HSE | A company that runs holiday camps for children across the country has been fined £6,000 after a three-year-old girl nearly drowned during a swimming pool free-play session.
The incident occurred on 26 July 2023 at Bishopsgate School in Egham, Surrey, where Oxford Active Ltd was running a holiday camp. The three-year-old girl was found face down in the swimming pool underneath a large float and was not breathing. Staff intervened and were able to resuscitate her.
The girl was part of a group of 19 children aged between three and five who were taking part in a free-play swimming session. Most of the children were non-swimmers, including the three-year-old. Staff had fitted her with two sets of armbands and provided her with a foam noodle before she entered the pool. A number of floats were present in the pool, including a large rocket-shaped float, beneath which the child became trapped. When she was found unconscious, she was no longer wearing the armbands or using the noodle.
The HSE’s investigation found that Oxford Active Ltd’s documentation relating to pool safety and supervision was insufficiently detailed and lacked clarity. The investigation also found that the content of this documentation was not communicated effectively to staff, meaning appropriate control measures were not properly understood or implemented.
Oxford Active Ltd, of Oxford, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £6,000 and ordered to pay £12,000 in costs. A victim surcharge was also applied, amounting to 40% of the fine, capped at £2,000. In addition, £2,000 compensation was awarded to the child’s family.
After the hearing, HSE Inspector Russell Beckett said: “It is vital that children are able to learn to swim in a safe environment and that parents can trust their children will be properly looked after while doing so.”
“Fortunately, the three-year-old child recovered well, but this incident could very easily have had a tragic outcome.”
This HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer, Neenu Bains and paralegal officer, Farhat Basir.
