The Water Safety Code

The Water Safety Code is the fundamental spine of all water safety education.

It is designed to provide simple and easy to remember information that acts both as a proactive measure to help people to educate everyone across the UK and Ireland to make early, critical decisions and also to help people to understand what they should do in emergency action.

Please help us share this crucial code

The Water Safety Code

Watch and Share Our Water Safety Code Cartoon

Download our Water Safety Code Cartoon

Download Free Resources to Promote the Water Safety Code

At RLSS UK, we offer a variety of downloadable posters to help you share the vital Water Safety Code. These materials are designed to educate and raise awareness about staying safe around water.

Whether you're a parent, educator, or community group, you can easily access and use these resources to spread important water safety messages.

Take time to assess your surroundings. Look for dangers and always research local signs and advice. 

Be Prepared

Learn How To Float 

• Before you go near water, know how to float on your back and stay calm.

Understand the Risks

• Warm weather does not mean warm water.
• Open water stays dangerously cold.
• Cold water shock happens in seconds. Take it seriously.
• Cold water makes you gasp and lose control of your breathing.

Know Your Limits

• Even confident swimmers can quickly lose strength and control.
• It can become hard to move or stay afloat.
• Panic makes it worse.
• Things can go wrong very quickly in open water.

Choose a Lifeguarded Location

• Swim only where help is available and follow all safety signs and advice. 
• Wear a well‑fitted wetsuit to help keep you warm.
• Make yourself easy to see:
  • Wear a bright swimming costume and swimming hat.
  • Use a brightly coloured tow float.

When around water always go with friends and family. 
Swim at a lifeguarded venue

Never Swim Alone 

• Swim with friends and family and always keep young children within arm’s reach.
• Tell some one where you are going and when you will be back
• Take a means of calling for help, fully charged mobile phone in a water proof pouch, VHF radio, pealess whistle

In an Emergency

If you are at the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
Don't enter the water to rescue. 

If someone is in trouble
Do not enter the water yourself 
You could quickly get into difficulty too.

Instead: Phone. Float. Throw.
Phone 999
Throw something to them that floats
Encourage them to Float to Live

Fall in or become tired - stay calm, float on your back and call for help. Throw something that floats to somebody that has fallen in. 

If you find yourself suffering the effects of cold water shock – Float to Live

• Tilt your head back: Keep your airway clear and your ears submerged in the water.
• Relax and breathe: Fight the urge to panic and try to get your breathing under control.
• Spread your limbs: Extend your arms and legs to stabilize yourself in the water.
• Scull if needed: Gently move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat.
• Wait for help: It is completely normal if your legs sink (everyone floats differently). Once your breathing is steady, signal for help or swim to safety
• If you get tired, cold or stuck in a rip current floating also works here too.