Category: Safety

Indoor Pools and Lightning

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Florida Couple's Toilet Explodes As Lightning Strikes Near Septic Tank: 'Proof Why You Shouldn't Go Near the Bathroom in a Thunderstorm'

It is spring in Texas and that means thunderstorms. It may appear logical that pools and lightning don’t mix, and that is certainly true for outdoor pools. But what about indoor pools? The magazine Aquatics International ran an article in their January 2008 issue entitled “When Lightning Strikes” written by Tom Griffiths and Matthew Griffith. They argued that the practice of clearing indoor pools during outside thunderstorms does not keep people safe and in many cases, may put them in higher-risk situations.

First they looked at statistics from 1990-2003. During that time no deaths were recorded from lightning during indoor swimming activities. There had been 60 swimming pool electrocutions during that time but none of them were from lightning. The reason for that is that the National Electric Code, which has been adopted by every governmental body in the United States, requires all buildings to have the ability to shunt the voltage generated by a lightning strike. What that means is that a building must have a complete lightning protection system, and be properly grounded and bonded. Any indoor pool that is up to the required code is in violation of the National Electric Code section 250.4(A)(1) if they close during a thunderstorm.

The problem is that when the pool closes it puts swimmers and water fitness class participants at greater risk than if they had continued their pool activities. Typically they go to the locker rooms where they shower before changing. There have been numerous cases of shocks and electrocutions of people in showers, or at sinks washing their hands. Some swimmers will be children who have to call for a ride home. There are reports every year of people injured from being shocked while using a landline phone. People who leave the facility have to walk through the parking lot to get to their cars, exposing themselves to a direct lightning strike. In 2006, 99.5% of lightning-related fatalities occurred outdoors. Two occurred indoors, one to a teenager near a window and one to a person using a landline phone. Griffiths and Griffith refer to the idea that indoor pools should close during a thunderstorm as an “urban myth.”

In the June 2019 issue of Aquatics International, Shawn DeRosa followed up on the topic of lightning and indoor pools. He reported that researchers found that there continues to be no unanimity about whether to close an indoor pool during a thunderstorm. 62% of pools stay open. Of the facilities that required patrons to exit the pool, 43% allow patrons to use showers and sinks, and only 13% advised patrons to stay indoors.

Hopefully, your pool allows you to continue your water fitness class or your lap swimming or your swim lessons during a thunderstorm. It is the safest place for you to be. If your class ends or you finish your last lap, then exit the pool and dry off, but stay out of the showers and don’t wash your hands. Give your child a cell phone if he needs to call for a ride home. Then stay indoors, away from large windows or open doors until the storm passes. Stay safe!

See you in the pool!

Author/Instructor Photo

Chris Alexander

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Indoor Pools / Lightning / Safety

More about Masks

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The Coronavirus is mutating and newer variants have emerged in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil. These variants are more contagious than the version that is currently causing most of the cases of COVID-19 in the United States. The new variants have already been detected in the United States and may become more dominant here in the coming weeks. It is therefore important to continue wearing masks, stay 6 feet apart and avoid crowds. COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets. Respiratory droplets travel into the air when you cough, sneeze, talk, shout, or sing. These droplets can then land in the mouths or noses of people who are near you or they may breathe these droplets in. Masks are a barrier that prevents your respiratory droplets from reaching others. Masks also offer some protection to you as well. To increase the protection when you are going to be in an area with a lot of other people, you might even consider wearing two masks. Medical masks and N-95 respirators should not be used because they should be conserved for healthcare personnel. Aside from those, there are several varieties of masks available, and some of them are more effective than others.

Coronavirus Masks: Types, Protection, How & When to Use

Non-medical disposable masks are made of fluid resistant paper and are recommended by the CDC. They are not the same as surgical or other medical masks. They are good in situations where your mask is likely to get wet or dirty. Bring extra disposable masks with you in case you need to change out a wet or dirty mask. Discard them after a single use.

Five Tips for Wearing a Face Mask

Cloth face masks made with breathable fabric, such as cotton and cotton blends are also recommended by the CDC. The fabric should be tightly woven. Hold the fabric up to a light source and if you can see light through the fabric, then it is a loosely woven or knit fabric, which is not recommended. If you don’t see light through the fabric, then the material is tightly woven. There should be 2 or 3 layers of fabric. Single layers work less well because there is not as much material between you and the microbe.

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Masks with an inner filter pocket are also recommended by the CDC. Use a PM2.5 filter or a HEPA filter, which can be purchased online. You can also use a coffee filter cut to fit. The filter can be reused, but discard it after a week, or sooner if it is used every day.

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Gaiters are not recommended because they tend to be single-layer cloth, and they do not usually offer a snug fit.

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Scarf and bandana face masks are also not recommended. Not only is the fabric single layer, it most likely will not be tight around the mouth and nose. Good fit matters.

