Injuries at Swimming Pools or Leisure Centres

A visit to a swimming pool or leisure centre should be about relaxation, fitness, or fun with the family—not an unexpected injury. But things don’t always go to plan. Slippery tiles, faulty steps, broken equipment, or poor supervision can quickly turn a normal outing into something far more serious.

At John O’Leary Solicitors LLP, we’ve been helping people in Tallaght and across Dublin for over 20 years. We know how frustrating it is to be left dealing with an injury that could have been avoided. Whether it happened in a local council pool, a private gym, or during a swim lesson, we’ll give you clear, honest advice tailored to your situation.

You won’t get rushed or passed around here. We’ll listen, guide you through your options in plain English, and take action where it’s needed.

If you’ve been injured in a swimming pool or leisure centre and you believe something wasn’t right, contact John O’Leary Solicitors LLP today to speak with a local solicitor who genuinely understands.

Where These Injuries Happen and Why They Occur

Swimming pools and leisure centres bring together wet surfaces, physical activity, mechanical systems, and public access—all of which create room for serious accidents when safety standards aren’t maintained. Injuries happen in different ways, depending on how the facility is laid out and how it’s managed.

Indoor Pools and Poolside Areas

Slips and falls are the most frequent cause of injury around indoor pools. The combination of smooth tiles, pooled water, and bare feet makes traction a serious issue. Problems arise when:

  • Anti-slip coatings are worn or missing
  • Cleaning staff fail to mop properly or dry key areas
  • “Wet floor” signs are absent or placed too late
  • Pool entry points (steps, ladders, ledges) are damaged, rusted, or unstable
  • Drain grates are loose or cracked
  • Pool edge tiles are raised, chipped, or uneven

These areas also often suffer from poor lighting or glare that makes it harder to spot hazards.

Changing Rooms, Showers, and Locker Areas

Injuries in changing facilities can be caused by:

  • Broken tiles or uneven flooring
  • Slippery surfaces not cleaned or signposted
  • Water pooling outside shower cubicles
  • Wet benches with no drainage
  • Rusted or unstable lockers, benches, or hooks
  • Inadequate ventilation causing mould and slippery buildup

Children and older adults are particularly vulnerable in these confined, high-use areas.

Hydrotherapy Pools, Saunas, and Steam Rooms

Higher temperatures and enclosed spaces bring added risks. These include:

  • Malfunctioning heating systems causing burns or fainting
  • Surfaces becoming dangerously slick due to steam condensation
  • Benches or wall-mounted units detaching due to moisture damage
  • Chemical imbalance in water (chlorine/ammonia) causing eye or skin irritation

Many of these facilities are lightly supervised, making early reporting or intervention difficult.

Outdoor Pools and Seasonal Facilities

Outdoor pools, particularly in hotels or holiday parks, often have fewer visible safety measures. Risks increase when:

  • Decking becomes slippery due to rain or algae
  • Loose tiles or cracked surfaces go unaddressed
  • Drainage is poor, causing puddles or moss buildup
  • Temporary poolside furniture is not anchored
  • Access gates or fencing are broken or missing

Because many of these facilities operate on a seasonal basis, inspection gaps can lead to missed faults.

On-site Gyms or Fitness Studios

Many leisure centres combine pools with gym areas, and the hazards there are just as real:

  • Weights left in walkways
  • Faulty treadmills, rowing machines, or cable machines
  • Broken mirrors or unstable shelving
  • Overloaded weight racks or missing safety clips
  • Mislabelled or incorrectly serviced equipment

Gym staff may focus on instruction or sales, rather than day-to-day hazard identification.

Group Classes and Swimming Lessons

Injuries often occur in structured group settings where supervision is assumed but not actively maintained. Common issues include:

  • Overcrowded lanes or rooms
  • Instructors failing to spot fatigue, misuse, or struggling participants
  • No procedure for clearing water or sweat during transitions
  • Tripping over unattended equipment or bags
  • Inadequate warm-up or cool-down space

Where lessons involve children, the risks of poor supervision or unguarded pool edges increase substantially.

Who May Be Liable for Injuries in Pools or Leisure Facilities

Responsibility for accidents in pools or leisure centres doesn’t depend on who owns the building. It depends on who had control over the space, staff, equipment, or systems that failed. Liability can rest with one organisation or be shared between several

Facility Operators and Occupiers

The legal duty of care lies primarily with the occupier of the premises, that is, the person or organisation that manages the day-to-day running of the facility. This could be:

  • A local council running a public pool
  • A private gym operator or hotel chain
  • A swim school or sports club using a leased space
  • A health centre offering hydrotherapy sessions

These operators are expected to:

  • Carry out regular inspections
  • Keep cleaning logs and maintenance records
  • Ensure lifeguards or staff are present and properly trained
  • Respond to complaints or reported hazards promptly
  • Maintain pool equipment, floor coverings, rails, steps, and signage

If a hazard is visible, repeatable, or easy to fix, failure to address it may amount to negligence.

