Atlanta, Georgia Personal Injury Lawyer
Atlanta personal injury lawyer blog
Friday, September 4, 2009
Many Atlanta Area Pools Found Improperly Chlorinated and pH Balanced
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Good Samaritans Too Easily Become Drowning Victims: Prevent Tragedy on Your Next Pool or Lake Outing
Monday, June 22, 2009
“Hot Enough For You?” Federal Law Closes Down Some Georgia Pools
It is common knowledge that public swimming pools need to be maintained and treated with chlorine and proper pH levels in order to protect swimmers, but a recent investigative report published in the AJC showed that many metro Atlanta pools and spas must have missed the memo.
In Gwinnett County alone, inspectors found at least 75 incidences where public pools and spas had not treated the water with chlorine. Hundreds more public pools and spas were closed due to critical violations over the summer – violations that could have put the bathing public at risk for waterborne diseases or infection by bacteria and parasites. Inspectors also found that some businesses were cited repeatedly, raising questions about these businesses’ habits when it comes to water treatment.
Public pools are especially prone to health issues due to the sheer amount of numbers of people who use the pool and, if the pool is used by children, the occurrence of what the pool industry called “fecal accidents.”
As quoted in the AJC:
Waterborne diseases can include gastrointestinal illness, an ailment that many people don’t associate with a trip to the pool or spa. Another risk is infection with the parasite cryptosporidium. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), over the past few years they have been receiving an escalating number of reports of outbreaks associated with recreational water use.
Said the AJC:
The CDC did offer up a tip for concerned public swimming pool users – test the water yourself. Pool supply shops and home supply stores sell simple test strips that will change color to show whether the pool’s chemistry is properly calibrated and it is safe for use. These strips are expensive, and an imperative if you plan to swim in a public pool.
The tip is especially relevant to parents. Wading or “kiddie” pools, due to their shallow depth and relatively low water volume, are especially challenging when it comes to pool maintenance, which can lead to disaster when combined with “fecal accidents.”
Since 2001, Georgia’s health department has confirmed seven pool-related outbreaks: one each at a camp, school and hotel; the rest were at subdivision pools or private homes. One of the state’s most famous waterborne incidents occurred in 1998 when 26 children who had visited the White Water Park in Marietta became ill from E. coli bacteria.
Do your part to keep public pools and spas safe. If your neighborhood has a pool, ask about maintenance. Use test strips to measure public pools and teach children pool safety from a young age.
In Gwinnett County alone, inspectors found at least 75 incidences where public pools and spas had not treated the water with chlorine. Hundreds more public pools and spas were closed due to critical violations over the summer – violations that could have put the bathing public at risk for waterborne diseases or infection by bacteria and parasites. Inspectors also found that some businesses were cited repeatedly, raising questions about these businesses’ habits when it comes to water treatment.
Public pools are especially prone to health issues due to the sheer amount of numbers of people who use the pool and, if the pool is used by children, the occurrence of what the pool industry called “fecal accidents.”
As quoted in the AJC:
“If the facility is run by the ignorant or the apathetic, that’s usually a problem,” said Tom Lachocki, chief executive officer of the National Swimming Pool Foundation, a leading trainer of pool operators.
“Fortunately, most of the illnesses one can get in a pool are not catastrophic,” he said. “But you don’t go to the pool to get diarrhea or a rash or sore eyes.”
Waterborne diseases can include gastrointestinal illness, an ailment that many people don’t associate with a trip to the pool or spa. Another risk is infection with the parasite cryptosporidium. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), over the past few years they have been receiving an escalating number of reports of outbreaks associated with recreational water use.
Said the AJC:
For a study published last year, CDC researchers sampled water at 160 Atlanta-area pools to see how many were contaminated with cryptosporidium and another diarrhea-causing parasite, giardia. They found one or both of the parasites in 8 percent of the pools. Although the sample size was small, researchers said the results suggest contamination may be relatively common in some pools.
