Local boards have an enormous challenge when addressing their community’s recreational water programs. Recreational water programs can include swimming pools, spas, hot tubs, and bathing beaches. These venues offer many dangers including the risk of acquiring a disease, injury, or even death. The diversity of community prevention programs, coupled with a constantly changing field, creates unique challenges for boards of health. NALBOH is available to assist boards in utilizing their core programmatic functions to ensure that recreational water venues are safe for public use.
Did you Know?
Model Aquatic Health Code
The Lifeguarding/Bather Supervision Module of the Model Aquatic Health Code is open for public comment through July 30, 2012. This module covers several issues, including standards in training, supervision, and competency for guarded facilities and proper bather supervision at unguarded facilities.
Guidelines for safe recreational waters Volume 1 - Coastal and fresh waters The World Health Organization’s Guidelines for Safe Recreational Water Environments, and its 2009 addendum with updates describe the present state of knowledge regarding the health hazards and risks associated with the recreational use of coastal and freshwater environments – specifically drowning and injury, exposure to cold, heat and sunlight, water quality,contamination of beach sand, exposure to algae and their products, exposure to chemical and physical agents, and dangerous aquatic organisms. Control and Monitoring and management of these hazards and risks are also discussed.
CDC pool inspection data shows room for improvement.
NIOSH Publication
The Salt Lake Valley Health Department behind the scenes video. This video follows a pool inspector as they demonstrate aspects of their job.
Recreation Management magazine features new article on pool safety.
Healthy Swimming Videos Click to view & learn more information about the videos.
In the News...
The Vermont Health Department will be testing recreation water venues each week.
USA Today reports a study showing a decline in children’s drowning injuries and deaths.
The EPA states that playing in beach sand can pose a bigger health risk than swimming in the ocean
The CDC’s Environmental Health Services Branch describes the three Es of healthy swimming.
For more information on Recreational Water Programs, contact Carrie Hribar.
Page updated 3/11/2013.
© Copyright 2013, NALBOH
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