How we list members

Every member on this directory goes through a real accreditation review before their listing goes live — business license, liability insurance, background checks, and a safety attestation, each reviewed and confirmed by our team, not just collected and taken at their word. Members can also add optional verified certifications, such as CPR/first aid, lifeguard credentials, or Certified Pool Operator (CPO).

Each confirmed check gets a real date, shown on the member's own page under "Accreditation status." Badges you see on a listing, like "Locally Owned" or a multi-year anniversary, are a separate layer — awarded directly by us, not self-reported by the member.

This directory isn't a marketplace. Members don't pay for placement, and listing order isn't influenced by anything but a neutral sort. It's a directory of businesses that have earned real accreditation through our review process.

What we check

Insurance — Current proof of applicable business insurance, with the expiration date tracked.
Licensing & Permits — Any licenses or permits required for the services your company provides.
Background check (owner) — A completion certificate from your background-check vendor covering the owner or company officer. Don't upload full reports.
Background checks (employees) (when applicable) — Optional. A completion certificate covering your crew or instructors, so your profile can show that your staff are checked too.
Safety Commitment — A signed attestation that your business follows our baseline safety standards on every job. The full standards are on our How we list page.
CPR / First Aid certification (when applicable) — Optional. Current CPR and First Aid certification for the staff who need it, with its expiry tracked.
Lifeguard credentials (when applicable) — Optional. Current lifeguard certification, with its expiry tracked.
Swim instructor certification (when applicable) — Optional. Current swim instructor certification, with its expiry tracked.
Certified Pool/Spa Operator (CPO) or equivalent (when applicable) — Optional. Current CPO certification or an accepted equivalent, with its expiry tracked.

Baseline safety standards

Every accredited member signs a safety attestation confirming their business follows these practices wherever they apply to its work. A swim school teaching in a rented pool, say, attests to the lesson standards but doesn't handle the facility's chemicals or drains:

Chemical storage and handling. For members who service, treat or operate pools: a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is on file for every pool chemical used, and staff know where to find it. Chemicals stay closed in their original, labeled containers, in a cool, dry, ventilated place, with oxidizers such as chlorine products stored apart from acids. Chemicals are never mixed with each other, and are added to water, never water to chemicals. Staff who handle chemicals are trained on each product and wear the protective equipment its SDS calls for.
Drain covers and entrapment. For members who service or operate pools: staff check drain covers and suction fittings on every service visit. If a drain cover is missing or broken, the owner is told in writing and the pool is closed the same day, until the cover is replaced. Public and semi-public pools must meet the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act.
Gates and barriers. Staff close and latch every gate behind them, and tell the owner in writing about any gate that doesn't self-close and latch, or any other barrier problem they notice.
Supervision and ratios. Anyone teaching swim lessons follows the member's written student-to-instructor ratio policy, set by age and level. Every student in the water is actively supervised, and rescue equipment is on hand at every lesson.
CPR and First Aid. Anyone teaching swim lessons holds current CPR and First Aid certification.
Child safeguarding. A written child-safeguarding policy covers everyone who works with children: avoiding one-on-one time out of sight, appropriate communication with students, photo consent from a parent or guardian, and how staff and parents raise a concern. Staff know their state's mandated-reporter rules.
Background checks. Everyone who works on a customer's property or with children has a completed background check.
Incident reporting. Any injury, chemical exposure or spill, submersion or rescue, or damage to a customer's property is written up as soon as possible, and the customer, or the parent or guardian, is told in writing within one business day. Incidents are also reported to the insurer, and to the local health department where the rules require it.
Insurance. General liability insurance, with no exclusion for the chemicals handled or the instruction provided, stays active while the business is accredited, as does workers' compensation where the law requires it.

If anything here changes for a member's business, they tell us and update their attestation.

What we don't check

The quality of any individual service visit or lesson — a confirmed check is about eligibility to be listed here, not a guarantee of how a specific job will go.
Pricing — members set their own rates and quote directly.
Day-to-day staffing, scheduling, or how a member runs their business.
Your pool's code compliance — barrier, drain cover, and equipment requirements are set by your local jurisdiction.
Anything before the date shown next to a confirmed check — accreditation reflects what was reviewed as of that date, not an ongoing live audit.