How do I Apply for PoolMark Accreditation?
1. Please download and read the "Pre Assessment Checklist" to see the criteria for PoolMark.
Download Here: PoolMark Pre-Assessment Checklist
2. Please complete the ASSESSMENT APPLICANT FORM, and you will be contacted by the P.A.L.M. Academy Ltd.
• A PoolMark Assessor will be appointed, and you will be provided with a ‘checklist’ of items and quality standards that will need to be available throughout your inspection.
• Your Assessor will be able to discuss the details of the assessment visit with you, prior to the assessment visit.
• The assessment visit will be rigorous, as it is to determine the quality of healthy provision offered to users; however, we will be making the preparations as straightforward as possible.
• When you are ready to be assessed, your Assessor will agree a date for the visit to take place.
Accreditation is available for individual pools, and the operators of several pools, to the same standards of operation, but not every pool necessarily need to be visited. The standard is administered by the P.A.L.M. Academy Ltd, on behalf of PWTAG.
Your facility will be visited by one of the appointed PoolMark Assessors.
The fees are £550:00 per visit, plus £100:00 per pool for certification and the plaque, per facility.
• If there are 1 – 5 pools being offered for assessment; 1 facility will be visited
• For 6 – 10 pools being offered for assessment: 2 facilities will be visited
• For 11 – 15 pools being offered for assessment: 3 facilities will be visited
• For 16 – 20 pools being offered for assessment: 4 facilities will be visited
For 21 pools or more being offered for assessment: the number of facilities to be visited will be negotiated.
If a facility does not meet the required standard, initially, and requires a second visit, an additional re-assessment charge of £350:00 is payable.
What are the Benefits of PoolMark Accreditation?
• The knowledge that you can demonstrate to your members and the general public that the pool water is safe, and comfortable for bathers.
• This assurance is given by the PoolMark plaque that will be displayed at your pool.
• To be able to demonstrate that you follow the best available guidance and practices.
• To have the reputation and authority of the Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group behind you, including that of the organisations that endorse PWTAG, including Pubic Health England; Health & Safety Executive; etc
What do you get for being a PoolMark Pool?
Recognition and Assessment
Pools that follow and achieve the Code’s standards through assessment are awarded a plaque and certificate to show their achievement.
They also become associate members of PWTAG and receive technical updates and emergency notices.
Trained Staff
To meet the Code, pools must have appropriately trained and qualified staff called swimming pool technical operators (SPTOs).
To show the training required PWTAG has produced a training document – which is free to view on this website.
Its syllabus defines the knowledge and onsite skills that lead to competence. Pools themselves can assess staff knowledge against the syllabus, or it can be used as the basis of a training programme.
PWTAG itself does not do the training; that is provided by training organisations accredited by PWTAG. Their staff are qualified to PWTAG standards.
Staff Registration
Candidates who become SPTO qualified are entitled to become listed on a SPTO register held by PWTAG.
The fee for this is £10 for 3 years and can be paid by the training organisation or the successful candidate.
Registration brings benefits to the SPTO of updates from PWTAG, emergency notifications. Registered SPTOs will be reminded prior to the end of their three-year term that they must update the currency of their qualification.
The accredited training organisation, and not PWTAG, will provide updates.
