Swim safety: Pool chemicals

By Emma Peterson. 

Help customers avoid a trip to the emergency room by sharing proper ways to choose, add and store pool chemicals correctly.  

When we dream of an idyllic summer day, many of us probably think of taking a dip in a crystal clear, blue pool. What our imagination probably doesn’t add is a slight scent of chlorine and the other chemicals (like bromine) that are used to make those pools so beautiful and keep their occupants safe.  

How do these chemicals keep swimmers safe? Faith Olbrych, assistant lab manager at Teddy Bear Pools & Spa explained, “Keeping balanced water is essential for not only the clarity of the water, but also the safety of the swimmers. In unsafe conditions, bacteria can grow very rapidly, and that can lead to a lot of RWI, recreational water illnesses.” Furthermore, there are pool chemicals that are used to stop corrosion and scaling of pool equipment and algae growth. 

But it’s important to remember that, while more commonplace and consumer-friendly, pool chemicals are still chemicals. Faith shared a harrowing story about what can happen when pool chemicals are mixed incorrectly. “There was a woman who mixed two different kinds of pool shock in a bucket. And it exploded, and she was sent to the emergency room with severe burns,” Faith explained. As a pool professional, it is key that you talk to your clients about how they are using and storing their pool chemicals to avoid this type of scenario.  

Choosing the right chemicals 

The first and foremost rule of pool chemicals – only used approved chemicals. The second rule – never mix chemicals yourself. Emergency medicine physician Baruch Fertel, MD, explained in an article for Cleveland Clinic, “If you have a hard time finding the pool chemicals that you need, don’t resort to ‘homegrown brews’ or ‘homegrown mixtures.’ We know there are a lot of things that are in short supply right now. Pool chemicals are no exception. It’s important to use things that are safe and certified for use in a pool. It’s not the time to experiment.” 

Adding the chemicals to the pool 

While this might feel straightforward, there are right and wrong ways to add chemicals to the water. The key is to make sure you are adding the powder to the water, not the other way around. Dr. Baruch elaborated, “When you’re adding chemicals to a pool, always add the powder to the water, not the water to the powder. When even a little bit of water gets on some pool chemicals, something called ‘wetting’ occurs. Chemical wetting can cause a dangerous reaction and combustibility. That’s why it’s really important to add pool chemicals to the water.” 

Storing pool chemicals 

Last but far from least, pool chemicals must be stored in a dry area away from anything that might leak. This is because any cross-contamination, either by water or other chemicals can be very dangerous. You should also never combine chemicals for storage purposes, even if they have the same label. Dr. Baruch share some good storage practices saying, “Pool chemicals should be stored in a dry area. Make sure that there are no other chemicals or items on the shelves above that could potentially drip down on them. The containers that the chemicals are in should also be sealed tightly.” 

A great resource to refer your clients to is the Center of Disease Control’s Healthy Swimming webpage, that goes into depth about pool chemical storage and safety! 

Original image source: CDC