Keeping Teams Water Safe

Water Safety Training

 
 

We are one of the UK's main providers of DEFRA Water Safety Training for people who are working on water or by water.

As an organisation we are contracted with DEFRA departments such as Natural England to deliver training on a national scale. We specialise in delivering HSE working near water training for the construction, local authority, ecology, survey, and wildlife industries. We provide their teams with the tools to be safe in or around water whilst understanding their Water Rescue Equipment, Water-based PPE and making sure they can do a working near water risk assessment.

With our unique industry leading online training system, national training facilities, and the ability to deliver training at your site, our team can assist you with making sure your operatives are water safe wherever they are based. 

Through our work with the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) we offer a recognised DEFRA Water Safety certification and with our Training facilities provide our students a genuine outdoor river environment to replicate real working locations in a variety of conditions.

 
 
 
 
 
RLSS Qualifications

What Qualifications Can I Do?

 
  • 2 Hours In-personWater Rescue Equipment Training

    The WRET course is designed for individuals who may play a role in a rescue by assisting with equipment, aiming to instill confidence and proficiency in the use of water rescue equipment commonly found around our waterways. Water Rescue Equipment Training
  • 3 Hours Online or 4 Hours In-personDEFRA Water Safety Awareness

    DEFRA Module 1 is for those who need a minimum level of water safety awareness and a basic emergency response capability. Perfect for contract work, contractors, surveryors, and ecologists working near water as part of a work task or activity by U.K. waterways. DEFRA Modules
  • 7 Hours In-personDEFRA Water Safety Awareness with Annex H

    This DEFRA module is for those who need a minimum level of water safety awareness and provides practical experience of self-rescue techniques. But also require practical experience of self-rescue techniques. Perfect for those working near and in water but with a low risk of falling in deep water. Often utilised by de-vegetation, maintenance, and volunteer teams. DEFRA Modules
  • 14 Hours Hybrid, Online & In-personDEFRA Inland Waterways

    DEFRA Module 2 is for those who need to be able to risk assess a water environment and work in, on or around water with a high probability of needing to support or rescue others. Focusing on specific inland waterway hazards along with in-water skills like self-rescue and the rescue support of in-water casualties. Suited for river surveyors, ecology teams, and environment engineers. DEFRA Modules
  • 10 Hours Hybrid, Online & In-personCoastal Waterways

    This focuses on specific coastal waterway hazards along with in-water skills. For those who work in coastal estuaries with tides. Often utilised by scientific and ecology teams working in tidal estuaries. DEFRA Modules
 
 
 

Locations

We run water safety training across the UK and have the ability to bring the training to your site or office. We currently utilize our training establishment in Bristol, and Wiltshire as well as our outreach training sites in Devon, Colchester, Staffordshire, Yorkshire, and the North Pennines.

By having our own specialist water safety training site and our outreach training locations we are able to give our students a genuine outdoor river environment to replicate real working locations and a variety of conditions. 

 

Group Bookings

We offer competitive group booking prices, with the ability to bring our nationwide training to your site or office. 

When it comes to selecting dates for group courses, providing that our water safety instructors are free we will endeavor to work around dates that are suitable for you. 

 

Please see our calendar for all open courses and contact bookings@bristolmaritime.co.uk to arrange a group course.

 
 
 
 
 

Water Rescue Equipment Training

Cost: £55 per person

Duration: 2 Hours

Who is it for?  The WRET course is designed for individuals who may play a role in a rescue by assisting with equipment, aiming to instill confidence and proficiency in the use of water rescue equipment commonly found around our waterways.

Minimum Age: Age 16 +

Valid For: 2 Years

Exam Type / Duration: Continual assessment during the course

Assumed Pre-Course Ability: None, Beginner.

Course Information: The session develops skills and confidence in rescue equipment use, as well as developing the knowledge and ability to safely improvise, where no rescue equipment is available. 

Water Rescue Equipment Training covers:

      • Open water hazards (such as canals and rivers)
      • Cold water shock
      • Types of rescue
      • Public Rescue Equipment (PRE)
 
 
 
 

Online Training

Get your teams water safety certification with our renowned industry-recognised Online RLSS UK NWSMP DEFRA Water Safety Awareness Course. As one of the UK’s leading providers of Water Safety Courses, we have endeavored to create interactive and innovative training systems that meet the needs of our students. As the first training centre to develop the DEFRA and RLSS UK NWSMP training online courses, our weekly online open and private group courses are endorsed and used by major companies and organisations across the UK. 

Our online training system used for all our course theory not only cuts the time and costs of training but also reduces your company's carbon footprint. All taught live by a qualified instructor from our virtual classroom, we deliver essential HSE water safety training in an environmentally friendly way.

