INAIL, Italian National Insurance Institute Accidents at Work, has published a new book for health and safety in pools to give more information on the sources of danger and to reduce accidents that occur every year in the swimming pools.
Targeted to parents, staff surveillance and security managers, this book combines the technical and regulatory requirements and organizational and behavioral aspects with the preventive measures for the protection of health and safety.
In swimming pools, both goers that bathers can be subject to accident, mild or strong entity. The following table shows the dangers of using the pools:
[table width =”100%” style =”” responsive =”true”]
[table_head]
[th_column]Dangers[/th_column]
[th_column]Adverse events[/th_column]
[/table_head]
[table_body]
[table_row]
[row_column]Physical[/row_column]
[row_column]Drowning [/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column][/row_column]
[row_column]Near-drowning [/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column][/row_column]
[row_column]Trauma due to impact accident [/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Associated hot, cold and sunlight [/row_column]
[row_column]Damage caused by physical agents (es. acute exposure to the sun’s heat; exposure to cold in the pools for diving) [/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Associated with Water Quality [/row_column]
[row_column]Ingestion, inhalation or contact with pathogens, viruses, protozoa and chemical agents that may be present in the water and poolside [/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Associated with air quality [/row_column]
[row_column]Inhalation of chemical agents [/row_column]
[/table_row]
[/table_body]
[/table]
Security rules
The safety provisions on the installations assume that the subjects to be protected are those who frequent, swimmers and attendants. The manager of the pool, pursuant to the Italian Decree No. 81/2008 annexes IV must prepare the document for risk assessment which takes account of:
- potential health hazards;
- preventive measures to be taken;
- monitoring system;
- risk tasks that require professional suitability.
The UNI EN 15288-1:2010 specifies safety requirements for the design, planning, construction, management of swimming pools. To provide users with a secure facility, the safety considerations must start from an accurate and careful planning stage which should include all plant areas (entrance, locker rooms, showers, bath pool, etc.), structural elements, materials, finishes and details.
In environments with steam Development (bath pool, showers, areas with significant crowding, etc.), it must be provided to ensure the relative humidity limit and in particular: the relative humidity must not exceed 70%; the air speed must not be greater than 0.10 m/s; the exchange of air must be at least 20 m3/h per m2 of bath.
Health risks in the pools
WHO, World Health Organization, in 2006 he described the activities for risk control through rules of behavior for users and good practices for the design, construction and realization of swimming pools. One of the risks to health due to microbiological agents from infections caused by contact with fecal no source microorganisms, such as skin infections (eg. Warts), candidiasis, infections of the ear canal and respiratory tract (Legionella pneumophila). The National Institute of Health reports that from 2000 to 2012 cases of Legionnaires’ disease in Italy were 10,858.
The most important measures to contain the chemical risk are:
- adoption of rules of conduct for swimmers, including hygiene standards to curb water contamination with organic substances;
- Proper maintenance of the sports;
- clean the tank and outer space;
- control of water temperature and pH stability;
- adoption of an efficient filtration and disinfection system;
- daily replenishing of fresh water (at least 5%);
- ensure adequate air changes;
- specific training of those working in the plant.
Contact us for more information on Risk Assessment and Legionella.