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Workplace Safety

June 1, 2011

Make safety a priority

Keeping the workplace safe should be the first priority for any business owner, particularly in the pool and spa sector. A safe environment will contribute to a healthy future for the individual businesses and for the industry. Pool and spa professionals have a responsibility to their employees to train, protect and alert them to any potential hazard, and properly care for them should an accident occur. It makes good business sense to get a safety plan in place today.

The author invites comments through an online threaded discussion. What are some of the elements you, as a pool professional, have implemented into your workplace safety plan? What areas of your business do you focus on to prevent workplace injuries? E-mail your experiences, thoughts and suggestions on how to make the workplace safer to ccentrella@keiseruniversity.edu.

A SAFETY-SPECIFIC REVIEW FOR POOL AND SPA PROFESSIONALS
Chemicals
● Where possible, keep chemicals separated from other compounds, especially fuel, petroleum products, solvents, paints, thinners, pesticides and lubricants.
● Read all chemical labels carefully and understand dilution methods. Be sure to read, review and maintain Material Data Safety Sheets (MSDS) for all chemicals.
● Keep service trucks clean and free of chemical residue. If more than one chemical is being transported, divide the truck into sections, keeping acids away from chlorine products. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) can also be used to create a barrier between chemicals in the truck bed.

Vehicles
● Inspect all vehicles regularly and promptly clean any dirt, debris, residue, oil, grease and soap buildup in the truck bed, which can be both unsightly and dangerous. At least once a week, remove all containers and equipment and thoroughly hose out the truck bed.
● Make sure tires have good treads and are properly inflated.
● Test all lights regularly (e.g. brake and signal lights, trailer taillights).
● Keep the windows clean and windshield wipers functioning properly.
● Secure construction truck piping and other materials to prevent them from falling out while driving.

Job sites
● Mark empty holes with safety or barrier tape. Failure to include this type of warning is a major liability issue.
● Watch for exposed rebar, tie wires and nails during pool formation.
● Take care when using gunite nozzles, as the high pressure can throw off one’s balance and cause injury. Gunite or shotcrete hoses can also become clogged if the wrong mixture is used, so be sure to include mandatory training for everyone working with this equipment.
● Identify all utilities on the job site and contact local authorities to mark existing gas and electrical lines.
● Provide plenty of drinking water and ice coolers to crews working in the heat.

 

Centrella_HeadshotConnie Gibson Centrella, MBA, is professor and program director for the online Aquatic Engineering Degree Program at Keiser University eCampus, as well as director of education for Team Horner and a member of the National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF) Education Committee. She is also a sustainability officer, having been certified in the principles of green and sustainable business practices. Centrella, five-time recipient of the Evelyn C. Keiser Teaching Excellence Award, is celebrating more than 40 years in the pool and spa industry.

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