Swimming Pool Management and Training - What is lurking below the surface of your water........ by Jim Johnson - Johnsontraining

Pools come in all shapes and sizes from swimming pools to hydrotherapy to school pools and then spa pools, often referred to as Jacuzzis. 

The thing that they all have in common is that pools that are inadequately managed can be a breeding ground for bacteria and can lead to serious health implications for the bathers and, in extreme cases, even death. Added to this, the chemicals used in pools are dangerous and have the potential to cause serous injury with potentially fatal consequences.
 
Pools which are run and managed to comply with best practice are safer, and as a consequence, the running costs can be optimised.
 
When things go wrong this opens the door to prosecution by the regulating authorities and to compensation claims which could be crippling, added to the media coverage which could seriously jeopardise the organisation in terms of customer confidence.
 
Often things go wrong at the design and installation stage, which can be overcome by taking advice from a consultant at the early stages.
 
The secret to running a successful pool is to ensure that the staff who work at the pool are adequately trained to carry out their functions safely. 
 
This starts at the point of carrying out pool water tests properly, using the correct equipment properly, to established protocols, and then following safe procedure to follow up the results. 
 
Staff who have not been properly trained should not carry out pool testing. 
 
The minimum standard for water testing should be the ISRM Foundation Certificate (NQF Level2).
 
Duty officers/managers must fully understand all the processes and should hold a nationally recognised qualification in pool plant operations (ISRM National Pool Plant Operator Certificate: Level 3).
 
Managers carry the weight of legal responsibility and need to be more highly qualified than the staff they manage and ideally should hold a level 4 qualification e.g. the ISRM Technical Facility Management certificate.
 
Because of the serious threat caused by spa pools, a dedicated Spa Pool Operators course has been developed. 
 
Courses vary from one day to three day in duration.
 
The ISRM have also developed a qualification for the operators of school pools and small commercial pools (small holiday park pools for example). The Pool Caretaker Certificate. This is a two day course targeted at level 2.
 
Johnson Training has been providing technical training to the industry for over twenty years and over that period has trained thousands of candidates and hundreds of managers. Many candidates have travelled overseas to operate safe pools all over the world.
 
So then, get the training right, make it suitable sufficient and current and with the backing and accreditation of the professional institute, the Institute of Sport and Recreation Management, with qualifications not only recognised by the industry but by government (many of the ISRM qualifications are on the National Qualifications framework), and you well on the road to providing a safe and successful water based facility.
 
Link to our website www.johnsontraining.co.uk for details of courses or ring Jim Johnson on 01942 708797 to discuss how we can help you either with consultancy services, procedural audits or technical training to address your specific needs.