Loui Aspinall

In the circumstances it is my statutory to report to you; 1_ During the inquest evidence was heard that: The tour operator arranging the holiday for the Aspinall family was TUI UK Limited and in order to achieve a consistent health and safety level across hotels, tour operators in the United Kingdom, including TUI UK Limited, have adopted a risk management approach which involves undertaking a programme of audits of their suppliers. The audit questions reflect industry standards, which are suggested within the Federation of British Operators Guidelines: The guidelines are drawn up in collaboration with UK Industry Health and Safety specialists and in consultation with ABTAFederation Tour Operator members: The Federation of British Tour Operators also issue suggested Tour Operator audit checklist which covers all general safety issues and upon which the content of audits undertaken by TUI UK Limited are based, On the 1st May 2006 TUI UK Limited entered into an agreement with Argent Health and Safety whereby the auditing process was contracted out to that company. Argent Health and Safety is an independent specialist Health and Safety consultancy who provide specialist advice and auditing services to TUI UK Limited and other UK Tour Operators: iii_ Argent Health and Safety carried out Health and Safety audits at the Houda Golf and Beach Resort; Skanes on 20th July 2011 and the 22nd March 2013 using an Audit Checklist based upon the Federation of British Tour Operator Guidelines_ The audit indicated that there was a trained dedicated lifeguard on duty at all times when the swimming pool was open and that there was adequate and prominently displayed rescue equipment around the pool;
iv. The evidence at the inquest was that there was no obvious duty Tour resuscitation equipment or rescue equipment around swimming pool at the Houda Golf and Beach Resort; Furthermore the sign at the swimming pool indicates that lifeguards were not on at the swimming pool, although lifeguard was seen each However when Loui Aspinall was rescued from the pool lifeguard, who attended did not appear to have First Aid knowledge in relation to the resuscitation of a child, On the Audit Checklist used by Argent Health and Safety in relation to the audit at the Houda Golf and Beach Resort on the 22nd March 2013 referred to three questions under the heading Lifeguard Supervision and Rescue, namely
a. Does the pool have a trained dedicated lifeguard on duty when the pool is open?
b. Is a member of staff trained in first aid on at all times when the pool is open? If resuscitation equipment is available, is there a member of staff trained in its use when the pool is open? On audit the response to each of the above questions was yes: The evidence at the inquest was that; even though the above questions featured on audit list, there was no requirement for them to be present within the best practice guidelines issued by the Federation of British Tour Operators. The evidence was that there was no requirement for lifeguards at a swimming pool unless the swimming pool fell within Regulations relating to Waterparks. Ihave concerns with regards to the following Best practice guidelines issued by the Federation of British Tour Operators do not appear to include a requirement for the presence of a lifeguard at a swimming pool trained in first aid and the provisions of resuscitation equipment and rescue equipment in obvious and designated areas around a swimming pool: British tourists will have an expectation that trained lifeguards, resuscitation equipment and rescue equipment are present at swimming pools, particularly at family hotels, both in the United Kingdom and in foreign countries. iii The best practice guidelines issued by the Federation of British Tour Operators do not refer to emergency procedures at hotels and resorts The availability of emergency procedures and emergency equipment at hotels and resorts are necessary to reduce a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken_ the duty day. duty the

3. I request the Federation of British Tour Operators to consider the above concerns and to review the best practice guidelines issued to Tour Operators, particular with regard to The presence of lifeguards trained in first aid at swimming pools, particularly in family hotels and resorts in the United Kingdom and Foreign Countries
ii. Resuscitation equipment and rescue equipment in obvious and designated areas around swimming pools particularly in family hotels in the resorts in the United Kingdom and Foreign Countries: iii_ The existence of emergency procedures &d emergency systems to deal with incidents in and around swimming pools, particularly in family hotels in the resorts in the United Kingdom and Foreign Countries: