Get startedGet started

Vendor guide · Lifeguarding

Lifeguarding: what you need to offer it

A checklist for a company deciding whether to staff community pools with lifeguards: what the job is, the certificates and coverage to line up, and where each fits in your setup.

What the work is

This part is our own guidance, in plain words.

A lifeguard watches the water and goes in to make a rescue. That is what separates the job from a pool monitor’s, which stays out of the water. If you’re weighing both, read the pool monitoring guide.

Communities ask for guards by the staffed hour, pool by pool: two pools are two staffed positions. Say your coverage hours plainly for each one.

A certificate is one thing a community checks. Post orders, an emergency action plan and an in-service training log are what a board asks about next, so keep them ready.

Pool monitoring guide

Your checklist for this work

Tick items off as you collect them. Each one links to the page that explains it.

Lifeguard certification

Which certificate a community accepts varies, so name the agency that issued yours.

  • The American Red Cross offers lifeguarding certification courses. American Red Cross, as of
  • The Red Cross Lifeguarding (including Deep Water) with CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and First Aid certification is valid for 2 years. American Red Cross, as of
  • The Red Cross lifeguarding course ends with a written exam of 50 questions, 80% minimum. American Red Cross, as of
  • All Red Cross lifeguarding participants must complete a swimming-skills prerequisite before the course. American Red Cross, as of
  • StarGuard ELITE is a lifeguard training and certification agency whose StarGuard Lifeguard program was founded in 1999. StarGuard ELITE, as of

Pool rules differ by place

Pool rules depend on the state and often the county. Check yours before you propose.

  • CDC says pool codes can vary greatly across the United States. CDC, as of
  • The CDC Model Aquatic Health Code is guidance, not federal law; it becomes law only where a state, local, territorial or tribal jurisdiction adopts it. CDC, as of
  • Because each jurisdiction decides how much of the MAHC to adopt, pool and spa rules can differ from place to place. Check with your local health department. CDC, as of

What CDC’s model code says about lifeguards

This is a model code. It applies only where your state or county adopts it, and a community may ask for it either way.

  • MAHC model code: a qualified lifeguard has a lifeguard course recognized by the local authority having jurisdiction (the MAHC’s “AHJ”) and a current certificate, has met pre-service requirements, and takes the facility's in-service training. CDC, as of
  • MAHC model code caps lifeguarding and first aid certificate validity at 2 years and CPR/AED at 1 year. CDC, as of
  • MAHC model code lists venue conditions that call for lifeguards at all open times, such as water deeper than 5 feet in new construction, venues allowing unsupervised children under 14, and youth group use. CDC, as of
  • MAHC model code staffing plans give each lifeguard a diagrammed zone the lifeguard can view in full and reach in 20 seconds. CDC, as of

One state example: Texas

Texas is shown only as an example of one state’s rule. If you work elsewhere, your state’s rule applies instead.

  • Texas rule: at least two lifeguards are required in listed situations, including at Class B pools whenever open, at pools with entry from height, at wave pools, and during youth-group use. Texas Department of State Health Services, as of
  • Texas requires a written lifeguard staffing plan prepared by the operator, lifeguard supervisor or owner, kept on site for inspectors. Texas Department of State Health Services, as of

Texas rule text, from its health department

A second state example: Florida

Florida is a second example of one state’s rule. If you work elsewhere, your state’s rule applies instead. Rules like this get revised, so read the current text before you rely on a summary.

Florida rule text

Hiring teen lifeguards: the federal floor

If you hire teens, the federal limits matter. They’re a floor: your state may set its own, so check it as well.

  • Under federal rules, 15-year-olds (not younger) may work as lifeguards at traditional swimming pools and at most water-park facilities, though not at the top of elevated water slides. They must be trained and certified by the American Red Cross or a similar organization and must work within the 14–15 hour limits. U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, as of
  • Youth under 16 may not be employed as lifeguards at natural-environment facilities such as lakes, rivers, ponds, quarries or ocean beaches. U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, as of
  • Sixteen- and 17-year-old lifeguards may do any nonhazardous job for unlimited hours under federal rules. U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, as of
  • Federal rules bar 15-year-old lifeguards from chemical storage areas and from rooms housing filtration and chlorinating systems. They may test and record water temperature and pH. U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, as of
  • A 14- or 15-year-old may not work more than 3 hours on a school day, 18 hours in a school week, 8 hours on a non-school day, or 40 hours in a non-school week. U.S. Department of Labor, as of
  • A 14- or 15-year-old may work only between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., extended to 9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day. U.S. Department of Labor, as of
  • When both federal and state youth-employment laws apply, the stricter standard must be obeyed. U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, as of

Commonly requested by managers and boards

This is guidance for maintenance contractors in general. It names no amount, and each community sets its own requirement in its RFP.

  • CAI guidance for association maintenance and remodeling projects says a contractor's insurance should likely include construction, property and liability, workers' compensation and professional liability coverage. Community Associations Institute (CAI Foundation), as of
  • CAI advises hiring a contractor or inspector who carries general liability without a homeowners association exclusion, plus errors and omissions where they act as a consultant. Community Associations Institute (CAI Foundation), as of
  • CAI tells boards to get certificates of insurance for the contractor and, in some cases, additional insured endorsements naming the association, after consulting counsel. Community Associations Institute (CAI Foundation), as of

Insurance explainedHow a certificate works

Workers’ compensation depends on your state

  • SBA’s guide lists workers’ compensation (through a commercial carrier, self-insurance or a state program) among employee benefits, and the rules depend on your state. SBA, as of

Workers’ compensation explained

What boards read about this work

Written for boards and managers: read what they read when they choose a vendor.

Next steps

Ready to apply, or want another guide? Both are here, and the setup pages cover the documents.

Submit application as vendorVendor setupPool cleaning guidePool monitoring guidePorter services guide

Sources

  1. Get Your Red Cross Lifeguard Certification American Red Cross. As of .
  2. About SGE (StarGuard ELITE) StarGuard ELITE. As of .
  3. About the MAHC CDC. As of .
  4. 2024 Model Aquatic Health Code, Code Language, 5th Edition (Dec 2024) CDC. As of .
  5. 25 TAC Chapter 265, Subchapter L, Public Swimming Pools and Spas (DSHS copy dated 05/03/24) Texas Department of State Health Services. As of .
  6. Fla. Admin. Code 64E-9.008 Supervision and Safety (rule text via readFile 64E-9.008.doc) Florida Department of State / Florida Department of Health. As of .
  7. Fact Sheet #60: Federal child labor provisions and the employment of lifeguards U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. As of .
  8. FLSA Child Labor Rules (elaws) U.S. Department of Labor. As of .
  9. Fact Sheet #43: Child labor provisions for nonagricultural occupations U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. As of .
  10. Community Association Maintenance (best practices) Community Associations Institute (CAI Foundation). As of .
  11. Manage your business (SBA counseling guide) U.S. Small Business Administration. As of .

Official pages change. Each line shows the day we last read it.