Procedure
Once notified of a reported contamination of a pool/spa;
1. Notify engineering dispatch.
2. Notify pool manager
3. Notify front desk and director of hotel.
4. Clear all guests from the water.
5. Position pool staff, signs and/or stanchions around the pool area to prevent re-entry until disinfection
is complete.
Establish a Biohazard Incident Log
Document each biohazard incident by recording date and time of the event, whether it involved blood, vomit, formed stool or diarrhea and the free chlorine and pH levels, the procedures followed in response to the biohazard incident (including the process used to increase chlorine levels if necessary) and the contact time.
Remove as much of the solid material as possible using a net, bucket or portable vacuum and dispose of it in a sanitary manner. Clean and disinfect the item used to remove the solid material (for example, after cleaning, leave the net or bucket immersed in the pool during disinfection).
Sanitize the Pool/Spa Depending on Type of Contamination > BLOOD
Germs (e.g. hepatitis B virus or HIV) found in blood are spread when infected blood or certain body fluids get into the body and bloodstream (e.g. by sharing needles and by sexual contact). CDC is not aware of any of these germs being transmitted to swimmers from a blood spill in a pool/spa, as these germs do not survive long when diluted into properly chlorinated water.
> VOMIT
Often vomiting is a result of swallowing too much water and therefore, the vomit is probably not infectious. However, if the full content of the stomach are vomited, follow the same guidelines as for formed stool fecal incidents.
> FORMED (solid) STOOL
Formed stools can act as a container for germs. If the fecal matter is solid, removing the feces from the pool/spa without breaking it apart will limit the degree of pool/spa contamination. In addition, recreational water illnesses (RWIs) are more likely to be spread when someone who is ill with diarrhea has a fecal incident in the pool/spa.
1. Be sure the free chlorine level is greater than 2 ppm and pH is 7.5 or less and temperature is 77°F or higher. This chlorine concentration was selected to keep the pool/spa closure time to 30 minutes.
2. Maintain free chlorine concentration at greater than 2 ppm and pH 7.5 or less for at least 30 minutes before re-opening the pool/spa. Ensure that the filtration system is operating while the pool/spa reaches and maintains the proper free chlorine concentration during the disinfection process.
> DIARRHEA
Diarrhea incidents are much more likely then formed stool to contain germs. Therefore, it is important that all swimmers be removed from the pool/spa as soon as possible.
1. Notify pool manager that you are shocking the pool/spa.
2. Raise the free chlorine concentration to 20 ppm and maintain pH of 7.5 or less and a temperature of 77°F
or higher. The free chlorine and pH should remain at these levels for at least 12.75 hours. 3. Refer to chart in equipment room for amount of calcium hypochlorite to add to pool/spa.