Why masks with breathing valves don't stop COVID-19 spread

The CDC does not recommend using masks with exhalation valves or vents because this type of mask may not prevent you from spreading COVID-19 to others. The hole in the material may allow your respiratory droplets to escape and reach others.

Make sure your mask fits properly. The more snug the fit, the better. Avoid masks with gaps that allow droplets to escape. Do not wear a mask with your nose or mouth uncovered.

How to Wash a Cloth Face Covering | CDC

If you have a disposable mask, throw it away after wearing it once. Wash a cloth mask whenever it gets dirty or at least daily. It was previously recommended that you wash your mask in a bleach solution, but that is no longer recommended because toxic bleach fumes can remain in the fabric. The CDC now recommends that you wash masks in the washing machine with your regular laundry, using laundry detergent and the appropriate settings according to the fabric label. You can also wash by hand with detergent or soap, being sure to rinse thoroughly. Dry your mask completely in the dryer. You can also hang it in direct sunlight. If that is not possible, hang or lay it flat and let dry completely.

If you are taking your mask off temporarily, for example to eat or drink outside of your home, you can place it somewhere safe to keep it clean, such as your pocket, purse or a paper bag. Make sure to wash or sanitize your hands after removing your mask. Put your mask back on with the same side facing out, and wash or sanitize your hands again afterwards.

For more information on masks see the January/February AARP Bulletin “How to Beat COVID This Year.” Also see the CDC Guidelines for Wearing Masks and the CDC Guidelines on How to Store and Wash Masks.

Stay safe!

Author/Instructor Photo

Chris Alexander

Health information / masks / Safety

Mask Wearing Made Easier

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Some states are loosening restrictions put in place because of the Coronavirus pandemic. In Texas, restaurants are allowed to welcome more diners, schools are opening for in-person instruction and water fitness classes are resuming. This does not mean, however, that the pandemic has ended. COVID-19 is still out there and the basic measures to protect yourself are still important: wash your hands frequently, maintain a social distance of 6 feet, and wear a face mask.

James H. Dickerson, PhD wrote an article published in the October 2020 issue of Consumer Reports on Health entitled “How to Make Mask Wearing Easier” with some timely advice.

  1. Position the mask so that it covers your mouth and nose. This will prevent virus particles from escaping your breath and will also prevent some virus particles from other people’s breath from landing on you. If you leave either your nose or your mouth uncovered, you have removed the protective barrier.
  2. Use a mask with two layers. This improves the mask’s ability to filter out particles no matter what kind of fabric was used to make the mask. Higher thread counts filter a little better than lower thread counts. Another way to improve filtration is to insert cotton batting in between the two layers. Disposable mask filters can also be purchased if your mask has a pocket for them. If you choose to use a vented mask, make sure it has a filter or else the breathing valve will allow you to exhale particles into the air as well as inhale other people’s germs.
  3. If your glasses fog up while wearing your mask, try washing your glasses with soap and water, and then letting them air-dry or drying them with a soft cloth before putting the mask on. You can also try putting your mask on closer to the bridge of your nose to prevent your breath from escaping out the top of your mask. Then make sure the glasses rest on the top edge of your mask.
  4. Try not to touch the mask while you are wearing it. If you need to adjust the mask, touch only the strings or elastic, or at the worst, touch only the outermost edges. The same goes for when you remove the mask. Wash your hands after you handle the mask. Wash your mask in the laundry with laundry detergent or by hand with laundry detergent or soap. Dry it in the dryer or hang it in the sun or lay it flat to dry. Be sure the mask fully dry before wearing it again.
  5. Latex gloves aren’t considered very useful outside of healthcare settings unless you are caring for or cleaning up after someone who is ill. Instead, wash your hands regularly, including after going out in public, and handling mail and packages.

Until we have a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19, mask wearing and social distancing will continue to be important. As for hand washing, that’s a good habit to keep going even with a vaccine. Stay safe!

Author/Instructor Photo

Chris Alexander

Coronavirus / Health information / masks / Safety

Cleaning during the Pandemic

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House PNG images free download

Cases of COVID-19 are surging in Texas where I live, and in many other parts of the United States. Governors want to avoid lock-down orders and are depending on us to wear masks and practice social distancing. This is because the coronavirus spreads mainly through person-to-person contact and wearing masks has been shown to slow the spread of the virus. It is also possible to touch a contaminated surface and then touch our eyes, nose or mouth and pick up the virus that way. So many of us are trying to keep our homes clean and disinfected. Consumer Reports on Health has a helpful article on “The Best Steps for Cleaning and Disinfecting” in their July 2020 issue.

