What Is the Water Safety Code and How Do You Use It?

Updated

The Water Safety Code is a set of four simple rules, promoted by the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), that help you stay safe in, on and around water. Use it as a mental checklist whenever you are near water — a bath, a swimming pool, a river, a canal or the coast — and teach it to children so they can recognise danger and know what to do in an emergency.

The four messages of the Water Safety Code

RLSS UK presents the code as four short, memorable points. In plain language, they cover:

  1. Spot the dangers. Before you get in or near water, look for hazards: cold water, hidden depths, currents, weeds, rocks, debris, and slippery or unstable banks.
  2. Take safety advice. Read and follow signs, flags and local guidance. If a place is marked as unsafe or closed, stay out.
  3. Go with others. Never swim or play in water alone — always have someone with you who can raise the alarm.
  4. Learn how to help. Know what to do if someone gets into trouble, and know how to get help without putting yourself at risk.

The exact wording RLSS UK uses may vary slightly across its materials, but these four ideas are the core of the code. The official version is on the RLSS UK website under "The Water Safety Code."

Applying the code in everyday situations

The code is designed to work anywhere there is water, not just at the beach. Here is how it translates into practice.

At home

Bath time is a drowning risk for young children. RLSS UK's Splash Safely at Home guidance shares simple steps to make bath time safer — for example, staying within arm's reach of a child in the bath and never leaving them unsupervised, even briefly. The same principle applies to paddling pools, water butts and garden ponds: spot the danger, remove or cover it where possible, and supervise.

At pools and leisure centres

  • Follow pool rules and lifeguard instructions.
  • Know where the lifeguards are and what the depth markings mean.
  • Keep young children within arm's reach.
  • If you are unsure of your ability, stay in the shallow end or use buoyancy aids as directed.

At rivers, canals and lakes

Open water is colder, less predictable and harder to escape than a pool. Look for currents, steep or slippery banks, and hidden obstacles under the surface. Go with others, tell someone where you are going, and avoid entering water you cannot see the bottom of or safely get out of.

At the coast

Check tide times, read local signs and follow any flag system in place. Watch for rip currents and waves, and keep children close. If you are unsure about conditions, ask a lifeguard or local contact before entering the water.

The main drowning risks and how to spot them

Drowning is often quiet and fast — it does not always look like the splashing shown on television. Key risks to watch for include:

  • Cold water shock, which can affect even strong swimmers in open water.
  • Hidden depths and sudden drops in rivers, lakes and quarries.
  • Currents and tides that can carry you away from where you entered.
  • Alcohol, which impairs judgement and coordination around water — RLSS UK runs a Don't Drink and Drown campaign on this theme.
  • Unsupervised children, especially around baths, paddling pools and garden water.

Spotting these risks in advance is the first step of the code, and it is the step most people skip.

What to do in an emergency

If someone is in trouble in the water, the priority is to get help without becoming a casualty yourself:

  1. Shout for help and alert others nearby.
  2. Call the emergency services — 999 in the UK — and give a clear location.
  3. Reach or throw, don't go. Use a rope, pole, buoyancy aid or anything that floats to reach the person from a safe position on land. Only trained rescuers should enter the water.
  4. Keep the person in sight and follow instructions from emergency services.

The "learn how to help" message of the code is about exactly this: knowing the safe rescue sequence before you need it.

Where to learn more

RLSS UK offers resources for different audiences:

  • The Water Safety Code — the core rules, explained on the RLSS UK website.
  • Splash Safely at Home — practical bath-time and home water safety steps.
  • Water Smart Schools — a free accreditation programme for primary, secondary and specialist schools, helping students gain essential water safety skills for life.
  • Rookie Lifeguard — a programme that lets children expand their water activities while learning lifesaving skills.

RLSS UK describes its vision as "nations without drowning where everyone can safely enjoy being in, on or near water," and has been sharing water safety and lifesaving expertise since 1891. The code is the quickest way to carry that knowledge with you — learn the four messages, apply them wherever there is water, and teach them to the people you supervise.