The CDC did offer up a tip for concerned public swimming pool users – test the water yourself. Pool supply shops and home supply stores sell simple test strips that will change color to show whether the pool’s chemistry is properly calibrated and it is safe for use. These strips are expensive, and an imperative if you plan to swim in a public pool.
The tip is especially relevant to parents. Wading or “kiddie” pools, due to their shallow depth and relatively low water volume, are especially challenging when it comes to pool maintenance, which can lead to disaster when combined with “fecal accidents.”
Since 2001, Georgia’s health department has confirmed seven pool-related outbreaks: one each at a camp, school and hotel; the rest were at subdivision pools or private homes. One of the state’s most famous waterborne incidents occurred in 1998 when 26 children who had visited the White Water Park in Marietta became ill from E. coli bacteria.
Do your part to keep public pools and spas safe. If your neighborhood has a pool, ask about maintenance. Use test strips to measure public pools and teach children pool safety from a young age.
Labels: atlanta, swimming pool safety
It’s always a sad day when someone dies due to a senseless accident, but possibly even more tragic is when someone loses their life while trying to save another. This was the case in two unrelated Georgia incidents last week.
Ngoc Minh Vo, a 24-year-old Stone Mountain woman, died after attempting to save a younger relative from drowning in Lake Lanier. In the struggle, she was submerged for 12 minutes. The six-year-old relative was resuscitated. A similar incident occurred that same weekend at Callaway Gardens. Rico Cruz, a 21-year-old East Point man, died after attempting to save a young boy struggling to stay afloat in Robin Lake. The boy was rescued by another swimmer, but Cruz drowned.
While a person’s first instinct may be to jump into the water and attempt to rescue a drowning victim, this can be extremely dangerous. Only people with rescue or lifeguard training should attempt to rescue someone in the water. Drowning people are working on pure instinct. They are fighting for their lives and will not hesitate to unknowingly pull a rescuer down under with them if it means the chance to survive. And often, the rescuer panics just as much as the drowning victim and jumps into the water when another method could work. If you are ever in the unfortunate position of witnessing a potential drowning, instead of jumping into the water, throw the drowning victim a floatation object attached to a rope or use a long pole to help that person reach safety.
Don’t attempt to be a Good Samaritan and end up a drowning victim. As these two recent Georgia incidents showcased, tragedy can strike all too easily. If you spend a lot of time in or near the water, consider taking a water rescue class and other pertinent first aid training, such as CPR.
When it comes to safety, prevention is always the best course. Please see these Water Safety Tips to ensure a fun, incident-free summer for the whole family.
Ngoc Minh Vo, a 24-year-old Stone Mountain woman, died after attempting to save a younger relative from drowning in Lake Lanier. In the struggle, she was submerged for 12 minutes. The six-year-old relative was resuscitated. A similar incident occurred that same weekend at Callaway Gardens. Rico Cruz, a 21-year-old East Point man, died after attempting to save a young boy struggling to stay afloat in Robin Lake. The boy was rescued by another swimmer, but Cruz drowned.
While a person’s first instinct may be to jump into the water and attempt to rescue a drowning victim, this can be extremely dangerous. Only people with rescue or lifeguard training should attempt to rescue someone in the water. Drowning people are working on pure instinct. They are fighting for their lives and will not hesitate to unknowingly pull a rescuer down under with them if it means the chance to survive. And often, the rescuer panics just as much as the drowning victim and jumps into the water when another method could work. If you are ever in the unfortunate position of witnessing a potential drowning, instead of jumping into the water, throw the drowning victim a floatation object attached to a rope or use a long pole to help that person reach safety.
Don’t attempt to be a Good Samaritan and end up a drowning victim. As these two recent Georgia incidents showcased, tragedy can strike all too easily. If you spend a lot of time in or near the water, consider taking a water rescue class and other pertinent first aid training, such as CPR.
When it comes to safety, prevention is always the best course. Please see these Water Safety Tips to ensure a fun, incident-free summer for the whole family.