Cleaning, Maintenance, and Security Contractors

Many facilities outsource routine maintenance, cleaning, or lifeguard staffing to third parties. These contractors can be liable if:

  • Slippery areas weren’t cleaned or signposted
  • Faults were spotted but not repaired
  • Water quality wasn’t monitored according to safety guidelines
  • Poolside lighting, suction systems, or alarms were left malfunctioning

Even where a contractor is to blame, the operator who hired them may also be liable if they failed to supervise the contract or ignored concerns.

Swim Schools and Independent Instructors

Where a swimming lesson, aqua aerobics class, or hydrotherapy session is run by a third party, the trainer or business delivering that session may be liable if:

  • The session was unsafe or overcrowded
  • Instructions were confusing or dangerous
  • There was no plan for emergencies
  • Equipment was used incorrectly or left in the way

Whether the instructor works independently or under a wider leisure brand can determine where liability falls.

Equipment Suppliers and Product Manufacturers

Where injuries are caused by faulty steps, benches, ladders, or poolside equipment, the fault may lie with the product itself. This is less common but becomes relevant where:

  • Fixtures collapse under normal use
  • Railings detach due to bad design, not wear and tear
  • Grates or filters break away due to improper manufacture
  • Gym machines fail without misuse

Product liability cases often require expert input and technical examination, especially if the product was newly installed.

Shared Liability Situations

Complexity increases when a facility is shared or operated jointly. Examples:

  • A local school leasing pool hours from a council-run centre
  • A hotel leasing gym space to a third-party wellness brand
  • A private swim school operating in a hotel pool during non-public hours

In these cases, liability depends on:

  • Who was in control of the premises at the time of the incident
  • Who was responsible for the area or staff involved
  • What agreements were in place for safety and supervision

Responsibility can be shared or apportioned depending on each party’s role.

Legal Criteria for a Valid Claim After a Pool or Leisure Centre Injury

Not every accident at a pool or gym gives rise to a claim. For a facility to be held legally responsible, several legal standards must be met. These standards focus on what the operator knew, or should have known, about the risk, how they acted on it, and whether their failure directly caused the injury.

Foreseeability and Preventability

Foreseeability means the risk was not remote or unusual. If a hazard is one that a reasonably careful operator should expect—wet floors, broken rails, overcrowded classes—then the law assumes they should have taken steps to prevent it.

Common examples of foreseeable hazards include:

  • Slippery tiles with no warning signage
  • Broken or unstable ladders, handrails, or benches
  • Known leaks or defective drainage causing puddles
  • Recurring chemical imbalance in pool water
  • Tripping hazards in changing areas or on poolside equipment
  • Lack of a lifeguard during high-use hours

Preventability is assessed by asking whether the facility had a reasonable opportunity to fix, cordon off, or warn about the hazard before the incident. If a loose tile had been reported several times, or the same step caused multiple near-misses, inaction may amount to negligence.

Causation and Reasonable Use

Causation means the injury must have been caused by the facility’s failure—not by some other unrelated factor.

This involves showing:

  • The hazard was real and present (not theoretical or incidental)
  • The injury occurred because of that hazard—not afterwards or elsewhere
  • The injured person was using the facility in a normal, expected way

Evidence that helps establish causation includes:

  • Incident reports completed by staff
  • Photos of the scene and the injury
  • CCTV footage (if available)
  • Medical records from A&E or a GP
  • Witness accounts from other pool users or staff

Examples of reasonable use include:

  • Walking through a changing room or pool corridor
  • Taking part in a class, under instruction
  • Using a ladder to enter or exit a pool
  • Sitting on poolside benches or using lockers

Where someone is injured while doing something foreseeable and appropriate, causation is easier to establish.

Breach of Duty

Operators owe a legal duty to keep their premises reasonably safe for visitors. This duty applies to public and private facilities, whether entry is free or paid.

A breach occurs when the facility:

  • Fails to carry out regular inspections
  • Doesn’t record or act on reported hazards
  • Uses untrained or unsupervised staff
  • Ignores safety standards for water testing, signage, or equipment checks
  • Leaves pool edges, tiles, or grates unrepaired despite visible damage
  • Provides no supervision in areas where injuries have previously occurred

Evidence of breach may include:

  • Cleaning or inspection logs showing missed checks
  • Staff admission that a fault was known but not reported
  • Emails or complaints from other users
  • Outdated or incomplete maintenance records

Where a breach is proven, and the breach caused the injury, liability becomes difficult to dispute.

Contributory Negligence

Even if a facility is at fault, the injured person’s actions may reduce the value of their claim. This is called contributory negligence. A claim may still succeed—but the court may apply a percentage reduction.

