Safety on the Beach | General Travel Safety | HolidayTravelWatch
Remember to always check if there is a lifeguard and a flag warning system in place. If so, make sure that you know what the flags mean, especially those that may tell you when and where it is dangerous to swim. An example of the meaning of beach flags is found on the RNLI website – remember, these flags apply to the coastal waters around Britain and may not be replicated elsewhere – the simple rule is, if in doubt, speak to the the local coast lifeguards!
The RNLI also has an excellent section on beach safety within their website – again, remember those advices relate to UK waters – use the information within that website as the base for your personal and family action plan for safety – the simple rule is, if in doubt, speak to the local coast lifeguards!
Safety could also relate to the quality and conditions of the beach and the waters around it. The Blue Flag Organisation provides a comprehensive list of ‘Blue Flag’ beaches and provides a description of each beach and in some cases its facilities.
We recommend the following:
- Ensure that children are supervised at all times;
- Be aware of local conditions, tides, winds, currents and hazardous marine life. All of these can make the safest beach hazardous;
- If there is a ‘lost children’ centre or meeting point, make sure your children are made aware of its location, and of what they should do if they become lost;
- Make sure that you are aware of any area’s that are marked and used for water sports. Entering these areas, could put you at risk;
- Always use an appropriate level if sun factor cream;
- If you are unsure as to the safety aspects of the beach, report your concerns to the tour operator representative or if its a private beach to the complex management;
- Take photographs or videos of anything that causes concern – take names and addresses of fellow holidaymakers – these can be later used as evidence in any subsequent complaint;
- Within the European Union you may be able to use – 112 – this will connect you directly to the emergency services. Remember, they may not speak English – be calm, let them try to sort out the language difficulty! If you do not get connected through 112 – use the local emergency number. For more information on the European Emergency Number Association visit their website
- For information on problems that arise through man-made or natural disasters – visit the European Civil Protection website.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised here, no matter what your destination, then please contact us at HolidayTravelWatch.
For further details on our services, read our Legal Notice.
Tags: Beach Safety, Blue Flag Beaches, European Emergency Number
HTW has noted that amongst the submissions to the Committee on Toxicity (COT) it has been suggested that the symptoms highlighted by crew and passengers were akin to the condition of hyperventilation.
HTW has for many years received reports from concerned holiday makers or independent travellers as to the safety of their aircraft, ship or boat, train or road transport.
