Lifeguard shortage leads to closure of one in three Hong Kong aquatic centres

A shortage of lifeguards has forced about a third of Hong Kong’s public aquatic centres to close on one in six days over recent months.

As reported by the South China Morning Post, data collected by the Hong Kong and Kowloon Lifeguards Union and the Hong Kong Government Lifeguards General Union found the manpower issue had worsened in the past three years, with the industry’s shortage rate soaring from 6.9% in 2015 to 21.6% in 2017 during the summer peak season.

Presenting the survey results, Lifeguards General Union Chairman Anson Tang Tsz-on said out of 37 public swimming complexes surveyed, 14 had their pools closed for as long as 10 days since the peak season for swimmers started in April, because there were not enough lifeguards.

Tang advised “manpower shortage also means a heavier workload (for other employees and) will not only affect the quality of services but also the safety of swimmers.

“Hiring part-time lifeguards is not addressing the crux of the problem. It deprives full-time lifeguards of job security and results in young people being unwilling to join the grade.”

The two unions have asked Hong Kong’s Leisure and Cultural Services Department to enhance the professionalism of lifeguards by setting up a lifeguard training school.

Lifeguards Union spokesman Nick Wu Kai-wing added “a formal training school can also upgrade the quality of lifeguards and enable them to acquire new knowledge.”

The survey also found that out of 522 serving lifeguards, 92.9% supported the set-up of a training school, while 86.8% supported the compilation of a standardised first aid guidelines for the profession.

Hong Kong’s Leisure and Cultural Services Department, which manages a total of 44 public swimming pool complexes and 41 public beaches, subsequently released a statement denying it had a problem recruiting lifeguards.

With more than 1,900 lifeguards, of whom 1,276 were full time, the Department conceded there were times when pools had to be closed because there were not enough lifeguards on duty.

It argued there were also occasions in which pools were closed for maintenance or because of bad weather.

The South China Morning Post advised that the Government Lifeguards General Union has some 600 members, while the Lifeguards Union has about 500.

Image: Kowloon Park Swimming Pool.

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