An accident at La Vallette diving board in November 2023 sparked a risk assessment review which identified the issues that led to its closure, the States has been told.
Employment & Social Security President Peter Roffey did not want to go into detail about the incident when an injury was suffered, when he discussed it yesterday, as he suggested that there was still the possibility of legal action against the States.
He was facing questions from Deputy John Dyke in the Assembly about the Health & Safety Executive’s role in the diving board closure, with Deputy Roffey saying he was sure that the issues were going to be overcome and the board reopened.
The HSE initially ordered the removal of the platform at the Ladies’ Pool early in February, saying that the depth of the water under the platform fell below international standards.
It sparked a public protest and the removal was halted, although the board remains closed while Environment & Infrastructure works with other interested parties on a solution.
“The Health and Safety Executive received a report relating to an injury sustained at the diving platform in November 2023,” said Deputy Roffey.
“There was no indication from that accident that there were issues for the height of the platform or the depth of the water, but the report led the Health and Safety Executive to make officer level inquiries of the committee for Environment and Infrastructure in respect of the risk assessment for La Vallette pools, and that risk assessment identified issues with the condition of the diving board, together with other factors including depth of the water and height of the platform.”
He said that HSE’s approach was not to try and close the board, but to address the issues that were highlighted in E&I’s risk assessment.
“My understanding, and I need to check this with E&I, is that a lack of funding available to make the sort of adjustments that were needed was what’s what brought the matter to a head,” said Deputy Roffey.
“I am now personally convinced that where there’s a will, there’s a way, and that these issues are very thankfully for me, as a frequent use of La Vallette, going to be overcome.”
E&I has confirmed in response to Freedom of Information questions that the States has records of four injuries relating to the Bathing Pools in the last five years, but stressed that not all of them were reported so the actual number would be higher.
Deputy Roffey was pressed further and provided details on the details of British safety standards that were being followed and why.
“HSE don’t have an army of people going around looking for work, so it was only when they were called in that this became apparent.”
Some exploratory and preparatory work has already been done as part of E&I and the community’s efforts to reopen the board.
Deputy Roffey said: “The sooner that the bottom of the swimming pool can be cleared out to make it deeper, the diving board itself can be renovated to make it safer, and that work can be done so that this jewel in the crown is not blighted by water going out of it on every low tide, and particularly at neap tides when it’s not filled up again, the sooner I think we all move on from this unfortunate incident and enjoy just jumping and doing a bombshell into the water again.”
