Dh3,000 fine if building swimming pool not supervised by lifeguard

By Sneha May Francis

Published Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Despite a law clearly stating the need for a lifeguard at every building swimming pool, many residential buildings are still unmanned.

This is an area where disaster is waiting to happen. 

On Tuesday, a nine-year-old drowned in Dubai after he slipped into his building pool during a birthday party. 

“There is a law that clearly states that the swimming pool in every residential building must be manned by a lifeguard,” informed Eng. Sultan Essa AlSuwaidi at the Dubai Municipality. 

“Even during the stages of getting a building blueprint approved, a swimming pool drawing will show an allotted marking for a lifeguard. Without this no building will get an approval,” he added.

“Even diving is not permitted in such pools.” 

And, in case there is a violation to this rule, “the building owners will be fined Dh3,000”. 

Despite the law in place, the ground reality is something else. 

Many residential buildings don’t have a lifeguard, and in some areas, the watchmen double as one. 

“In our building, there’s no one manning the pool. There are times when I’m the only one in the pool. In fact, there are no floats or other safety equipments around either,” informed a resident of a Qusais building.

“There is a board that states many rules, but there’s no lifeguard around.” 

Another resident complained about how children are left unsupervised in the pool. “I see them diving into the pool when they are not supposed to. It’s just very scary,” reported Sheetal, whose building in Bur Dubai is not supervised. 

“Our watchman comes once in a while and checks the pool. But he’s not there all the time,” added another Bur Dubai resident. 

The watchmen, who do work as both, are not qualified swimmers, and some don’t even know how to swim. “I’ve been asked to go there and check once in a while, so I do it. But I don’t know how to swim.” 

With summer setting in, and many adults and children frequenting pools, it’s about time building owners did something to ensure the safety of its residents.

Dh3,000 Dubai penalty for pools without lifeguards

Dh3,000 Dubai penalty for pools without lifeguards

DM guideline stresses the importance of a qualified lifeguard at every residential building pool

By Sneha May Francis source:

Published Saturday, November 01, 2014

While some building owners hire lifeguards, others let watchman man the pool (Sneha May Francis)

Most Dubai residential complexes boast a swimming pool but how many are supervised by a qualified lifeguard? Not many.

And this, despite the law clearly stating that a lifeguard must be stationed at the swimming pool in a residential building.

While some building owners hire lifeguards, others ignore these basic safety guidelines and let their building watchman man the pool.

Talking to ‘Emirates24|7’, Sultan Essa Al Suwaidi, head of public safety at the Dubai Municipality, said overlooking this rule could cost the land owner. “If the swimming pool is not guarded by an approved life guard then the building owner can be penalized with a fine of Dh3,000.”

That’s only for first-time offenders. “If they continue to flout the rules then the penalty can be increased, and, if the case demands then we could even order the closure of the pool.”


In fact, Sultan stressed that the need for a lifeguard is outlined when the blueprint of the building goes in for approval.

“Even during the stages of getting a building blueprint approved, a swimming pool drawing will show an allotted marking for a lifeguard. Without this no building will get an approval.”

Sultan explained that a watchman can’t double up as a lifeguard. “The skills for each job is different. One man can’t do both. The lifeguard must be qualified to his duty.”

Many residential buildings in Dubai blatantly ignore this rule.

“There’s no one monitoring our building swimming pool. The watchman used to keep it under lock and key, but now leaves it open. He’s never around, and I often spot young kids playing in the pool without any adult supervision,” stated a resident in Bur Dubai.

“There are no floats or other safety equipment around either,” added another. “There is a board that states many rules, but there’s no lifeguard around.”

Another resident complained about how children are left unsupervised in the pool. “I see them diving into the pool. Some don't even know how to swim but jump in just to have fun. It’s scary,” reported a resident of Al Nahda.

Some watchmen who spoke to this website even confessed not knowing how to swim. “I’ve been asked to go there and check once in a while, so I do it,” said one of them.