Tag Archives: Swimming Pools

by | December 27, 2010 · 9:42 am

Hotel Pool Safety And Health: Use Of A “Food Grade Enzyme” Can Reduce High Phosphate Levels In Hotel Swimming Pools That Result In “Overchlorination”, Leading To Guest Eye Irritation, Lung Damage And Asthma

The Clarion Hotel in Portland cut its chlorine use by 87 percent.

The phosphates reduce the chlorine’s effectiveness. Adding a food grade enzyme to the water reduces the phosphate level and allows chlorine to do its work. Not only is less chlorine needed, but it also lasts longer, Cooke said.

The pool was part of a test project with the state of Maine Department of Environmental Protection to help reduce use of the chemical, which has been linked to skin and eye irritations, lung damage and asthma. The project also saved some money.

“It is very easy,” said Peter Cooke, DEP pollution prevention program manager. The agency funded the project with a $30,000 federal grant. Overchlorination is common at public swimming pools because of the high levels of phosphates, Cooke said. Phosphates occur naturally in some water but are commonly added by water treatment plants to prevent corrosion in municipal water pipes.

The phosphates reduce the chlorine’s effectiveness. Adding a food grade enzyme to the water reduces the phosphate level and allows chlorine to do its work. Not only is less chlorine needed, but it also lasts longer, Cooke said.

Don Hopkins, operations manager for the Olympia Companies, property management company of the Clarion Hotel, said regular swimmers at the pool immediately noticed a difference.

“They said it smelled better and the water felt softer on the skin, ” Hopkins said.

He said workers at the hotel also noticed the difference. Hopkins said adding the enzyme to the 30,000-gallon pool saved $200 a month in chlorine costs, compared to the $130 monthly cost of the enzyme. The company is now looking to reduce chlorine at pools at some of its other hotel properties, he said.

For more:  http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/using-enzyme-reduces-need-for-pool-chlorine_2010-12-21.html#

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by | December 26, 2010 · 12:06 pm

Hospitality Industry Guest Health And Safety: Hotel And Spa Owners Must Maintain Clean Workout Facilities, Pools And Spas

Gym Equipment Spreads Skin Infections

  • Staph infections, including those caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria, can spread through shared gym equipment, mats and towels.
  • Infections tend to occur near a cut or scrape, and on certain body parts (the armpits, buttocks, groin and neck).
  • They start off looking like a large pimple but can swell, become painful and produce pus.
  • If they spread to your bloodstream, they can be life-threatening.
  • Many clear up on their own, but seek medical attention if a fever develops or if the area becomes enlarged, red, tender or warm.

Prevention:

  • Use the alcohol spray or wipes that most gyms provide to wipe off equipment before and after use.
  • Place a clean towel over mats used for doing sit-ups, stretching or yoga.
  •  Don’t share towels with others.
  • Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based sanitizer.
  • Shower after working out. If you have a cut or scrape, keep it covered with a clean adhesive bandage and don’t use hot tubs or whirlpools.

Dirty Pools Teaming With Bacteria

  • Poorly maintained swimming pools are common, allowing bacteria and viruses to cause outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness.
  • Inspections at 3,666 health clubs in 13 states found serious lapses requiring the immediate closing of 10 percent of the pools (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • Improperly maintained circulation and filtering systems and skimpy disinfection were among the most common problems.

Prevention:

  • Require showers with soap before swimming and wash your hands after using the toilet or changing a baby’s diaper.
  • Don’t use the pool if the water has a strong chemical smell or appears cloudy.
  • Pool water should have little odor and be clear enough that you can easily see the bottom.
  • Chlorine and pH levels should be checked at least twice a day, and the pool’s latest inspection score should be recorded.
  • Chlorine should be 1 to 3 parts per million (4 to 6 ppm for hot tubs), and pH should be 7.2 to 7.8.

