ISO/FDIS 20288

• Abstract:

  This document specifies minimum requirements and test methods for systems recognizing involuntarily submersion of humans in managed public aquatic facilities. It specifies the function, operation and performance of systems recognizing involuntarily submersion of humans in managed public aquatic facilities. It is applicable to managed aquatic facilities as indoor pool, outdoor pools and free water pools.

• Status: Not Published
• ICS: 97.220.10 - Sports facilities
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 83 - Sports and other recreational facilities and equipment
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 83 - Sports and other recreational facilities and equipment
• Current Stage: 5020 - FDIS ballot initiated: 2 months. Proof sent to secretariat
• Start Date: 15-Sep-2026
• Completion Date: 15-Sep-2026

ISO/FDIS 20288 is an ISO Final Draft International Standard for systems that recognize involuntary submersion of humans in managed public aquatic facilities. It specifies minimum requirements, performance targets and test methods for systems used in indoor pools, outdoor pools and natural pools, so that suppliers, operators and test bodies can judge whether a system is fit for the intended pool environment.

What does ISO/FDIS 20288 specify?

ISO/FDIS 20288 specifies how systems for recognizing involuntary submersion are to function, operate and perform in managed public aquatic facilities. The document also sets out how those systems are to be tested, reported, trained and maintained in practice.

The document is organized into:

• Clause 1 - Scope
• Clause 2 - Normative references
• Clause 3 - Terms and definitions
• Clause 4 - General
• Clause 5 - Pre-drowning behaviours
• Clause 6 - System requirements
• Clause 7 - Testing
• Clause 8 - Test report
• Clause 9 - Training
• Clause 10 - Maintenance
• Annexes A to C - informative material

Annex	What it covers
Annex A	Example test report structure
Annex B	Additional variations of pre-drowning behaviour
Annex C	Manikin test procedures

The scope is limited to systems that recognize involuntary submersion before the victim is stationary on the bottom. In the introduction, ISO/FDIS 20288 is positioned as a support tool for competent persons, not a replacement for human supervision.

What are the key requirements of ISO/FDIS 20288?

ISO/FDIS 20288 focuses on the steps needed to define, install, test and support a recognition system so that its limits are known and its alerts are meaningful in a real pool. The most important requirements are in Clauses 4 to 10.

General approach and limits

Clause 4 says the manufacturer shall identify and describe the system’s limits. In practice, this means the buyer or operator should receive a clear statement of where the system works well and where its performance is constrained, rather than assuming full-area coverage.

Clause 4 also states that the system cannot be used as a reason to reduce human monitoring unless a robust risk assessment, aligned with applicable national regulations, supports that decision. That matters because the standard treats technology as an aid to supervision, not a substitute for it.

Pre-drowning behaviours to be recognized

Clause 5 defines the pre-drowning behaviours used for testing:

• submersion with struggle
• submersion without struggle
• inactive person at the water surface

These behaviours are the practical target of the system. The standard uses them so that a supplier can show that the system detects realistic incident patterns, not only one idealized case.

Annex B adds other visible behaviour variants such as instinctive drowning response, backward water milling, climbing the ladder movement and moving while jumping up and down. These are informative examples that help users understand how broad real-world drowning-related behaviour can be.

Technical study before installation

Clause 6.1 requires a technical study before installation, carried out by the supplier with the facility owner or operator. The study is used to position and define the system components, including sensors, computing hardware, software, notification tools and related equipment.

The owner or operator must provide design information, operational information and technical information. Clause 6.1 asks for details such as pool type, water movement features, lighting, glare, reflections, occupancy, lifeguard placement and special user groups. In practice, this means the system must be matched to the specific pool layout and operating conditions, not just installed as a generic package.

The manufacturer must also provide performance information, including recognition capacity, notification reception coverage, the areas of the basin where the system is functional, and the minimum lighting levels needed for recognition. That helps the operator understand what the system can and cannot cover before it goes live.

Performance targets

Clause 6.2 requires the system, under the conditions defined in the technical study, to recognize all three pre-drowning behaviours, notify staff in time to act, notify users when the system is non-functional, and cover the areas claimed in the study.

