Tag Archives: Pool and Spa Safety

by | September 13, 2010 · 7:14 am

Hotel Industry Swimming Pool And Spa Risks: Las Vegas Hotel Suffers Chemical Malfunction In Pool Which Sickens Guests

Richard Brenner, hazardous materials coordinator for the Clark County Fire Department, said that sodium hypochlorite went into the hotel’s lazy river pool when a valve used to control the chemical malfunctioned and did not shut off properly. He also added that the chemical went into the water and fumes in the air had made guests sick but expected them all to be ok.

About 100 people had trouble breathing but did not need to go to hospitals, instead were treated by responding emergency personnel.  It was also reported that the people taken to local hospitals were conscious and alert and none of the guests were in critical condition.

High concentrations of a chemical similar to bleach seeped into a pool at the world-famous MGM Grand on the Las Vegas Strip, leading the hotel officials to evacuate some 1,500 guests and sending at least 26 people to local hospitals with breathing difficulties on Friday.

“People started smelling chlorine. It doesn’t take much to set our nose off”, Brenner said.

The MGM Resorts International officials emphasized that once it was discovered what happened the valve was immediately shut off. While the leak only affected the lazy river pool, all of the resort’s five pools were closed to error on the side of caution.

For more:  http://www.dailyrosetta.com/chlorine-leaks-at-mgm-grand-las-vegas-pool/1247.html

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by | August 29, 2010 · 7:22 am

Hotel Industry Pool Safety Risks: “Balconing” Has Caused Over 30 Serious Accidents In Europe And Might Escalate At American Hotels

“…with four dead and more than 30 serious accidents in just two months, the dangerous craze of jumping from balconies into the hotel pool is getting completely out of control…”

‘Balconing’ – as it has been dubbed – is a growing problem in Spanish resorts, with the number of accidents already triple that of previous summers.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6IOExQ12PI&feature=related]

And in the space of just 12 crazy hours, the emergency services had to rush three people to hospital after three different jumps.

Most of the victims are young Brits, although the craze is also popular with Spaniards and Germans.

Internet video site YouTube has come under fire after countless clips of people leaping from balconies were uploaded in recent months.

According to a hotel receptionist in Alcudia, Mallorca, groups of drunken youngsters return after a night out and try to keep the party going by taking part in the deadly stunt.

“This year it has become a real plague,” she said.

According to Sebastian Darder, a spokesman for the Balearic Islands’ hoteliers’ association, all reported incidents of balconing were the result of drunkenness.

For more:  http://www.theolivepress.es/2010/08/27/leap-of-madness/

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by | August 27, 2010 · 6:58 am

Hotel And Spa Industry Safety Risk Management: New Pool And Spa Codes To Be Released In 2012 By International Code Council (ICC) And Assoc. Of Pool And Spa Professionals (APSP)

“This new pool and spa code in particular will impact safety as soon as it is put into use because it will become part of codes that are already adopted in 50 states.”

The International Code Council (ICC) and the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP) announced that they will collaborate on a comprehensive pool and spa code for release in 2012. The new code will comprise the most-current thinking on pool and spa safety, energy efficiency and best practices. It will be the only code that addresses all types of pools, spas and hot tubs — both public and residential — as well as aquatic recreation facilities.

“The ICC develops codes that focus on keeping people safe where they live, work and play,” said Jay Peters, Code Council Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Group (PMG) Executive Director. “This new pool and spa code in particular will impact safety as soon as it is put into use because it will become part of codes that are already adopted in 50 states.”

This landmark code will draw on APSP’s ANSI-approved American National Standards for pools, spas, hot tubs and other recreational water along with ICC’s expertise in building-safety codes, fire-prevention codes and energy-efficiency codes for residential and commercial construction. The provisions of the code will increase consistency in pool and spa construction, maintenance and operation across the country and internationally.

“Finally, builders, manufacturers and code officials will have a uniform reference wherever the ICC codes are in use,” said Carvin DiGiovanni, Senior Director of Technical and Standards for APSP. “We are looking forward to getting started on the development of what promises to be the most comprehensive pool and spa code possible.”

