Florida Residents Petition for Safe Public Pools

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Aug. 26, 2015 - PRLog -- The Florida Department of Health (DOH) has ensured that public pools are following safety standards for nearly a century. However, DOH may not be able to provide these services without Florida residents’ help.

Florida is home to more than 37,000 public swimming pools that are used by residents and tourists alike. Each year, roughly 19.5 million Florida residents and 100 million visitors go to these public pools. Privatized commercial Palm Beach pool service providers generally maintain these public pools. To ensure those private companies follow safety procedures, the Florida Department of Health (DOH) inspects commercial pools and the surrounding areas. However, due to a change in state legislation, DOH will not be able to provide many necessary services. Florida Public Pool Coalition has started a petition, and is urging residents to sign it to change the law. DOH would like to continue to inspect pools and provide a safe swimming environment in commercial pools.

Last year, the DOH cited 27,000 pool violations. The Florida Public Pool Coalition argues that this number alone displays the immediate need for its inspection services. Currently, the DOH can still inspect water quality and deck equipment, but they can no longer inspect other vital areas of the pool, including: fences and gates, ladders, depth markers, drain gates, and problems with electricity (GFCI protection). These are all areas that commercial Palm Beach pool service providers usually maintain. According to the National Environmental Health Association, inspection of these items could help prevent drowning occurrences. The DOH’s 40-item inspection checklist can no longer be used under the current legislation.

In 2012, lawmakers took away the DOH’s ability to inspect building and construction items. The law was intended to remove duplicative services because the Florida Building Commission was also performing the same types of services. When working properly, the law did save government money.

The law, however, had unintended consequences. The law did not clarify if the DOH could continue to inspect building - or construction - related items at commercial swimming pools. The result has been that the DOH cannot inspect them, but no one has taken their place to ensure Palm Beach pool service providers do their job properly. Lawmakers thought that local building departments would address this problem, but local departments only inspect while the pool is being built, not when it is open and operating.

Lawmakers brought up the issue once during the 2015 Legislative Session. Unfortunately, an amendment to the existing law did not pass. This may have been in part because of the shorter Legislative Session, but some lawmakers still do not agree that the DOH should be able to continue these inspections.

The DOH, also, ensures that the company who cleans and maintains the pool is licensed in the State of Florida. If the company is not licensed, then the commercial pool is automatically shut down. There are serious dangers that could crop up when commercial pools do not use licensed Palm Beach pool service providers, particularly regarding chemicals.

Pool Doctor of the Palm Beaches is a licensed State of Florida commercial pool service provider. They, like many commercial service providers, understand the importance of having a pool that is safe for residents and visitors alike. Pool Doctor of the Palm Beaches supports the continued DOH inspections because they help ensure that visitors will not be harmed by the pool water or surrounding equipment.

For more information about Palm Beach pool services or the Florida Public Pool Coalition Petition, visit Pool Doctor of the Palm Beaches’ podcast on this topic here: http://www.poolspalmbeaches.com/pool-podcast-commercial-p...