“Sick Building Syndrome” (SBS) is defined as building occupants experiencing acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified.
- Inadequate ventilation: ASHRAE recently revised its ventilation standard to provide a minimum of 15 cfm of outdoor air per person in non-smoking areas. ASHRAE is attempting to balance energy consumption with an adequate IAQ. If you have an existing hotel, an engineered study of ventilation will give you all of the information you need to make adjustments as needed.
- Chemical contaminants: Research clearly shows that V.O.C.’s (volatile organic compounds) can cause chronic and acute health effects at even low concentrations, and many V.O.C.’s are known carcinogens. This is why LEED standards address V.O.C.’s as found in adhesives, carpeting, upholstery, manufactured wood products, copy machines, pesticides and cleaning agents. Your “green” advisor can assist with low or no V.O.C. options for your hotel. GreenSeal.org can provide all of the details you need.
- Chemical contaminants from outdoor sources: This includes motor vehicle exhaust, plumbing vents and building exhausts (from kitchens or bathrooms, for example) and combustion products from a parking garage. Air intake vents must be carefully located to avoid these sources of contamination.
- Biological contamination: These include bacteria, molds, pollen and viruses. Unfortunately, hoteliers are all too familiar with the history of hotel-borne Legionnaire’s Disease, and as such, must be vigilant in testing our cooling towers and indoor decorative fountains.
For more:Â http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/154000320/4049708.search?query=hotel+pool+water+illness
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The hospitality industry does not appear to be paying sufficient attention to a common source of health related problems – indoor aquatic facilities that are a major source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) responsible for dermatological and respiratory symptoms (Schell and Nuzzi, 2009, Blatchley, 2010). This is both a ventilation problem, and a water treatment problem, and it might be easier, and less expensive to address the issue first through modifications of the water treatment system. Additionally, incidences of legionnaires disease from whirlpool spas and hot tubs have become a major problem at facilities regarded as public accommodations (hotels, motels, health clubs, cruise ships, etc.) where the provision and operation of pools and spas is secondary to their main business interest. This often leads to a situation where lack of interest, and limited knowledge (i.e., they “don’t know what they don’t know) results in catastrophic consequences. The patron who has contracted legionnaires disease is extremely ill, and the facility where the incident occurred is extremely liable. The hospitality industry does not generally hire managing personnel based on their knowledge, or even acquaintance with aquatic science, microbiology, or public health. The industry, however would be well served if such personnel were made aware of potential problems. Having been in the public health field, and now a consultant, I have seen how cost factors often make management, because of a lack of awareness, overrule decisions made by trained pool operators Needless to say, this plays right into the liability issue.
Schell, C., and R. Nuzzi, 2009. Elimination of Rashes and Irritation Associated with Indoor Swimming Pool Water. Proceedings of the World Aquatic Health Conference, Atlanta, GA.
Blatchley III, E.R., 2010. Factors Affecting Air Quality in Chlorinated Indoor Pool Facilities. Proceedings of the World Aquatic Health Conference, Colorado Springs, CO.
The hospitality industry does not appear to be paying sufficient attention to a common source of health related problems – indoor aquatic facilities that are a major source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) responsible for dermatological and respiratory symptoms (Schell and Nuzzi, 2009, Blatchley, 2010). This is both a ventilation problem, and a water treatment problem, and it might be easier, and less expensive to address the issue first through modifications of the water treatment system. Additionally, incidences of legionnaires disease from whirlpool spas and hot tubs have become a major problem at facilities regarded as public accommodations (hotels, motels, health clubs, cruise ships, etc.) where the provision and operation of pools and spas is secondary to their main business interest. This often leads to a situation where lack of interest, and limited knowledge (i.e., they “don’t know what they don’t know) results in catastrophic consequences. The patron who has contracted legionnaires disease is extremely ill, and the facility where the incident occurred is extremely liable. The hospitality industry does not generally hire managing personnel based on their knowledge, or even acquaintance with aquatic science, microbiology, or public health. The industry, however would be well served if such personnel were made aware of potential problems. Having been in the public health field, and now a consultant, I have seen how cost factors often make management, because of a lack of awareness, overrule decisions made by trained pool operators Needless to say, this plays right into the liability issue.
Schell, C., and R. Nuzzi, 2009. Elimination of Rashes and Irritation Associated with Indoor Swimming Pool Water. Proceedings of the World Aquatic Health Conference, Atlanta, GA.
Blatchley III, E.R., 2010. Factors Affecting Air Quality in Chlorinated Indoor Pool Facilities. Proceedings of the World Aquatic Health Conference, Colorado Springs, CO.