To get an operative or a group trained on our weekly Online Training Course click the button below.

 
 
 
 

DEFRA NWSMP

The DEFRA National Water Safety Programme (NWSMP) aims to be a leading suite of awards designed to equip anyone working in, on or near water with essential knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about managing water safety. The awards are suitable for employers in a wide range of industries, including contract work, teaching (field trips), construction, environmental health, leisure and emergency services that require their workforce to operate safely in or near water.  

The NWSMP modules meet the DEFRA Module 1 and 2 learning outcomes. 

  • DEFRA NWSMP Level 1 Water Safety Awareness is equivalent to DEFRA Module 1 - Water & Flood Awareness 
  • DEFRA NWSMP Inland Waterways Module is the equivalent to DEFRA Module 2 – Water & Flood First Responder. 
 
 
 

DEFRA Course Specifications

DEFRA Module 1 - Water Safety Awareness

Cost: £94 Online or £105 Shore-based 

Duration: 3 Hours Online or 4 Hours Shorebased

Who is it for? People whose job or task requires them to work near water but without having to enter it.

Minimum Age: Age 16 +

Valid For: 3 Years

Exam Type / Duration: Oral questioning, throw bag practical demonstration. If done online, a throw bag video must be submitted within a week of the course date to complete the course.  

Assumed Pre-Course Ability: None, Beginner.

Course Information: Upon completion course, participants will be aware of the hazards associated with water and have the knowledge to carry out basic land-based (Shout, Reach, and Throw) rescue techniques. Have a working knowledge of the risks associated with water and know the basic principles and safety measures required to keep yourself and your colleagues safe. This course includes PPE and rescue equipment training for working near water including throw bags, reach and rescue poles, and Life Jacket training.


 

DEFRA Module 1 with Annex H 

Cost: £220 per person

Duration: 7 Hours

Who is it for? For those who support the wider response to water and flood incidents in a non-rescue role and have appropriate PPE.

Minimum Age: Age 16 +

Valid For: 3 Years

Exam Type / Duration: Oral questioning, dynamic risk assessment, water based throw bag demonstration, types of swim and wading. 

Assumed Pre-Course Ability: None, Beginner.

Course Information: Upon completion of this course, participants will be aware of the hazards associated with water and have the knowledge to carry out basic land-based (Shout, Reach, and Throw) rescue techniques. Have a working knowledge of the risks associated with water and know the basic principles and safety measures required to keep yourself and your colleagues safe. 

This includes experience in how to rescue and control yourself in moving water, the use of PPE, throw bags, reach and rescue poles, and life jacket training in the water. 


 

DEFRA Module 2 - Inland First Responder

Cost: From £314 per person

Duration: 14 Hours

Who is it for? Any person or employee whose task requires them to either enter the water or be at risk of water entry as part of their daily job or task.

Minimum Age: Age 16 +

Valid For: 3 Years

Exam Type / Duration: Oral questioning, dynamic risk assessment, practical assessment of rescue skills.

For the assessment, candidates must be able to swim 50m in an open water environment.

Assumed Pre-Course Ability: None, Beginner. May be preceded by DEFRA Module 1 Water Safety Awareness. 

Course Information: Upon completion course, participants will be able to implement on-site safety risk assessments, have a working knowledge of the appropriate use of personal protective equipment, set up an emergency action plan, and coordinate emergency procedures. This will include experience in how to move, rescue, and control yourself and your team in moving water, the use of PPE and rescue equipment, including throw bags, reach and rescue poles, and life jacket training in the water. 


 

Module 2 - Coastal First Responder

Cost: £950 per group

Duration: 7 Hours

Who is it for? Any person or employee whose task requires them to either enter the water or be at risk of water entry as part of their daily job or task.

Minimum Age: Age 16 +

Valid For: 3 Years

Exam Type / Duration: Oral questioning, dynamic risk assessment, practical assessment of rescue skills.

For the assessment, candidates must be able to swim 50m in an open water environment.

Assumed Pre-Course Ability: This module can be done alongside or bolted onto the DEFRA Module 2 Inland Waterways module. 

Course Information: Upon completion course, participants will be able to implement on-site safety risk assessments, have a working knowledge of the appropriate use of personal protective equipment, set up an emergency action plan, and coordinate emergency procedures. This will include experience in how to move, rescue, and control yourself and your team in moving water, the use of PPE and rescue equipment, including throw bags, reach and rescue poles, and life jacket training in the water.


 
 
 
 

Calendar

Please select your course date.

 

Calendar Key: 

Water Rescue Equipment Training 

DEFRA Module 1 

DEFRA Module 1 with Annex H

DEFRA Inland Module 

RLSS UK Coastal Module

DEFRA Inland & Coastal Module