A hockey team and parents from Illinois stayed at the hotel Jan. 18 and 19, and all 11 boys who went in the water developed a rash within 24 hours, said …a mother of one of the boys.
“…the health department inspected the pool Jan. 20 and told hotel managers that the pool and spa had to be backwashed. Managers were told to change the method used to chlorinate the water…”
“…she is retaining an attorney to compel the hotel to reimburse the traveling party for its rooms and medical bills…”
The hot tub at Holiday Inn-Southgate Banquet & Conference Center was closed for one day recently after several 7- and 8-year-old boys got bumpy, red rashes. According to Wayne County Department of Public Health documents, the tub and pool were inspected after a parent’s complaint and health officials told hotel management to close the tub for maintenance.
The investigation found a bacterial “accumulation of growth†on the hot tub and pool filter, and the hotel also had to sanitize those. The hot tub also was drained.
According to the health department, the hotel followed all of the changes and recommendations, and the hot tub was reopened the next day.
LoPresti said the hockey group received a gift certificate for one night’s stay free at the hotel for its inconvenience, but she doesn’t find that acceptable. “We wanted answers, (and) corporate and (the) local manager will not return the team’s calls,†she said. LoPresti said she did receive an e-mail from hotel management explaining its cleaning procedures and apologizing for any discomfort.
LoPresti said she is retaining an attorney to compel the hotel to reimburse the traveling party for its rooms and medical bills.
For more:Â http://thenewsherald.com/articles/2011/02/08/news/doc4d4c7aeb6802b829841452.txt?viewmode=fullstory
This is a perfect example of the issue discussed in my previous comment (Response to Hotel Industry Health Risks: Hotel Owners Must Act To Eliminate “Sick Building Syndrome” (SBS) Including “Inadequate Ventilation”, Indoor And Outdoor “Chemical Contaninants” And Biological Contamination, January 24). Management, being unaware of the potential dangers involved in the operation of aquatic facilities, becomes embroiled in a serious liability issue. It appears that this particular facility is fortunate in that the rash (probably Pseudomonas folliculitis) is almost always self-limiting and non life threatening. Had the problem been legionnaires disease, which is always serious, and often fatal – well, one can imagine the outcome. The fact is that the causative organism, Legionella pneumophila, may very well have been present in the hot tub,and simply did not find a suitable host (usually elderly people over 65, or any immunocompromised individual). The use of the facility by a group of healthy youngsters, and the consequent results, may be a blessing in disguise for the owner/operators.
This is a perfect example of the issue discussed in my previous comment (Response to Hotel Industry Health Risks: Hotel Owners Must Act To Eliminate “Sick Building Syndrome†(SBS) Including “Inadequate Ventilationâ€, Indoor And Outdoor “Chemical Contaninants†And Biological Contamination, January 24). Management, being unaware of the potential dangers involved in the operation of aquatic facilities, becomes embroiled in a serious liability issue. It appears that this particular facility is fortunate in that the rash (probably Pseudomonas folliculitis) is almost always self-limiting and non life threatening. Had the problem been legionnaires disease, which is always serious, and often fatal – well, one can imagine the outcome. The fact is that the causative organism, Legionella pneumophila, may very well have been present in the hot tub,and simply did not find a suitable host (usually elderly people over 65, or any immunocompromised individual). The use of the facility by a group of healthy youngsters, and the consequent results, may be a blessing in disguise for the owner/operators.