The authoritative source of expert advice and guidance, recognised by the Health & Safety Executive and OFSTED is the Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group. Establishments that operate swimming pools should check that whoever they select to provide training in swimming pool water treatment are accredited by the Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group. This provides assurance that the training provider has gone through an appropriate vetting and selection procedure.
As a Chartered Health and Safety consultant and lecturer in swimming pool water treatment, I have serious concerns about swimming pool installation contractors who offer training as an ‘add-on’ to their core business of constructing and installing swimming pools. I have personally encountered far too many instances where our clients have previously been miss-advised by swimming pool installation contractors on the measures they should be taking in order to remain compliant with legislation and provide clean, safe and hygienic swimming pool water.
Our clients have often been quite shocked and concerned when they discover the gap that exists between their current practices and full compliance. They tell us they assumed that their swimming pool installation contractor would be advising them properly. Unfortunately, this often turns out to be an erroneous assumption and is usually worse when the swimming pool installation company is one who deals mainly on domestic swimming pools, rather than commercial swimming pools (ALL swimming pools in setting like schools, hospitals, hotels etc. are legally classified as commercial, regardless of their size or design). Some of them are not even competent to install swimming pools, let alone advise on swimming pool water treatment.
Here are some real examples of situations I’ve encountered at client sites:
- Chlorine injection upstream of ultra violet disinfection
- Filters arranged in series
- Pumps so miss-sized that backwashing is impossible
- Clients told they don’t need to bother with microbiological testing
- Clients told they don’t need to bother with water balance testing testing
- Incorrect disinfection selection leading to massive corrosion or scale-formation
- Main supply connected directly to circulation system
- Stabilised chlorine recommended for no obvious reason (leading to problems with chlorine lock)
- Clients advised they don’t need to worry about coagulation
The advice above is based a my general experiences over many years in the industry. I would respectfully urge you to ensure that your training provision is suitable and sufficient.