A new pool plant chemical incident registry has been launched to help the sector address a concerning rise in chemical-related accidents and incidents.
The recent spike in these accidents has sparked the creation of the Pool Chemical Forum, an initiative hosted by the Chemical Business Association (CBA).
This forum includes a cross-section of leading industry bodies such as the Institute of Swimming (IOS), Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA), Swimming Pool and Allied Trades Association (SPATA), Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group (PWTAG), Royal Life Saving Society UK, Brenntag UK, and ukactive.
According to recent data, chemical incidents in the UK have surged, with the three-year average between 2021-2023 showing a 62% increase*.
This troubling trend necessitated a proactive response, leading to the creation of the Pool Chemical Forum.
This forum is designed to collect data on chemical incidents in both commercial and domestic settings.
The information is then shared with the pool industry on a quarterly basis to help improve safety standards.
Tim Doggett, CEO of CBA, commented on the initiative: “Health and safety is at the heart of what we do at the CBA.
The launch of the Pool Chemical Forum and its incident register will help identify the root cause of accidents, allowing the sharing of lessons to be learnt, enabling preventative measures, and furthermore, establishing guidelines to ensure the safety of professionals.
This is made possible by bringing together major leaders in the sector, encouraging and inspiring improvement, collaboration, and knowledge transfer.”
The Pool Chemical Forum’s registry operates through an easy-to-use questionnaire, which can be completed by those responsible for pool plant safety or by someone observing unsafe practices or accidents.
The anonymity of the register is crucial, with all data strictly devoid of identifying information regarding sites, companies, or individuals.
Daniel Ekema, Pool Plant Programme Leader at the Institute of Swimming, emphasised the importance of this anonymous approach: “Unfortunately, incidents and accidents are a fact of life, but these can become more frequent where processes are not in place or followed, perhaps through a lack of understanding and awareness or training.
Not all incidents are reported, perhaps due to fear or concerns about repercussions, and so we hope this anonymous register will help the sector to gather more meaningful information for a broader understanding of how accidents occur at pools, spas, and other water features, both in commercial and domestic settings.
The Pool Chemical Forum’s learnings from this data will help us to better understand day-to-day accidents that may be occurring, which will help us at the Institute of Swimming to better develop our Pool Plant training programme to help keep everyone safer.”
The new registry is a significant step towards enhancing safety and training within the pool industry, with the ultimate goal of reducing chemical-related incidents and ensuring safer environments for both professionals and the public.
For those interested in participating in the registry, you can access the survey at the following link: Pool Chemical Incident Register.