Swimming Pool Safety

April 2017• YMCA in Lincolnton, NC• 21-year-old lifeguard Yesenia Jimenez Linares arrived

for work at 5:10am. A fellow staff member became concerned after noticing the pool area was still locked.

• When her co-workers couldn't find her, called 911 to report that she was missing. Nine minutes later, they called back to say they had found her in the pool.

• Her co-workers performed CPR. There were lifesaving devices at the YMCA, but employees struggled getting to them.

• "Do you have a defibrillator and AED (automated external defibrillator)?" the dispatcher asked. "We have them, but they can't open the door," the caller said.

• Once they were able to get the devices, they learned they couldn't use them on her wet body. Paramedics took Linares to the hospital, where she died.

July 2017 •A former swim coach in Texas has been indicted in the drowning of a 13-year-old girl during practice last year, authorities said.

•Tracey Anne Boyd, 49, has been charged with abandonment and endangering of a child by criminal negligence

•Elisa Adelle Cerami, who swam with the North Texas Nadalores Club, died hours after being pulled from the water during practice at the Carroll ISD Aquatics Center in Southlake in June 2016.

•Boyd, according to the indictment, allegedly failed to “watch or observe” Cerami while she swam and failed to ensure that the teen was supervised by someone else.

June 2017• Seven Peaks Water Park Duneland in

Porter, IN• 11 children had either chlorine burns or

breathing problems after visiting the water park.

• Seven Peaks did not have a water sample tested before it opened or an inspection by the health department. The park also did not have paperwork to reflect that employees were checking water samples.

• The water park opened on its own on June 15 without going through required inspections. The health department did not even know the park had opened until staff began receiving complaints.

June 2017

• “The demand chlorine feeder apparently has been down for a while. What they were trying to do was manually chlorinate the system, and when you do that you have no way of knowing if you’re putting into little or too much, and obviously they got way too much,” Keith Letta, the Porter County Health Department’s administrator.

• Too little chlorine in the water can foster the growth of bacteria, but too much can cause chemical burns.

Pool Hazards• Drowning: Drowning is a leading cause of

unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1–14. Non-fatal drowning can cause brain damage resulting in learning disabilities or even permanent loss of basic functioning.

• Chemical injuries: Injuries linked to pool chemicals accounted for almost 5,000 emergency department visits each year. Almost half of the patients were under 18 years of age.

• Waterborne illness outbreaks: Outbreaks associated with pools and aquatic facilities have increased dramatically from an average of 15 a year (1993–2002) to 34 (2003–2012). A single outbreak can sicken thousands.

Pool Hazards

• Head injuries and broken bones:These injuries commonly result from rom incorrect usage of diving boards, pool equipment, ladders, or improper supervision of pool patrons.

• Lacerations: Scrapes and cuts caused by broken tiles, sharp objects in the pool or surrounding area, and poorly installed grates and filters.

• Slip and fall: Falls may be caused by water on pool decks, walkways, and in locker rooms.

Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC)• The MAHC was created after a 2005 CDC-

sponsored national workshop that gathered to address significant increases in disease outbreaks at swimming pools.

• CDC was to oversee a national partnership to create an open-access model guidance document that helps local and state agencies incorporate science-based practices into their swimming pool codes and programs, without having to "recreate the wheel" each time they create or revise their pool codes.

• This effort was to be all-encompassing, covering the spread of illness but also including drowning and injury prevention.

Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC)

The MAHC calls for these steps to improve aquatic safety:• Design and Construction: Incorporating

safety features into swimming pools and water parks before and as they are built.

• Facility Operation and Maintenance: Continuing to prioritize safety concerns in the running and upkeep of aquatic facilities.

• Policies and Management: Promoting safe use of the swimming pool and other equipment through facility rules and procedures.

Pool Compliance• Training: OSHA requires chemical handling and

bloodborne pathogen training for employees who are handling pool chemicals.

• Eye Wash: The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and OSHA require commercial swimming pools must have emergency eye wash stations.

• Accessibility: The American’s with Disabilities Act requires public pools to be accessible for those with certain disabilities.

• Anti-entrapment: The Virginia Graeme Baker (VGB) Safety Act requires anti-entrapment devices to be installed and maintained in commercial pools and spas. VGB protects swimmers from becoming trapped by the strong suction of pool drains.

• Lifesaving Devices: Automated external defibrillators are required at pools in some parts of the country and can save lives when emergencies occur.

Kids