Training time: a new study suggests that pool operators need better training to navigate the maze of standards, technologies and water chemistry that safe facilities require

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control not only underscored the need for better public pool water standards, but it also indicated that pool operators need better training.

More than half of all public pools in the CDC study violated state health codes. Of those pools with violations, water chemistry had the most frequent infractions, comprising nearly 40 percent of all violations.

Even at sites where training was a prerequisite for employment, the CDC report demonstrated that pool operators were not properly certified.

On the whole, that study found more than 35 percent of operators did not have the appropriate certification. It's no wonder, though, given that most states have nothing to say on that matter. Although 48 states regulate or provide recommendations for pods and their operation, only 15 require that pool operators be trained or certified. That's a serious disconnect.

"The pool operator certification process addresses minimum standards of proficiency and safety. Ignorance of those standards is no excuse for failure to meet those standards," says Lili McGovern, a member of the CDC's National Recreational Waterborne Illness Review Committee and national development director at the Starfish Aquatics Institute in Savannah, Ga.

"No owner, whether that entity is a municipality, a large corporation, a not-for-profit agency or a homeowners' association, can afford to overlook the need for certification," adds McGovern, who's also the former aquatic services manager at the National Recreation and Parks Association.

Certification provides operators with the working knowledge of water chemistry and pool operations necessary to meet state standards. Water chemistry is one of the basic items a pool or spa operator needs to monitor. There are numerous training programs and certification courses (see chart on page 62) that provide participants with a greater understanding of pool and spa operations. But, to date, none of these certifying bodies has empirically shown that educating an operator has significant results. Now, we've completed a scientific study that does. The study shows some promising. findings related to certification of pool operators and maintenance of safer water-chemistry standards. It also suggests that more states--and aquatics facilities--need to require certification to help keep pools safe and patrons healthy.

"The results clearly demonstrate what the aquatic profession has known for decades--that a certified pool operator on location makes a significant difference in the water quality and safe operation of our public pools and spas," says Ralph k. Johnson Ph.D., president/CEO of Professional Aquatic Consultants International in Taylor, S.C., and chairman of North Greenville College's business division. "State and county health departments across the United States need to take advantage of this research."

Study parameters

We based our study on the YMCA because it is the largest operator of public pools in the nation. As such, the results reflect the aquatics industry as a whole. The standard of care for swimming pools and spas located at YMCAs are established by

The Principles of YMCA Aquatics, commonly referred n) as the aquatic guidelines. These national guidelines provide a foundation for the YMCA to both properly operate and maintain aquatic venues within the different associations across all 50 states.

The YMCA's Pool Operator On Location (POOL) certification entails an 8 1/2 hour course. To become nationally certified, participants must attend classes and pass a written exam. A YMCA POOL-certified operator is required to be on staff to monitor and maintain the disinfection, filtration and mechanical operation of each pool to ensure that state and local health department standards are being met." YMCA of the USA requires that water chemistry be monitored hourly.

But while the aquatic guidelines recommend that the pool operator he trained and certified in the YMCA Pool Operator On Location program, it is not actually required, in Fact, non-POOL-certified operators at YMCAs operated 53 percent of the pools and spas.

This is a surprising finding because pools and spas are complicated facilities that require in-depth knowledge of codes, standards, filtration systems, chemical systems, water chemistry and many other factors that can be learned in the POOL course.

Still, this is likely a reflection of what's happening across the aquatics industry. Nearly 90 percent of pool operators have little to no formal training to operate pools properly, according to Don Thorne in his book, Swimming Pool Operator's PRO Manual.

Thus, the focus of the study was to see if POOL-certified operators make a difference as it relates to water chemistry and chlorine levels in pools and spas. Specifically, the study investigated the effects of POOL-certified operators on water chemistry and chlorine standards in 572 pools and spas located at approximately 250 YMCA pools. It was assessed by 12 members of Professional Aquatic Consultants International (PACI), which provides the YMCAs with a comprehensive aquatic risk assessment of all YMCAs insured through Y Services.

Study results

The study compared POOL-certified operators to non-POOL-certified operators on the following variables:

* pH and compliancy with pH;

* combined chlorine and compliancy with combined chlorine;

* Langlier Saturation Index (LSI) and compliancy with LSI.

It should be noted that some extremes are drastically improper, regardless of whether the operators were certified or not: these included pH, free chlorine, combined chlorine and LSI. The results do show, however, that whether a pool is operated by a certified operator or not, the pools and spas need to be operated better as a whole at YMCAs--and, by extension, the industry--to ensure the safety of the users, comfort of bathers, and value of the facility.

When comparing certified pool operators to noncertified operators by observing their respective spa-water qualities, there were statistically significant differences. Specifically, the combined chlorine levels in spas, along with the related compliancy with combined-chlorine standards, showed the following: The mean combined chlorine level was three times as high in spas operated by noncertified operators as compared with those operated by certified op irritation in pools and spas and is the source of the unpleasant smell in aquatic areas.)

The desired chlorine compound--the one that oxidizes and disinfects so well--has no odor and does not irritate under normal circumstances," says Kent Williams, director of Professional Pool Operators of America, based in Newcastle, Calif. "That bad-guy compound, chloramine or 'combined chlorine is the odoriferous irritant. Chloramine,' is both undesirable and avoidable. This fact is a key element in certified training, yet is universally misunderstood by operators without such schooling. The importance of maintaining more chlorine rather than less, thereby precluding the formation of the smelly chloramines, is counterintuitive; only through scientific training does one come to believe it. That training, through AFO, CPO, POOL or some of the health department classes, remains critical to public spa safety."

With these few facts from the study, it is probably a valid generalization that certified operators maintain spas significantly better and certainly less irritatingly to the bather than do noncertified operators.

Significant differences (p<.05) also were found between certified and noncertified operators in the level of pH, the level of combined chlorine and compliancy of combined chlorine standards. This reinforces the fact that YMCAs should he utilizing POOL-certified operators as recommended by their national guidelines, as should other aquatics facilities.

"A certified pool operator on location makes a significant difference in the water quality and safe operation of our public pools and spas," Johnson says. "This study is really the empirical evidence that the field of aquatics needed. Hopefully, it encourages, administrators, health department and aquatic professionals to use trained operators. The study could be used to support mandated pool and spa operator training."

Some other general findings from the study are simply that ranges of pH or ranges for the LSI were maintained ham)wet in the pools and spas that were being operated by the POOL-certified operators compared with the noncertified operators. The certified operators tended to not be so far out in left field.

That only confirms what the YMCA and other facility operators have known for some time.

It costs the industry in more ways than one, says David Golnick, director of risk management services at the YMCA Services Corp.

"This is not only a safety issue, but it also affects cost control and customer satisfaction," Golnick says. "During the safety and risk consultations we conduct for our insured YMCAs, we have found that the YMCAs who have made the commitment to have a certified operator on staff generally run a safer pool and facility."

Training obstacles

So why aren't more operators certified? A number of barriers exist fin not only operators, but also owners of pools that should have certified operators. One of the hurdles is the lack of funding. The courses require operators to attend class for one to two days. This can easily turn into a four-day commitment, especially if travel is involved to get to a training location. Thus, the industry needs to offer better job delivery certification training to operators. For instance, the YMCA could improve the delivery system and access to its POOL course.

Due to the low pay and small salaries typically found in agencies running public pools, there's also frequent operator turnover. Executive directors and administrators may have reservations about training an operator if they turn over the position once a season, in the case of a summer pool, or once a year or more for a year-round facility.

Some states and county health departments will even provide a substantial discount off the pool's permit fees if the applicant is a certified operator. This may make the difference in an agency that's tight on finances because some of these discounts are equal to the registration fee. The agency would still need to cover the operators' time and associated costs such as travel, though.

But as the CDC survey and our study show, that investment needs to be made to ensure safe pools. The industry, as a whole, needs to take a stand that pool and spa operators must be certified.

As the nation becomes more litigious, having certified operators on staff helps protect facilities from liability. Indeed, certifications are already rising for that very reason.

In addition, outbreaks of recreational water illnesses have steadily increased over the past two decades. These are easily preventable with good water quality and knowledgeable operators, making certification of operators even that much more important to all public pools and spa. Anything else is just risky business. As Johnson says, "A YMCA functioning without a trained pool operator assumes the same risk as an association functioning without a lifeguard."

Certifications Available

Course                      Title  Agency            Course Length

Pool Operator On Location   YMCA                     8.5 hours
Certified Pool Operator     National Swimming Pool
                            Foundation               12-16 hours
Aquatic Facility Operator   National Recreation
                            and Park Assoc.          16-20 hours
Study Results

Variable                    POOL certified           Non-Certified
                            Operators

POOL certified              47%                      53%
Average pH                  7.59                     7.49
pH range                    5.6 to 90                30 to 10.0
Average free chlorine       6.24 ppm                 3.83 ppm
Free chlorine range         0.0 to 600.0 ppm         0.0 to 28.0 ppm
Average combined chlorine   .68                      1.03
Combined chlorine range     0.0 to 50                0.0 to 28.0
Average LSI                 +0.16                    +0.13
LSI range                   +3.3 to -4.3             .2.6 to -5.7

Kevin M. Johnston, MS, is principal of KJ Design and a senior consultant with the Professional Aquatic Consultants International. Dr. Michael Kinziger is a professor at University of Idaho in Recreation and Sports Management.

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