For more:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/20/AR2010122004711.html?wprss=rss_health

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by | October 25, 2010 · 3:16 pm

Hotel Industry Pool Safety Risk: FEMA To Enforce “No Glass Zone” Rule That Prohibits “Glass-Enclosed Pools” In Florida

FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, doesn’t allow oceanfront hotels to close off their pools with glass walls for the winter. This year, the agency will make sure that rule is enforced, whether the city and the hotels like it or not.

In response to FEMA, the manager of the Myrtle Beach Hampton Inn isn’t sure what to do to close off his outdoor pool to make it an indoor pool this winter.

If he puts up the same glass walls the hotel has been using for years, he’ll be in violation of the FEMA rule. But if he doesn’t, the hotel will lose customers.

“It’s too cold to swim in the wintertime, even though the pools are heated. It needs to be enclosed,” said manager Tom Moore.

The hotel could buy Plexiglas or vinyl enclosures that FEMA allows, but Moore says that would cost up to $20,000 the hotel hasn’t budgeted for.

A couple of years ago, FEMA first became aware of the glass walls used by oceanfront hotels and decided they were hazardous, but the rule wasn’t enforced.

Then this summer, the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce announced it had pushed a bill through the U.S. House of Representatives to allow the enclosures. Hoteliers thought the problem was solved and that was the end of it.

But the bill never came up for a vote in the Senate, the Senate has adjourned until mid-November and FEMA has now told the city of Myrtle Beach: time’s up, enforce the rule or else.

“We’ve sent letters to all the hotels that are affected, saying November first is when the rule takes effect. You will not put up your temporary pool enclosures that violate FEMA’s regulations then or expect the consequences,” said city spokesman Mark Kruea.

http://www.carolinalive.com/news/story.aspx?id=531094

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by | September 18, 2010 · 9:43 am

Hotel Industry Pool Safety: Mitch Stoller Of “Safe Kids USA” Speaks On Child Safety At Swimming Pools And Spas (Video)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6B-MB_67j4]

Pool Safely Press Conference – Mitch Stoller, Safe Kids USA

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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 | September 10, 2010 · 2:15 pm

Hotel Industry Swimming Pool Liability Risks: Arizona Hotels Vary In Enforcing Existing Codes Regarding Drinking In Pools, Music Stages, Public Parties And Oversized Crowds

Many resort pool parties are already limited to guests who’ve rented rooms and their friends, like the ones at the Hotel Valley Ho, or to guests who’ve purchased tickets, like the ones at the Clarion Hotel Scottsdale.

  • No more drinking or eating in the pool.
  • No music stages abutting the pool.
  • No open-to-the-public parties, except ones already booked.
  • No free entry and oversized crowds.

“In the last two years the scale and grandeur of the parties has picked up, and we are just trying to help the facilities understand the public-health impact before we start focusing on enforcement,” said John Kolman, director of the Maricopa County Environmental Services Department.

Kolman said inspectors have reminded managers to monitor pool capacity, to double-check that rescue equipment is always visible, to keep lounge chairs, stages and other structures 4 feet from pool edges, and most crucially, to stop inviting the public to their events.

Inspectors will continue to make unannounced checks through September, the traditional end of the pool-party season.

But at the W Scottsdale, general manager Leon Young said he’s seen real revenue losses since he started enforcement. He has, however, seen room sales go up slightly.

His hotel has made a name for itself hosting buzzy daytime bashes and nighttime swim parties, serving pool-friendly drinks such as frozen creamsicle cocktails or bottles of vodka with Gatorade on ice. Now, the second-floor pool will be pen only to those who rent cabanas, daybeds or rooms.

“Certainly, I can understand you don’t want to be floating next to a piece of lunch meat,” Young said. “But if we follow the rules about no glass near the pool, I don’t see why we couldn’t allow some drinks in the pool.”

Young is optimistic the county will be open to revisiting the regulations to create variances that would allow resorts and hotels to pursue party profits.

“We are rooms-focused in spring and peak season, but in summertime, it really is about the events and promotions you can organize to bring people in,” Young said.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/bars/articles/2010/08/27/20100827phoenix-hotel-pool-party-scene-drinking-banned.html#ixzz0zAPbsor7

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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)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkgD4Z61h58]

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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