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Cleaning means removing dirt and germs by scrubbing with a cleaner or soap. Disinfecting means applying chemicals that will kill or deactivate germs directly. It’s important to clean surfaces first because that can physically remove many germs and because disinfectants work best on surfaces that aren’t visibly dirty. Places to clean and disinfect daily include anything that is touched frequently, such as tables, chairs, counter tops, light switches, water faucets, flush handles, refrigerator handles, drawer pulls, door knobs, cellphones, tablet screens, keyboards, your computer mouse, remote controls, steering wheels, gear shifts, car door handles, seat adjusters, and any high touch buttons or touch screens in your car. See more about disinfecting your electronics and car below. Disinfect everything else with an antibacterial wipe or spray. If you can’t find wipes, you can mix 4 teaspoons of bleach in a quart of purified water and soak some paper towels in the solution. Wring the paper towels out with clean hands, or wearing gloves, and store them in a sealed plastic bag. Don’t use “color safe” bleach as it is not suitable for disinfecting purposes. If you can’t find disinfectant spray, you can use 70% alcohol in a spray bottle. An article on the mdanderson.org website, says not to use an alcohol concentration higher than 70% because studies have shown that these products just freeze the outside of the virus instead of killing it. In any case, allow the disinfectant to remain on the surface for at least one minute. Do not combine different disinfectants because the chemical reaction can be dangerous.

Do not use bleach on your electronics. Instead wipe your cellphones, tablet screens, keyboards, your computer mouse and remote controls with an alcohol wipe. Alcohol wipes can be found in first aid kits or with the diabetes supplies in a drugstore. You can also wet a cotton ball or square, squeeze out any excess alcohol, and wipe with that. Remove the batteries before cleaning your remote control. Use alcohol on your car steering wheel, gear shift, door handles, seat adjusters, and any high touch buttons or touch screens as well. Bleach or hydrogen peroxide can damage your car’s upholstery. After disinfecting, use a leather conditioner on any leather surfaces to keep them in good shape.

There is no evidence that fruits and vegetables from the grocery store can transmit COVID-19. Still, it’s a good idea to thoroughly rinse produce before you eat it to help remove pesticides and dirt. You can even scrub hard-skinned items like apples with a soft-bristle produce brush. But don’t wash produce with bleach or another disinfectant because that could make you sick.

It is impossible to completely sanitize all surfaces. That’s why hand-washing is so critical. Scrub for at least 20 seconds, completely washing all parts of your hands. The second picture above shows areas that are sometimes missed in the palm and the back of the hand in purple. The areas in green are more frequently missed. Wash your hands after you’ve been out in public, after you cough, sneeze, or blow your nose; before preparing food and before eating food; and after using the bathroom.

This seems like a lot to keep up with, but during this pandemic it is important to stay safe!

Chris Alexander

Coronavirus / Disinfecting / Safety

COVID-19 and Swimming Pools

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Expert: Swimming pool facilities water unlikely to spread ...

Many states have loosened social distancing restrictions in order to get the economy going again. Now, however, we are seeing a rise in Corona virus cases. We would all like to know what to expect with this pandemic, but there is no way to know for sure how it will play out. My doctor’s practice, USMD Health System, has suggested three possible scenarios:

Scenario One — Begins with an initial wave in Spring 2020 followed by a series of smaller waves of infection that last up to two years.
Scenario Two — Begins in Spring 2020 and is followed by a second, larger wave this fall or winter and a smaller one in 2021. If this happens, communities will likely return to quarantines.
Scenario Three — Begins in Spring 2020 and is followed by what the Center for Infectious Disease Research And Policy (CIDRAP) describes as a “slow burn.” That means there’s no clear pattern. This scenario would likely not cause communities to return to quarantines, but infections and deaths would continue.

No matter the scenario, CIDRAP says we should prepare for another 18-24 months of COVID-19. That means we should continue to practice social distancing, wear face masks in public, and wash our hands often.

Our swimming pools have reopened. Lap swimming, swim lessons and water fitness classes are resuming. What should we know about the safety of returning to the pool and what kind of cautious response should we make? Sara Kooperman (the owner of SCW Mania Fitness conventions) and John Spannuth (the president of the US Water Fitness Association) have both asserted that chlorine used to disinfect pool water kills COVID-19. Craig Lord, the Swimming World Editor-in-Chief, agrees that disinfectants, including chlorine, act on viruses and it is reasonable to expect that would include COVID-19. He adds that pool operators also need to observe strict hygiene protocols, including correct maintenance of pool water and air in the facility, as well as heightened levels of cleaning of adjacent surfaces and environments, since the fundamental mode of transmission of COVID-19 is air and not water.

It is likely that if your favorite pool is reopening, the pool operator is aware of the necessary protocols and has trained the staff properly. Those of us who will be using the pool to teach or participate in a water fitness class also need to do our part. Yes Fitness Music has made the following suggestions:

  1. Outdoor pools are safer because air circulation outdoors is better than indoor air circulation.
  2. Our Texas sun and heat often makes an indoor pool preferable. Ask about the air ventilation. Fresh air is better. If the air is recycled, it should go through a filtration system.
  3. Wear a mask.
  4. Maintain social distancing, 6 feet away from the other swimmers or class participants.
  5. Wash your clothing, towels and masks directly after class.

We can all do our part to protect ourselves and those around us. Enjoy the pool safely!

Chris Alexander

Coronavirus / Safety / Uncategorized / water fitness