What Are the Risks of Open Water?

We have all seen the warnings and recent posts on social media about swimming in open water. Whilst the weather at present may not be quite as hot as it was a couple of weeks ago, Envireau Water is joining the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) this week to raise awareness of the risks that open water can pose. As the weather turns hotter with long sunny summer days (and fingers crossed we get a few more), there is a strong temptation to cool off with a dip, whether that is the sea, a river or a lake. So why should we think twice before taking our shoes off and jumping in? We asked Rebecca, one of our hydrologists, who is also a qualified lifeguard and swimming teacher, to give us her thoughts and experience on the topic. 

“Growing up in the Midlands, I have been lucky enough to enjoy our countryside and waterways, but I appreciate the risks posed by open water such as reservoirs, disused quarries, and rivers of all sizes. In previous years during #DrowningPreventionWeek, I would think of lots of interesting ways to educate children and adults about the risks involved with swimming in open water.” 

So, what are the risks involved: 

• Coldwater shock – sudden changes in temperature can cause your body to shut down. If this happened, how will you get out? 
• Unseen objects – you never know what is lurking underwater. 
• Changes in water depth – you could soon find yourself unable to stand. 
• Fast flowing water, changing tides and rip tides in the sea – do not underestimate the power of water. 
• Solo swimming – if you are struggling who will be there to help? 
• Water quality – we have all swallowed water before when swimming, but do you know what is in it? 

These are all important stop and think moments. After all, it’s easy to get in the water but will it be as easy to get back out? 

“As a qualified lifeguard for 10 years, the risks above seem obvious to me, but that lure of a cooling swim can sometimes be too much for some. A great benefit of working for Envireau Water is how seriously they take this risk, which often comes alongside fieldwork. This can be when installing certain types of monitoring equipment where there is a need to enter the water, or when completing a site walkover survey near to a river or other large water body. The training provided is excellent in preparing us to think about the risks and how best to remove or minimise them.” 

We take water safety seriously at Envireau Water, all of our fieldwork staff are trained in Open Water Safety, as well as First Aid. The team are also trained and well-practised in completing risk assessments and evaluating the dangers of water in unfamiliar environments. That’s why we are encouraging you to head over to the RLSS website so you’re up to date with all the latest safety information, after all a 10-minute read could make all the difference…

https://www.rlss.org.uk/Pages/Category/water-safety-information. 

Our staff are a talented bunch, with skills that go beyond the day job! Why not learn more about Rebecca and the rest of the Envireau Water team over on our about page!