For more:  http://www.prweb.com/releases/APSP_ICC/safety-code/prweb4402584.htm

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by | August 1, 2010 · 6:59 pm

Hotel Pool Liability Insurance: Hotel Owners Must Carry Umbrella Liability Insurance

“…especially with huge pools, umbrella liability insurance over and above your standard homeowners coverage is a must. Drownings, he says, can trigger court verdicts in excess of $1 million…”

Having a heart attack in a commercial pool is no exception when it comes to swimming pool liability. Goldenfarb says he just won a case in Orlando in which a drowning victim had a heart attack. Problem: The hotel pool lacked a defibrillator.

Hospital admission charges for Florida non-fatal drowning hospitalizations in 2008 tallied $16 million, according to the Florida Health Department. Commercial insurance paid just 34 percent of that.

â–  Limit alcoholic beverages around the pool. The Centers for Disease Control says alcohol use is involved in up to half of adolescent and adult deaths associated with water recreation.

â–  Be sure life saving devices are nearby and in good condition.

■ Never rely exclusively on flotation devices or posted warning signs. They won’t deter lawyers.

â–  Keep children away from pool filters and other mechanical devices that may injure them. In case of emergency, know how to shut off these devices and clearly post the information.

For more:  http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/business/pool-owners-have-added-liability-834122.html?cxtype=rss_columnists_300796

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by | July 25, 2010 · 1:38 pm

Hotel Industry Pool Safety: Hotel Management Must Increase Supervision Around Pools And Spas And Insure Safety Drain Covers Are Installed Properly (Video)

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Constant supervision is an important step to ensure safety around pools and spas.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTQEQERpfog&feature=channel]

Pool and spa safety drain covers are an important safety step and are required by law.

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by | July 22, 2010 · 1:46 pm

Hotel Swimming Pool Risk Management: French “Underwater Camera” System Gives Lifeguards “Eyes” To Spot Swimmers In Trouble

The Poseidon system gives the lifeguard underwater “eyes.” It’s made up of overhead and/or underwater cameras, a central computer, an LED display panel and a waterproof touch-screen. The cameras’ analog video feeds are converted to a digital signal by a device called a frame grabber – made by Montreal-based Matrox Imaging – so they can be analyzed by Poseidon’s software.

Developed in France and first sold in 2000 by MG International-Poséidon, Poseidon is an anti-drowning detection system that analyzes video streams in real time and alerts lifeguards to people in trouble in the pool.

The Canadian Red Cross says recreational swimming is the second-leading activity that leads to drowning in Canada. Most drowning victims are young males and those who swim alone.

Drowning can be silent and quick. A swimmer in trouble can enter what lifeguards call a “drowning spiral” within seconds. Once caught in that spiral, the victim becomes immobile, cannot call out and loses consciousness in as little as 12 seconds.

When lifeguards are able to intervene and begin resuscitation within 30 seconds, the victim stands a good chance of recovery. As the amount of time involved in a rescue goes up, the chances of a successful resuscitation fall.

The software algorithms analyze a floating object’s volume and texture to determine if it is a person or just an object in the pool. Once an individual is identified, Poseidon searches for unusual behaviour by comparing the swimmer’s position over consecutive images. When the software detects a motionless presence at the bottom of the pool for 10 seconds, an alarm and siren are activated.

The monitors immediately show the location of the victim, allowing the lifeguards to bring him or her out of the water quickly and start resuscitation.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2010/07/22/f-pool-safety-technology-drowning.html#ixzz0uRwh83qP

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by | July 20, 2010 · 9:31 am

Hotel Industry Pool And Spa Risks: Centers For Disease Control Estimates $500 Million In Health Care Costs To Treat “Waterborne Illnesses”

Waterborne illnesses are far from eradicated, and they’re more than just a case of diarrhea. Americans shell out an estimated $500 million in health care costs to treat the conditions each year, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Legionnaires’ disease: $101 million to $321 million. Characterized by fever, nausea and diarrhea, and achy flulike symptoms, Legionnaires’ disease afflicts around 25,000 Americans each year.