After commissioning, the average number of false notifications per day over a 30-day period shall not exceed 10 per day per pool basin. This is important operationally because too many false alarms reduce trust in the system and make staff less likely to act quickly when a real event occurs.

Testing and acceptance

Clause 7 requires repeatable and reproducible tests, carried out by competent persons. The test subject may be a human or a manikin. Full testing is carried out either in a representative pool or in the built-in situation, and the system must be tested across multiple areas of the pool basin.

Clause 7.3 divides the basin into 4 m by 4 m test areas as an example grid, adapted to the shape of the actual basin. The manufacturer must define the covered area clearly, and the test should be distributed across the grid where water depth allows it.

Clause 7.4 gives the test procedures and success criteria for each behaviour. The overall test result shall be at least 80% true notifications, and each single behaviour shall achieve at least 60%. For a buyer or operator, these figures provide a concrete acceptance threshold rather than a vague claim of detection.

Training and maintenance

Clause 9 requires initial training from the supplier before first use, and staff must be competent for their role. The training covers the system’s functions, capabilities and limitations. Clause 10 requires regular servicing and maintenance of both hardware and software, plus continuous monitoring of system performance by the manufacturer.

What terms does ISO/FDIS 20288 define?

ISO/FDIS 20288 defines the terms that frame the whole document and the test results.

• Aquatic facilities - indoor pool, outdoor pool or natural pool.
• Pool - a facility with one or more water areas intended for swimming, leisure or other water-based physical activities.
• Pre-drowning behaviour - human behaviour before final submersion that could lead to a drowning accident.
• Involuntary submersion - unintentional submersion that could lead to drowning.
• Notification - the method used to inform a system user of a recognition.
• True notification - a notification that matches the defined pre-drowning behaviour conditions in the document.
• False notification - a notification that is not a true notification.
• Commissioning phase - the period from the start of installation until the supplier confirms the system meets the document’s requirements.

Who uses ISO/FDIS 20288?

ISO/FDIS 20288 is used by suppliers and manufacturers of detection systems, because it tells them what information to gather before installation and how to demonstrate performance. It is also used by pool owners and operators, because they must provide design, operational and technical information and manage training and maintenance.

Competent persons use ISO/FDIS 20288 when carrying out tests, interpreting results and preparing reports. Pool staff and lifeguard teams use it to understand what notifications mean, how coverage is defined and how the system fits into day-to-day supervision. Buyers can use it to compare proposals from different suppliers against the same technical basis.

Which standards are used with ISO/FDIS 20288?

The document cites these related standards and sources:

• EN 15288-1:2019+A1:2025 - provides the pool definition used for “pool”.
• ISO 20380 - supplies the definition of “competent person” and is the companion standard for computer vision systems that detect drowning accidents in swimming pools.
• ISO 20712-3 - is cited for guidance on water safety signs and beach safety flags.

The introduction also places ISO/FDIS 20288 alongside ISO 20380: the two documents can be used separately or in parallel, depending on which stage of incident detection a facility wants to address.

What does the ISO/FDIS 20288 document contain?

ISO/FDIS 20288 contains the requirements and test setup needed to evaluate a recognition system in a pool setting. Clause 7 includes the test areas, test subject options, success criteria and the conditions for representative-pool or built-in testing.

Annex A gives a practical test report template, including fields for the facility, method, area layout, results and comments. Annex C gives manikin-based procedures for each of the three tested behaviours, including rope handling, buoyancy setup and the way the manikin should be moved in the water.

The figures in Clause 7 illustrate how to divide a basin into coverage areas and how depth affects which behaviours can be tested. In practice, those layouts help the operator and tester document where the system was checked and where its limits lie.

