How Clean is Your Pool Deck?

While the pool water in Australian public swimming pools might be of the highest quality, a major feature in the latest issue of Australasian Leisure Management questions the cleanliness of pool decks and changing room floors in Australian public swimming pools.

The authors, Simon Langdon, an Engineering Technician with Advanced Technology Testing & Research and Ibrahim Ech, Principal of WHS Consultant/Occupational Hygienist with Safety & Environmental Services Australia, share evidence that facility floors and surfaces, particularly pool decks, amenities and changing rooms have become unhygienic and/or dangerously slippery.

The authors suggest that "it seems that the major design consideration for floor surfaces in the aquatics environment is that the floor is slip resistant, to prevent people from falling. However, commonly overlooked is the impact of the floor's surface on hygiene and the ability to be able to maintain and effectively clean the surface."

They continue "surfaces can potentially become contaminated by patrons entering pool deck wearing their regular shoes and clothing as well as by environmental sources at outdoor pools.

"Typical types of contaminants found on pool surrounds include soil, sand, leaves, grass, grease, scum, biofilm growth, bird droppings, food spillages, creams and lotions, blood, vomits and other body fluids which can result in contamination with disease-causing microorganisms (pathogenic bacteria, viruses and fungi). Contaminants such as calcium build up due to hard water in particular areas of Australia may also be found on floor surfaces.

However, by far the most common contaminants are bacteria and disease-causing microorganisms (pathogens) introduced by patrons to the facility.

It's these contaminants that make a seemingly clean surface unhygienic, presenting other patrons to the facility with the risk of infection."

In respect of cleaning, Langdon and Ech add "inadequate cleaning regimes can not only leave a floor surface unhygienic but also dangerously slippery. A common complaint in the industry is the presence of body fats and oils on the floor surface which prove to be not only hard to clean but also contribute to a dangerously slippery surface.

"Pool surrounds and change rooms should be designed to be cleaned and disinfected regularly to prevent both the transmission of infection and prevent slips resulting from biofilm growth. Cleaning procedures may vary depending on the type of surface material such as brushed concrete, textured modified cement or other cementious coatings, ceramic tile, rubber granules, stone, brick or epoxy aggregate. While removal of solids and biofilms will require mechanical action with the use of detergent, in order to remove pathogens the use of chemicals to disinfect and sterilize are required.

Langdon and Ech caution that "aggressive cleaning agents in high concentration can be harmful to the environment and people, while mild agents often do not have the desired cleaning effect."

They add "pool surrounds and change rooms need to hygienically maintained at least once each day (and) contaminants on the pool deck should not be washed into the pool water circulation system.

"It is extremely important that commercial products used for cleaning and disinfecting in and around the pool are compatible with pool water.

"Unfortunately design considerations have been overlooked in many pool surrounds and have subsequently become the responsibility of the facility owner/ operator to rectify adverse issues."

The full feature How Clean is Your Pool Deck? is published in the November/December 2011 issue of Australasian Leisure Management.

If you aren't a reader you can subscribe at www.ausleisure.com.au/magazine

Image included for illustrative purposes only.

2nd August 2011 - CERAMIC TILE SURFACES REDUCES NEED FOR CLEANING AGENTS IN AQUATIC AND RECREATION FACILITIES