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POOL PLANT – RAISING AWARENESS AT LIW


STA Calls For Pool Plant Management To Be Made A Priority


AS THE LEAD AWARDING BODY FOR SWIMMING POOL AND SPA PLANT TRAINING,STA WILL BE AT LIW 2013RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF POOL PLANT MANAGEMENT IN ORDER TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH FROM INFECTIONS SUCH AS CRYPTOSPORIDIUM – AND THE REPUTATION OF THE INDUSTRY


ideal platform for STA to reinforce why pool plant management should be made a priority, and why it is so important for leisure operators to have properly qualified staff. He said: “Unfortunately standards and approaches to pool water management are slipping. This is because of budget cuts and a general lack of understanding of what proper pool water management involves; however, the consequences of these lax, short- term attitudes could prove very costly for the industry. One recent cryptosporidium outbreak cost a centre £450,000. An outbreak can also be very damaging for a centre’s reputation, and could result in an investigation from enforcing officers. In extreme cases, prosecution and legal claims can be made related to illness caused by poorly treated pool water.”


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MODERN DAY APPROACH In response to these challenges and in line with modern-day thinking, STA recently relaunched its Level 2 and Level 3 Swimming Pool and Spa Water Treatment qualifications to ensure the content is up-to-date, relevant to the needs of its learners and at costs that meet current economic requirements. They cover half-day awards in Water Testing through to three-day Pool Plant Operators qualifications. Uniquely, the Level 3 Pool Plant Operators course contains chapters on Spas, Interactive Play Features, Energy Conservation and Health & Safety. The syllabus also covers the special demands of hydrotherapy pools to ensure that staff responsible for the management of pools in facilities such as special schools and hospitals, where hydrotherapy pools are common, are trained to the correct standard and are able to maintain safe bathing conditions. All the awards are supported with extensive learning materials too, including a comprehensive new manual that covers all


40 August 2013 SPN


obbie Phillips, STA’s Senior Pool Plant Tutor says that LIW, as the UK’s largest leisure trade show, provides the


of the new unitised courses in detail, supported with user-


friendly colour images and diagrams – and acts as a useful reference document. As a further step, STA has also introduced online revalidations for pool and spa plant operators. Pool Plant Operators can now revalidate their qualifications online for just £45 and qualifications from CIMSPA, Active IQ and ISPE are all accepted for conversion / revalidation to STA.


“This will negate the need, where applicable, to send staff out onto revalidation seminars, saving them both time and money. For those who prefer to attend a course, revalidation courses are also available at selected sites,” added Robbie. STAadmin.co.uk, STA’s revolutionary online leisure management system, will also be on show at LIW 2013, which has been designed to help operators manage staff qualifications, training and safety obligations as well as monitor water treatment – the latter with a real time traffic light system. The system’s unique online pool chemical monitoring system helps operators pro- actively control and maintain the correct disinfectant and pH levels, and automatically alerts staff of pool plant issues that need immediate action.


“Often there is a lack of action when poor readings are identified from testing pool water. With STAadmin, managers are alerted quickly so that appropriate action can be taken for the safety of the customers and the maintenance of pool water standards.” STA is leading the way when it comes to prioritising pool plant management


operations,” explained Robbie. “The public needs absolute confidence that the industry is doing everything possible to keep pool water safe and hygienic.” STA’s Pool Plant team will be at LIW on Stand P120 offering practical and technical advice throughout the three-day show in Birmingham. Operators can also take away STA’s free ‘Rules for Pools’ and ‘Rules for Clean Pools’ posters to display prominently in the changing areas and poolside. There will also be live practical pool plant sessions in the all-new STA SwimZone.


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STA 01922 645097 www.sta.co.uk


NEW PILOT WITH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH


OFFICERS


At LIW 2013, STA will also be promoting how they have been working with environmental health officers on a pilot project in Wales, which sees a new approach to auditing a pool’s operation and the possession of pool water qualifications; an approach that may shortly be rolled out across the UK. Robbie who is assisting in the pilot project on behalf of STA said: “STA is the only organisation that is actively raising awareness about the importance of pool plant management, and this led to us recently providing technical support, including CPD training sessions and seminars on ‘Managing Cryptosporidium in Swimming Pools’, for environmental health officers under the umbrella of Public Health Wales.


“The project has been a great success.


We have seen an increased activity in the auditing of pool water management among environmental health officers, all of whom are well aware of pool operators’ legal requirements to provide a safe, hygienic environment in all swimming facilities,” confirmed Robbie.


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