FINAL DRAFT
International
Standard
ISO/TC 83
Public swimming pools — Systems
Secretariat: DIN
recognizing involuntary submersion
Voting begins on:
of humans in managed aquatic
2026-09-15
facilities
Voting terminates on:
2026-11-10
Piscines publiques — Systèmes reconnaissant l'immersion
involontaire d'êtres humains dans des installations aquatiques
gérées
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED TO SUBMIT,
WITH THEIR COMMENTS, NOTIFICATION OF ANY
RELEVANT PATENT RIGHTS OF WHICH THEY ARE AWARE
AND TO PROVIDE SUPPOR TING DOCUMENTATION.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL, TECHNO­
LOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND USER PURPOSES, DRAFT
INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS MAY ON OCCASION HAVE
TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR POTENTIAL
TO BECOME STAN DARDS TO WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE
MADE IN NATIONAL REGULATIONS.
Reference number
FINAL DRAFT
International
Standard
ISO/TC 83
Public swimming pools — Systems
Secretariat: DIN
recognizing involuntary submersion
Voting begins on:
of humans in managed aquatic
facilities
Voting terminates on:
Piscines publiques — Systèmes reconnaissant l'immersion
involontaire d'êtres humains dans des installations aquatiques
gérées
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED TO SUBMIT,
WITH THEIR COMMENTS, NOTIFICATION OF ANY
RELEVANT PATENT RIGHTS OF WHICH THEY ARE AWARE
AND TO PROVIDE SUPPOR TING DOCUMENTATION.
© ISO 2026
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL, TECHNO­
LOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND USER PURPOSES, DRAFT
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS MAY ON OCCASION HAVE
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR POTENTIAL
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
TO BECOME STAN DARDS TO WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE
MADE IN NATIONAL REGULATIONS.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland Reference number
ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 General . 2
5 Pre-drowning behaviours . . 3
5.1 General .3
5.2 Submersion with struggle .3
5.3 Submersion without struggle .3
5.4 Inactive person at the water surface .3
6 System requirements . 3
6.1 Technical study .3
6.1.1 General .3
6.1.2 Design information .3
6.1.3 Operational information .4
6.1.4 Technical information . .4
6.1.5 Performance information .4
6.2 System performance .5
7 Testing. 5
7.1 General .5
7.2 Test subject .5
7.2.1 General .5
7.2.2 Test with a human .6
7.2.3 Test with a manikin .6
7.3 Coverage areas . .6
7.4 Test procedures .8
7.4.1 Submersion with struggle .8
7.4.2 Submersion without struggle .8
7.4.3 Inactive person at the water surface .8
7.4.4 Test result .9
8 Test report . 9
9 Training . 9
10 Maintenance . 9
Annex A (informative) Test report .11
Annex B (informative) Additional variations of pre-drowning behaviour .13
Annex C (informative) Manikin test procedures . 14
Bibliography .16

iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee
has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations,
governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely
with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent
rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a)
patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that
this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at
www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 83, Sports and other recreational facilities and
equipment.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.

iv
Introduction
Lifeguards can supervise swimming pools, identify hazards and educate swimmers to help ensure their
safety, and in the event of an emergency intervene early to prevent an accident from occurring or perform a
rescue.
The use of technology to help lifeguards detect incidents in swimming pools has grown in recent years.
For several reasons (physiological, cognitive, architectural, organisational, etc.), lifeguards can sometimes
find it difficult to identify hazards and foresee incidents. Technology can assist lifeguards in identifying
hazards.
This document defines the requirements and test methods for systems designed for recognising involuntary
submersion at the beginning and throughout the incident trajectory, before the victim is stationary on the
bottom.
The goal of ISO 20380 is to trigger an alarm at the end of the incident trajectory after detection of a stationary
solid mass at the bottom of the pool basin.
This document and ISO 20380 can be used separately or in parallel. Neither human observation or
technology can guarantee 100 % effectiveness and reliability. Systems recognizing involuntary submersion
of humans are foreseen to support the competent person. These systems do not save people, as saving a
victim of involuntary submersion necessarily requires human intervention.
Within this document, certain techniques are mentioned such as video and artificial intelligence (AI) as they
are currently common solutions. However, any other techniques that can fulfil the requirements are valid.

