3/06/2011
The Supervision Myth
Dr. Tom Griffiths
President, Aquatic Safety Research Group, LLC
tomgriffiths@aquaticsafetygroup.com
814-321-5242
“Constant, Vigilant Supervision”
 The Cornerstone of most Water
Safety Programs and Agencies.
 The main “Layer of Protection” for
both Parents and Lifeguards.
 “There is absolutely no substitute for
close parental (lifeguard)
supervision”
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3/06/2011
“Constant, Vigilant Supervision” is …
an OXYMORON
Human beings cannot remain vigilant.
As a result, HUMAN ERROR continues to be the
#1 cause of accidents worldwide.
Handheld interactive devices have created a new Science of
Distraction and Visual Awareness.
U.S. National Safe Kids finds that 88% of all
children who drowned, had at least one parent
supervising.
Sleeping Air Traffic Controllers!!!
Changing the Culture to
Supplement Supervision
Drowning Prevention
Technology
Engineering for
Safety
Increasing Effective
Safety Strategies
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3/06/2011
Water Safety Continues to Rely on
Humans to Safeguard Others
While computers/video can do what humans
do, they also assist humans where they are
weak:
Computers are more…
 Vigilant
 Have greater memory
 Can record video with elapsed time
 Permanent record
Being overly dependant on humans for
supervision, we have failed to…
Engineer for Safety
Auto industry engineers for Safety
 Seat Belt, Air Bags, Car Seats
 Crash Detection Alarms for Inattentive drivers
 Alarms reminding distracted
drivers children are in the
back seat
 Alcohol detection devices to
reduce drunk drivers
Source: mbusa.com
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3/06/2011
Body Blindness
“Why supervisors can’t see.”
Physical Body Blindness = surface agitation
Mannequin visible
Going…
reflection & refraction
Going…
GONE!!!
Source: Disappearing Dummies
Perceptual Body Blindness people see only
what they expect to see.
“The Invisible Gorilla” by Chabris and Simons
Source: The Invisible Gorilla
There may not be an
Instinctive Drowning Response
There is no data to analyze the
Instinctive Drowning Response
Adults are “Bottom Heavy” and
float vertically
While drowning victims may not be able to Call or Wave
for help, drowning postures and positions in the water
may vary…
Children are “Top Heavy” and
float face down
Lifeguards and Parents often
think children are breath-holding
or playing, not drowning
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3/06/2011
Root Cause Analysis
RCA transforms an Old Culture that Reacts to Problems into a New
Culture that solves Problems before they occur.
New:
PROACTIVE
Old:
REACTIVE
The Five Questions
An analytical process to explore the cause & effect underlying
problem. The goal of asking the Five Questions is to determine
the Root Cause of the Problem.
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3/06/2011
Auto Industry
PROBLEM: The Car will not start…
The Battery
is Dead
The Alternator
does not work
The Alternator
Belt is broken
The Belt was too old
and never replaced
Preventive
maintenance was
not performed
Traditional Water Safety
(Old Culture)
PROBLEM
Four year old child drowns
WHY??
SOLUTION: Blame the Parent/Lifeguard; preach:
“constant, active, vigilant supervision.”
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3/06/2011
New Water Safety Culture
PROBLEM
Four year old child drowns
WHY??
The water was
too deep
Our Safe, Shallow Water Pools (less than 5FT.)
are Too Deep!
Shallow water: <5 Feet deep
4 yr. old
103cm/
41”
5 yr. old
110cm/
44”
6 yr. old
116cm/
46”
7 yr. old
121cm/
48”
12 yr. old
150cm/
60”
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3/06/2011
Engineering for Safety
Redefine water depths
< 3.5’
SHALLOW
WATER
< 3.5’-5’
INTERMEDIATE
WATER
 Use lifelines,
fencing, color
coding and bottom
markers to identify
> 5’
different depths
DEEP
WATER
 Construct ALL SHALLOW WATER POOLS
(Paris hotel, Las Vegas; Atlantis Resort, Dubai)
Strengthen your Safety Signage
Parents! Please Watch
Your Children
NO BREATH-HOLDING or
long U/W Swimming
NO DIVING:
SHALLOW WATER
Non-swimmers NEED
lifejackets
Separate and de-emphasize all others. Signs courtesy of: Clarion Safety
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3/06/2011
Develop a Safety Signage Strategy
Parents! Please Watch
Your Children
NO BREATH-HOLDING or
long U/W Swimming
NO DIVING:
SHALLOW WATER
Non-swimmers NEED
life-jackets
Separate and deemphasize all others. Signs courtesy of: Clarion Safety
Note and Float ALL NON-SWIMMERS
 Wristbands to identify
non-swimmers
 Lifejackets to keep them safely on the surface
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3/06/2011
Drowning Detection/Prevention Technologies
 Safety Turtle
Source: Poseidon
 19 saves with LGs on duty
 Wahoo Swim Monitor System
 In-pool alarms
Easiest, quickest, cheapest solution
Change the Culture from Lifejackets for
Open water areas to All bodies of Water
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3/06/2011
SUMMARY
While continuing to promote …
Constant, Active, Vigilant Supervision
Engineer safer, shallower swimming pools with better
barriers/safeguards
“Note and Float” ALL non-swimmers.
Strengthen Safety Signage Strategies.
Embrace Drowning Detection/Prevention Technologies.
Encourage “Learn to Swim Programs” for all children at an early age.
Dr. Tom Griffiths
President, Aquatic Safety Research Group
tomgriffiths@aquaticsafetygroup.com
814-321-5242
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