Examples of contributory negligence include:

  • Running near the pool despite signage
  • Ignoring staff instructions
  • Using equipment improperly (e.g. climbing on benches, entering restricted areas)
  • Failing to follow class safety instructions or warm-up routines

The test is whether the person acted in a way that meaningfully increased the risk or made the injury worse. If so, a court may reduce compensation by 20%–50%, depending on the facts.

If the hazard was foreseeable, preventable, and directly caused the injury during normal use, and the person injured was not wholly at fault, a strong legal claim may exist.

Time Limits for Bringing a Pool or Gym Injury Claim in Ireland

If you’ve been injured in a swimming pool, gym, or leisure centre, Irish law gives you two years from the date of the accident to bring a personal injury claim. If the claim isn’t properly initiated within that two-year window, you could lose the right to pursue it entirely, no matter how strong the evidence is.

For adults, the clock starts ticking on the date the injury occurred. However, different rules apply to children and people who lack legal capacity. In the case of a child, the two-year period doesn’t begin until their 18th birthday—though a parent or guardian can bring a claim on their behalf at any time before that. Where someone cannot manage their legal affairs due to a medical or cognitive issue, the time limit is effectively paused until they regain capacity.

Even with time on your side, waiting can make things harder. Evidence in pool and gym settings doesn’t last long. CCTV may be deleted after a few days. Cleaning logs and inspection records might only be kept for a few weeks. Maintenance logs can be updated or overwritten. Staff may move on or forget key details. In some cases, the physical hazard may be repaired or removed without a trace.

The earlier you act, the more likely it is that important records and witness statements can be secured. Even if you’re unsure about claiming, taking legal advice early gives you the best chance of protecting your position.

What to Do After an Injury in a Pool or Leisure Centre

What happens immediately after an accident can have a major impact on any potential claim. Quick thinking and proper documentation help preserve the facts, clarify what went wrong, and reduce the risk of disputes later. Here’s a summary of the steps to take if you’ve been injured in or around a pool or leisure facility.

Seek Medical Attention Immediately

Don’t wait to see if it improves. Whether it’s a fall, muscle tear, burn, or chemical injury:

  • Visit your GP, out-of-hours clinic, or A&E as soon as possible
  • Be specific about where it happened and what caused it
  • Ask for a copy of your discharge summary or notes
  • Follow up on all medical advice and keep records of prescriptions and referrals

Prompt medical documentation is often the strongest evidence of both injury and causation.

Photograph the Area and the Hazard

Take clear, timestamped photographs of:

  • The exact area where the accident occurred
  • Any broken tiles, missing grates, standing water, or loose rails
  • Any warning signs—or lack of them
  • Your visible injuries (if applicable)
  • Damaged personal items (e.g. torn swimwear, cracked glasses, broken footwear)

If you’re not able to do it yourself, ask a companion, staff member, or witness to help.

Report the Incident On the Spot

Do not leave without informing someone in authority:

  • Speak to a lifeguard, receptionist, manager, or instructor
  • Provide a clear account of what happened—stick to facts
  • Ask for the incident to be written down and request a copy if possible
  • Take the name and job title of whoever received the report
  • Follow up by email for a written record of your notification

If no report is made, submit your own written summary to the organisation by email the same day.

Identify and Record Witnesses

If anyone saw the accident or helped you afterwards:

  • Ask for their name and contact number or email
  • Jot down a short note about what they saw or said
  • If it was a public area, mention whether CCTV was present

Witness statements are especially useful where the facility disputes what happened or clears the hazard quickly.

Preserve Any Relevant Items

Hold on to anything that shows what happened or how it affected you:

  • Damaged clothing, swimwear, equipment, or electronics
  • Tickets, booking confirmations, or receipts that prove your presence
  • Notes from your doctor or physiotherapist
  • A written timeline of your pain, mobility issues, missed work, or cancelled plans

Avoid repairing, replacing, or discarding any items until you’ve received legal advice.

Keep Track of Expenses and Ongoing Impact

You may need to show that the injury had practical consequences:

  • Save receipts for taxis, prescriptions, physio, or replacement gear
  • Note any loss of earnings or extra childcare costs
  • Record ongoing symptoms and follow-up appointments
  • If scarring or visible damage is involved, take regular photos during recovery

These records support any claim for financial loss or longer-term consequences.

The earlier these steps are taken, the stronger your position will be if legal action becomes necessary.

Contact a Solicitor Who Handles Pool and Gym Injury Claims

If you’ve been injured in a swimming pool, gym, or leisure centre and believe the accident could have been avoided, John O’Leary Solicitors LLP can help. We offer clear, practical advice grounded in 20+ years of experience. Contact us today to take the next step while evidence is still available.