the
Standards; employers, students, owners, educationalists, etc
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17. Who will it affect?
Employers: because they will want staff trained
and qualified to an accredited standard.
Employees: because they will need to have an accredited
qualification to put onto their CV.
Training providers: because they are competing with other
providers, and need to demonstrate ‘quality’.
Installers, Builders, Engineers: need to ensure that Method
Statements and O & M manuals are up to date, and that
any on-site training meets these Standards.
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18. Thank you for your time today.
This presentation will be available at
www.palmacademy.co.uk
Mike Shuff can be contacted on 07710 206945
Physical Activity & Leisure Management Academy Ltd