Safety Standards for Therapy Pools
Published by the Aquatic Therapy & Rehab Institute
Author: Dr. Mary Wykle
Editor:
Ruth Sova
Committee
Chair: Dr. Mary Wykle
Copyright 2003
SAFETY STANDARDS FOR THERAPY POOLS
Aquatic therapy facilities accept responsibility to abide by
a Standard of Care that adheres to the principles of risk management. The
purpose of these Standards describes the safe operation of the facility used
for aquatic therapy and rehabilitation. The National Spa and Pool Institute has
facility standards for pool design and workmanship to insure product integrity.
Public agencies regulate quality control. Aquatic therapy practitioners must
often work in pools beyond their control, unless they are specifically involved
in the building of the pool.
Standard I - Aquatic therapy pools will have an appropriate and comprehensive Emergency Action Plan insuring timely response to emergencies and situations that endanger the health and safety of the users.
A.
The Emergency Action Plan will be in writing and posted
within the facility.
B.
The Emergency Action Plan will insure emergencies are
handled in a safe, efficient, and effective manner.
C.
Personnel and staff will be trained to respond and execute
the Emergency Action Plan in a timely manner.
All will know how to activate emergency code procedures.
D.
Personnel and staff will know their role in implementation
of the Plan.
E.
A systematic line of communication will be available in the
immediate pool area with emergency numbers, dialing instructions, and
directions to the pool posted by the telephone.
F.
Regular training and practice drills will be conducted and
documented.
G.
Surveillance and monitoring plans are written and posted as
part the Emergency Action Plan.
H.
Two evacuation routes are posted in diagram form and
included in the Plan.
I.
A documentation file is part of the annual competency
assessment and includes
Standard II - Administrative standards will be identified and implemented by the person with supervisory responsibility to insure a safe environment for staff and clients.
A. Daily
safety checks of the facility will be conducted before opening and after closing
by designated staff and documented.
This includes the pool area, dressing and shower areas, and facility
entrances.
B. Signage
will be posted according to ANSI guidelines listing therapy pool use rules,
warnings, and regulatory signs. Pool
rules will be posted away from congestion and easy to read. Warning signs will be placed before the
danger area.
C. The pool
supervisor should be a certified as a pool operator.
D. All
therapy pool personnel and staff will maintain and display a copy of current
certifications and licenses with expiration dates in CPR, First Aid, Risk
Management and Water Safety/Lifeguarding skills, and specialized training. Personnel are encouraged to have Industry
Certification, AED, and Supplemental Oxygen certificates.
E. Certified
lifeguards will provide supervision whenever the therapy pool is in use and
follow the guidelines recommended by the National Aquatic Coalition. State certifications and licenses are
required or approved in some states.
F. Appropriateness
of water therapy will follow standard indications, precautions, and
contraindications. Individual therapy
pools will make final decisions.
Standard III - Therapy pools will comply with applicable
published national, state, and local government agency rules, regulations,
health codes, and published standards.
A.
The supervisor in charge of the therapy pool will obtain a
copy of and prudently review relevant state, county, and/or city pool health
codes, regulations, and available checklists or information sheets.
B.
Precautions established by the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's
Blood-Borne Pathogen Rule and the Preventing Disease Transmission plan will be
in writing and implemented in practice and regular training. Equipment data and report forms will be
completed and all incidents documented and handled according to guidelines.
C.
Compliance with the Hazard Communication Standard requires
Material Safety Data Sheets on all chemicals stored at the facility, containers
of hazardous chemical properly marked and stored, and all trained in execution
of the written Exposure Control Plan.
D.
The supervisor of the therapy pool will retain a copy of
state and local regulations that apply to therapy pools and insure minimum
legal standards are enforced.
Standard IV - Therapy pools will maintain appropriate water chemistry, air quality, and ventilation.
A.
Therapy pools will have properly operating filtration and
drainage systems to accommodate overflow of water from the pool. Drains and skimmers will be cleaned on a
regular schedule.
B.
Water circulation and filtration systems will be of
appropriate size and operated 24 hours a day.
C.
Water clarity will meet published guidelines.
D.
Water will be tested on a regular schedule to insure water
quality and chemical levels are within acceptable ranges. The analysis log will be posted.
E.
Water chemistry and air quality and ventilation will be
based on and dependent upon desired water temperature of the therapy pool.
F.
Health codes regulating the quantity and quality of
sanitizer used as disinfectants for preventing contamination and clean up after
an incident will be followed.
G.
Therapy pools will coordinate with health departments and
independent laboratories for water sampling to test for organisms and
contaminants.
H.
The recirculation system of the therapy pool will be
separate. It will not interconnect to a
non-therapeutic pool.