v
FINAL DRAFT International Standard ISO/FDIS 20288:2026(en)
Public swimming pools — Systems recognizing involuntary
submersion of humans in managed aquatic facilities
1 Scope
This document specifies minimum requirements and test methods for systems recognising involuntary
submersion of humans in managed public aquatic facilities.
It specifies the function, operation and performance of systems recognising involuntary submersion of
humans in managed public aquatic facilities.
It is applicable to managed aquatic facilities such as indoor pool, outdoor pools and natural pools.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
aquatic facility
indoor pool (3.3), outdoor pool (3.4) or natural pool (3.5)
3.2
pool
swimming pool
facility, with one or more water areas, intended for swimming, leisure or other water-based physical
activities
[SOURCE: EN 15288-1:2019+A1: 2025, 3.1]
3.3
indoor swimming pool
indoor pool
constructed water area for bathing enclosed in a building, covered by a roof (fixed or moveable)
3.4
outdoor swimming pool
outdoor pool
constructed open-air water area for bathing
3.5
natural pool
natural water body (e.g. lakes, rivers, splash pool) having a defined area for swimming as distinct from other
recreational water activities (e.g. boating, canoeing, fishing)

3.6
drowning
process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion or immersion in liquid the consequence of
which is classified as death, morbidity and no morbidity
3.7
competent person
designated individual who has acquired through training, qualifications or experience, or a combination of
these, the knowledge and skills enabling them to perform a specified task
[SOURCE: ISO 20380:2017, 3.6]
3.8
pre-drowning behaviour
human behaviours occurring before final submersion which could lead to a drowning (3.6) accident
3.9
involuntary submersion
unintentional submersion which could lead to drowning (3.6)
3.10
notification
method to inform a system user of a recognition
3.11
true notification
notification (3.10) corresponding to the recognition of an instance of pre-drowning behaviour (3.8) according
to the conditions and definitions described in this document
3.12
false notification
notification (3.10) that is not a true notification (3.11)
3.13
representative pool
pool (3.2) for a laboratory test that is a minimum of 25 m long and 10 m wide, and a minimum water depth of
1,8 m for at least one third of the pool basin (3.15)
3.14
commissioning phase
time from when the system installation started, to when the supplier confirms the system meets all the
requirements of this document
3.15
pool basin
water tank where water-related activities can take place
[SOURCE: ISO 20712-3:2022, 3.5]
4 General
This document defines minimal performance requirements. Knowing that all systems have limits, these
limits shall be identified and described by the manufacturer.
Installation and use of systems recognizing involuntary submersion of humans cannot serve as a reason to
reduce human monitoring of swimming pools, unless a robust risk assessment does indicate this is possible
without compromising safety, with reference to applicable national regulations, if any.

5 Pre-drowning behaviours
5.1 General
The recognition of pre-drowning behaviours by a system requires identifying important criteria for
situations that could lead to a drowning. A system shall first recognise and identify behaviours that are
a precursor to a drowning situation. People at risk of a drowning can exhibit distinct behaviours to other
persons in the vicinity. Reasonably foreseeable behaviours that could lead to a potential drowning should be
defined.
A great variety of possible pre-drowning behaviours exist. Not all can be considered when defining the tests
in this document. Examples of behaviours excluded from the testing procedure are described in Annex B.
The different variants of pre-drowning behaviours that are tested according to this document are described
in 5.2, 5.3 and 5.4.
5.2 Submersion with struggle
Submersion with struggle is demonstrated by a person in the pool basin, with a horizontal displacement
smaller than 2 m, moving up and down, having head submerged at least 3 times with at least 30 s of
cumulated time underwater over the course of 45 s.
5.3 Submersion without struggle
Submersion without struggle is demonstrated by a person submerging in the pool basin and remaining
submerged below the water surface and above the bottom of the pool for 30 s, with a horizontal displacement
smaller than 3 m.
5.4 Inactive person at the wa
...

ISO/TC 83
Secretariat: DIN
Date: 2026-06-2108-31
Public swimming pools — Systems recognizing involuntary
submersion of humans in managed aquatic facilities
Piscines publiques — Systèmes reconnaissant l'immersion involontaire d'êtres humains dans des installations
aquatiques gérées
FDIS stage
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication
may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO
at the address below or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: + 41 22 749 01 11
EmailE-mail: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii
Contents
Foreword . iv
Introduction . v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 General . 3
5 Pre-drowning behaviours . 3
5.1 General . 3
5.2 Submersion with struggle . 3
5.3 Submersion without struggle . 3
5.4 Inactive person at the water surface . 3
6 System requirements . 3
6.1 Technical study . 3
6.2 System performance . 5
7 Testing . 5
7.1 General . 5
7.2 Test subject . 6
7.3 Coverage areas . 7
7.4 Test procedures . 10
8 Test report . 10
9 Training . 11
10 Maintenance . 11
Annex A (informative) Test report . 12
Annex B (informative) Additional variations of pre-drowning behaviour . 15
Annex C (informative) Manikin test procedures . 16
Bibliography . 18

iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been
established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and
non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types of
ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent rights
in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a) patent(s)
which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that this may not
represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at
www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 83, Sports and other recreational facilities and
equipment.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
iv
Introduction
Lifeguards can supervise swimming pools, identify hazards and educate swimmers to help ensure their safety,
and in the event of an emergency intervene early to prevent an accident from occurring or perform a rescue.
The use of technology to help lifeguards detect incidents in swimming pools has grown in recent years.
For several reasons (physiological, cognitive, architectural, organisational, etc.), lifeguards can sometimes find
it difficult to identify hazards and foresee incidents. Technology can assist lifeguards in identifying hazards.
This document defines the requirements and test methods for systems designed for recognising involuntary
submersion at the beginning and throughout the incident trajectory, before the victim is stationary on the
bottom.
The goal of ISO 20380is 20380 is to trigger an alarm at the end of the incident trajectory after detection of a
stationary solid mass at the bottom of the pool basin.
This document and ISO 20380 can be used separately or in parallel. Neither human observation or technology
can guarantee 100 % effectiveness and reliability. Systems recognizing involuntary submersion of humans are
foreseen to support the competent person. These systems do not save people, as saving a victim of involuntary
submersion necessarily requires human intervention.
Within this document, certain techniques are mentioned such as video and artificial intelligence (AI) as they
are currently common solutions. However, any other techniques that can fulfil the requirements are valid.
v
FINAL DRAFT International Standard ISO/FDIS 20288:2026(en)