Diagnosis and treatment can quickly add up. Blood tests, chest X-rays and liver-function tests might be required, and antibiotics are the usual solution. But Legionnaire’s can quickly turn fatal: Among patients who develop it in a hospital, death rates are around 50 percent.

Prevention? Treating water systems is the reliable standby, but the disease can also fester in large air conditioning systems.

Cryptosporidiosis: $37 million to $145 million. Also known as “crypto,” this parasite is found in recreational waterways and drinking water across the country, and is spread through the feces of infected people and animals.

Diarrhea is the characteristic symptom, and though crypto usually clears up on its own, those with compromised immune systems risk hospitalization.

Prevention? This one’s up to you. Don’t swallow pool water, wash your hands thoroughly — and if you’ve recently had crypto, do us all a favor and stay out of the hot tub for at least two weeks.

Giardiasis: $16 million to $63 million. You might know it as “beaver fever,” and you’ve probably been afflicted. The CDC estimates that 2 million Americans suffer giardiasis each year.

The illness, characterized by two weeks of cramps and diarrhea, is usually caused by raw sewage that’s leaked into drinking water. It can be transmitted person to person, leading to communitywide outbreaks.

 Around 80 percent of cases are treated with a course of antibiotics, but resistance to common medications is making beaver fever tougher to tackle.

Prevention? If you’re enjoying the great outdoors, don’t rely on untreated surface water.

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by | July 15, 2010 · 10:34 am

Hotel Industry Swimming Pool Safety: Hotel Guest Safety Can Be Improved With “Coast Guard” Approved Flotation Devices And Closer Supervision (Video)

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07.07.10 (LAS CRUCES) — Many area lifeguards are on alert as more and more children spend their summer by the pool. KRWG’s Carlos Correa reports.

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by | July 7, 2010 · 6:19 am

Hotel Pool Safety Risks: Glass Enclosures Around Hotel Pools Still Deemed Hazardous By FEMA

“…in 2008, FEMA decided that the practice is hazardous, apparently because glass walls could become projectiles in a hurricane. If FEMA doesn’t allow hotels to have indoor pools, Patricia Grand’s president says it would be devastating to the hotel’s winter business. “

All the people who come during the weekends in the wintertime would not come back anymore if they don’t have anywhere to go and have a swimming pool available to them,” said Frans Mustert, Oceana Resorts.

Hotel operators and the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce have managed to hold FEMA off for two years while trying to get the agency to change its mind.

Dean said they’ve tried to point out that hotels in other beach cities have similar pool enclosures and they haven’t been targeted by FEMA. That argument didn’t change the agency’s mind. “Everyone we’ve talked to, in Washington and here at home agrees, this makes no sense, we need to get this law changed,” Dean said.

Congress is working on a rewrite of the Flood Insurance Program, to include a change in the pool enclosure law.

For more:   http://www.carolinalive.com/neighborhood/story.aspx?id=479236

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by | July 1, 2010 · 11:35 am

Hotel Industry Pool Safety: Hotels Must Create Safe Pool Environment For Young Children Who Need Supervision And Visibility

“Probably the most important thing, especially when you’re dealing with young children, is that they are always supervised around a body of water,” said Heather Board, an unintentional injury prevention program director at the Virginia Department of Health. “Children can drown in an instant, and contrary to popular belief, it tends to be a very silent drowning. There’s not a lot of splashing.”

In addition to close supervision, all pools should have a phone readily accessible in case there is a need to call emergency services. Barrier methods such as a fence with a self-closing gate also are important.

Adults supervising children in a pool should be free of distractions, Board said. The health department recommends one adult be designated the “water watcher” to keep a close eye on the children in the pool.

“There’s a difference between supervision and actively supervising,” Board said. A “water watcher” should not have side conversations with other adults, talk on the phone or leave the immediate area, she said. “They’re really paying close attention.”

For more:   http://www.suffolknewsherald.com/news/2010/jun/09/water-safety-paramount-good-times-pool/

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