Labels: Georgia, safety, swimming pool safety, water safety
It was a sweltering in Atlanta over the weekend and when the weather is this hot there’s almost nothing more relaxing than a dip in the pool. But many familiar swimming pools in Georgia and all over the country were closed down last weekend due to some serious safety concerns.
Last year a new federal law took effect that requires all public pools and hot tubs to meet a new safety standard when it comes to the suction generated by their drains. Some Metro Atlanta operators are having trouble complying. One Rockdale County public pool is closed and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources has had to close at least six pools because they simply do not have the funds to update the pool’s older drains. Apartment complexes, subdivisions, and swimming clubs are all subject to the new law, though because there is no central clearinghouse for information it is unknown how many Georgia pools are closed altogether. For some Georgians, a refreshing swim is being sacrificed for safety, at least for the near future.
Angry that your pool is closed? Read on and you may change your mind.
The “Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act” stems from a tragic incident that occurred back in 2002. Seven-year-old Virginia Baker, the granddaughter of former Secretary of State James Baker III, dove into a hot tub and was sucked under the water by a powerful drain. It took two men to break the drain’s grating and get her to the surface, but they were too late. Pool-safety lobbyists cited the Baker tragedy when promoting the new act, and in late 2007 Georgia W. Bush signed the bill into law.
Compliance with the new law will significantly increase the safety of pool drains. Operators will be required to replace typical drain covers with grates that lessen drain’s dangerous suction. Other pools may be required to make other changes, such as the expensive process of lowering sump pumps into a pool’s floor to reduce suction, a process that can cost pool operators thousands of dollars but will ultimately save lives.
Other modifications include covers that prevent long hair from getting caught in drains. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported several incidents of hair getting caught in drains and causing the bathers head to be held underwater. These new drain covers would prevent such horrific accidents in the places where they are the most likely to occur – hot tubs.
Are you concerned about pool safety in your area? Ask your pool operator if their pool is in compliance with the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act. Pools with the proper grated drain cover will bear a seal of approval bearing witness that they meet the new standards.
Is your pool still open? Stay safe this summer with these water safety tips for the whole family.
Georgians, have you noticed any closed swimming pools in your area? Let other readers know in the comments.
Last year a new federal law took effect that requires all public pools and hot tubs to meet a new safety standard when it comes to the suction generated by their drains. Some Metro Atlanta operators are having trouble complying. One Rockdale County public pool is closed and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources has had to close at least six pools because they simply do not have the funds to update the pool’s older drains. Apartment complexes, subdivisions, and swimming clubs are all subject to the new law, though because there is no central clearinghouse for information it is unknown how many Georgia pools are closed altogether. For some Georgians, a refreshing swim is being sacrificed for safety, at least for the near future.
Angry that your pool is closed? Read on and you may change your mind.
The “Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act” stems from a tragic incident that occurred back in 2002. Seven-year-old Virginia Baker, the granddaughter of former Secretary of State James Baker III, dove into a hot tub and was sucked under the water by a powerful drain. It took two men to break the drain’s grating and get her to the surface, but they were too late. Pool-safety lobbyists cited the Baker tragedy when promoting the new act, and in late 2007 Georgia W. Bush signed the bill into law.
Compliance with the new law will significantly increase the safety of pool drains. Operators will be required to replace typical drain covers with grates that lessen drain’s dangerous suction. Other pools may be required to make other changes, such as the expensive process of lowering sump pumps into a pool’s floor to reduce suction, a process that can cost pool operators thousands of dollars but will ultimately save lives.
Other modifications include covers that prevent long hair from getting caught in drains. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported several incidents of hair getting caught in drains and causing the bathers head to be held underwater. These new drain covers would prevent such horrific accidents in the places where they are the most likely to occur – hot tubs.
Are you concerned about pool safety in your area? Ask your pool operator if their pool is in compliance with the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act. Pools with the proper grated drain cover will bear a seal of approval bearing witness that they meet the new standards.
Is your pool still open? Stay safe this summer with these water safety tips for the whole family.
Georgians, have you noticed any closed swimming pools in your area? Let other readers know in the comments.
Labels: child safety, swimming pool safety, water safety
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