Public swimming pools — Systems recognizing involuntary
submersion of humans in managed aquatic facilities
1 Scope
This document specifies minimum requirements and test methods for systems recognising involuntary
submersion of humans in managed public aquatic facilities.
It specifies the function, operation and performance of systems recognising involuntary submersion of
humans in managed public aquatic facilities.
It is applicable to managed aquatic facilities such as indoor pool, outdoor pools and natural pools.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— — ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
— — IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
3.1 3.1
aquatic facilitiesfacility
indoor pool (3.3,), outdoor pool (3.4) or natural pool (3.5)
3.2 3.2
pool
swimming pool
facility, with one or more water areas, intended for swimming, leisure or other water-based physical activities
[SOURCE: EN 15288-1:20182019+A1:20242025, 3.1]
3.3 3.3
indoor swimming pool
indoor pool
constructed water area for bathing enclosed in a building, covered by a roof (fixed or moveable)
3.4 3.4
outdoor swimming pool
outdoor pool
constructed open-air water area for bathing
3.5 3.5
natural pool
natural water body (e.g. lakes, rivers, splash pool) having a defined area for swimming as distinct from other
recreational water activities (e.g. boating, canoeing, fishing)
3.6 3.6
drowning
process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion or immersion in liquid the consequence of
which is classified as death, morbidity and no morbidity
3.7 3.7
competent person
designated individual who has acquired through training, qualifications or experience, or a combination of
these, the knowledge and skills enabling that personthem to perform a specified task
[SOURCE: ISO 20380:2017, 3.6]
3.8 3.8
pre-drowning behaviour
human behaviours occurring before final submersion which could lead to a drowning (3.6) accident
3.9 3.9
involuntary submersion
unintentional submersion which could lead to drowning (3.6)
3.10 3.10
notification
method to inform a system user of a recognition
3.11 3.11
true notification
notification (3.10) corresponding to the recognition of an instance of pre-drowning behaviour (3.8) according
to the conditions and definitions described in this document
3.12 3.12
false notification
notification (3.10) that is not a true notification (3.11)
3.13 3.13
representative pool
pool (3.2) for a laboratory test that is a minimum of 25 m long and 10 m wide, and a minimum water depth of
1,8 m for at least one third of the pool basin (3.15)
3.14 3.14
commissioning phase
time from when the system installation started, to when the supplier confirms the system meets all the
requirements of this document
3.15 3.14
pool basin
water tank where water-related activities can take place
[SOURCE: ISO 20712-3:2022, 3.5]
4 General
This document defines minimal performance requirements. Knowing that all systems have limits, these limits
shall be identified and described by the manufacturer.
Installation and use of systems recognizing involuntary submersion of humans cannot serve as a reason to
reduce human monitoring of swimming pools, unless a robust risk assessment does indicate this is possible
without compromising safety, with reference to applicable national regulations, if any.
5 Pre-drowning behaviours
5.1 General
The recognition of pre-drowning behaviours by a system requires identifying important criteria for situations
that could lead to a drowning. A system shall first recognise and identify which behaviours that are a precursor
to a drowning situation. People at risk of a drowning can exhibit distinct ways that are not uniquebehaviours
to other persons in the same vicinity. Reasonably foreseeable behaviours that could lead to a potential
drowning should be defined.
A great variety of possible pre-drowning behaviours exist. Not all can be considered when defining the tests
in this document. Examples of behaviours excluded from the testing procedure are described in Annex BAnnex
B.
The different variants of pre-drowning behaviours that are tested according to this document are described
in 5.25.2, 5.3, 5.3 and 5.45.4.
5.2 Submersion with struggle
Submersion with struggle is demonstrated by a person in the pool basin, with a horizontal displacement
smaller than 2 m, moving up and down, having head submerged at least 3 times with at least 30 s of cumulated
time underwater over the course of 45 s.
5.3 Submersion without struggle
Submersion without struggle is demonstrated by a person submerging in the pool basin and remaining
submerged below the water surface and above the bottom of the pool for 30 s, with a horizontal displacement
smaller than 3 m.
5.4 Inactive person at the water surface
An inactive person is demonstrated by their torso mainly at the water surface, face down in the water, without
apparent movement and with a horizontal displacement smaller than 2 m over the course of 45 s.
6 System requirements
6.1 Technical study
6.1.1 General
Prior to any installation of a system recognising involuntary submersion, a technical study shall be carried out
by the supplier in consultation with the facility owner or operator.
Depending on the system proposed, the technical study is used to quantify and to position the equipment
making up the system, such as sensor devices, computing hardware and software, notification tools and
related equipment, in a document. The technical study shall be provided to the responsible parties (e.g. facility
owner or operator) by the manufacturer.
6.1.2 Design information
The design of a swimming pool has a great influence on the operation of the pool.
Supervision of a pool depends on design factors such as the ability to see above and below the water surface,
the layout of the pool or equipment that could restrict the view of the supervision staff.
The following information shall be provided by the owner or operator of the pool:
— — type of pool (e.g. indoor pool, outdoor pool or natural pool);
— — presence of specific equipment: (moveable floor, moveable bulkhead, wave machine and all
equipment able to generate water movement;);
— — texture and colour of the pool basin lining, e.g. tiling, stainless steel, PVC, resin;
— — layout of the swimming pool, especially regarding the positions of pool basins;
— — position, size and layout of windows;
— — position, size and layout of underwater observation features;
— — obstructions in the view of the system;
— — depths of the pool basin;
— — pool attractions, e.g. waterslide;
— — existence of water features such as(e.g. jets, fountains, streams, waterfalls, etc.) that can introduce
turbidity, bubbles or movement of the water.
6.1.3 Operational information
The deployment of a system to recognize involuntary submersion also depends on the operational conditions
in a swimming pool.
The following information shall be provided by the operator prior to the installation of the system:
— — pool basin occupancy;
— — type of use;
— — number and location of lifeguards;
— — special user groups, e.g. underwater sports, aqua fitness.
6.1.4 Technical information
The following technical information shall be provided by the owner or operator:
— — water turbidity;
— — glare on the water surface;
— — reflection on the water surface;
— — turbulences in the water and at the water surface;
— — lighting conditions (daylight, artificial light);
— — type and position of installed lighting components.
6.1.5 Performance information
The following information shall be provided by the manuf
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