Beach safety guidelines to be aware of this summer
“It’s important to remember that while it’s a fun place to be, the beach is a dynamic, ever-changing environment.”
As a pretty safety-conscious person who spends quite a bit of time at the beach with my family come summertime, I thought I was pretty aware of the general beach and swimming safety guidelines.
But recently as I chatted with a friend about holiday plans and the topic of beach flags came up, specifically the different varieties of them, I realised that maybe I wasn’t as knowledgeable as I had thought.
While yes, I understood that the red and yellow flags are a patrolled and safe swimming area and that there are often signs accompanying them with beach safety updates like rips, currents and stingers, what I didn’t know was what the other beach flag colour combinations meant and neither did my friend.
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"While it's a fun place to be, the beach is dynamic"
A Victorian lifesaver, Andrew who works at a busy beach says he often observes beachgoers either unaware of what the flags mean or simply ignoring them.
“The issue with this is even the strongest swimmers can get in trouble if they don’t follow the advice provided and they can also put the safety of other water users at risk too,” he says.
“It’s important to remember that while it’s a fun place to be, the beach is a dynamic, ever-changing environment,” Life Saving Victoria General Manager lifesaving services Liam Krige adds.
So, following the national beach safety guidelines, which include beach flags, warning signs, regulatory signs, information and safety signs, is the best way to ensure you keep safe at the beach.
Visiting the Beachsafe website or even better, downloading the Beachsafe app, which includes all of this information, plus updates about Australia’s coastline conditions are also helpful resources that you can utilise conveniently he says.
But understanding the different flags and signage is key too.
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The red and yellow flags
So, the red and yellow flags (which for the record, were the ones I did know) show the supervised area of the beach and that a lifesaving service is operating.
“Swimming between the red and yellow flags at a patrolled beach means there will always be someone looking out for you. If there are no red and yellow flags, check with the lifesavers and if unsure don’t go in the water,” Krige says.
But importantly, he also added that “while we’re here to help, it’s important to remember your safety is your responsibility. Parents and guardians must actively supervise children, even if lifesavers are present”.
The other flags
In addition to the red and yellow flags, there are four other flags that can be used at the beach to represent the conditions at the time (and while I recall seeing them previously, I had no idea what they meant.)
- The red flag means no swimming
- The yellow flag means caution is required as there are potential hazards
- The red and white flag means to evacuate the water
- The black and white flag signals a surfcraft riding area boundary
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Safety signs, warning signs and regulatory signs
“In addition to seeking out patrolled locations, you should also read safety signs to understand dangers,” says Krige.
The warning signs, which are diamond in shape and have a yellow background include simple black images to communicate hazards to be aware of. Some of these include swimming not advised, large waves and marine stingers.
The regulatory signs are advice on what is allowed or not allowed to do.
The red circles with diagonal lines across a back symbol indicate what is prohibited at a particular beach such as not drinking alcohol, no dogs or no swimming. The green circles without a line, advise what is permissible such as dogs.
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What else to remember
“Many people may be surprised to know that rip currents are the number one hazard on the Australian coast, and three out of four people can’t identify them,” says Krige.
While most patrolled beaches would have information about rips on their safety signage near the flags, it is a good idea to learn how to recognise a rip yourself and know what to do if you get caught in one.
Krige advises the following:
- When assessing beach conditions from the shore, look for water with fewer breaking waves and a rippled surface surrounded by calm water – that’s a rip.
- A rip is unlikely to pull you under the water, but it will pull you out – and it can do so with surprising force.
- If you do find yourself caught in a rip, try to remain calm. Raise your arm to alert lifesavers or beachgoers that you’re in trouble. When the rip releases you, use the breaking waves to come back to shore.
- Alternatively, you can escape a rip by swimming parallel to the shore until you’re in the break zone, then using those waves to take you back in.
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Originally published as Beach safety guidelines to be aware of this summer
