Benefits of Education for Pool Pros: CERTIFIED POOL OPERATOR COURSES

BY LAUREN BROOM | PHOTOS: SPACE COAST POOL SCHOOL

During my time as a public pool health inspector in Florida, I checked pool operator certification two times per year. Once, I inspected a public pool that had many violations that resulted in pool closure due to lack of free chlorine and high pH levels. Upon checking the certification of the local pool company technician, it turned out that the technician was not certified. A lack of education for pool pros could have explained the many severe public health and safety violations that I saw. A phone call to the pool company resulted in enrollment of their pool tech in an approved pool operator certification course within 30 days.

This certification is nationally recognized with a standardized curriculum on health and safety that is accepted by most regulatory authorities. Having this certification allows a pool service technician to clean and service public and private pools. It could help increase the customer base of the pool service company but also the quality of service given. In time, this will help the pool service tech to retain customers through thorough service that results from this training program. Uninformed pool techs can become informed pool techs if they are serious about completing pool industry training. However, it should be noted that this certification is not a state license and does not allow repair of any pool.

First, why would a pool professional get CPO® certified? Most pool pros initially get their certification so they can service and maintain commercial pools. What not that many pool pros realize is just how important proper training is for continued success. Risk management is one topic not often considered in the pool industry and sometimes the pool pro does it without even knowing that they are. Identification of risks and meeting OSHA standards in the pool industry is not something often followed or discussed. These topics are briefly covered in this course to minimize or eliminate safety hazards in the pool area. Also, recordkeeping is highlighted as one of the most important items for a pool service tech to do after training. Proper recordkeeping helps to legally protect a pool pro by showing that they were not negligent. Do not underestimate the usefulness of a detailed chemical and maintenance log. As in the case with many other industries, if you don’t document it, the inspector won’t believe that you did it!

A pool pro should learn which pool chemicals that they could use as a disinfectant against recreational water illnesses and oxidize other contaminants. This concept is very important to maintain a safe and healthy pool. Disinfectants are the main tool that any pool service tech can utilize to keep algae out of the water and to prevent recreational water illnesses. The CPO® course details all the chemical tools available to the pool professional.

The most important concept taught in the CPO® Course is water balance. This is the one concept that a pool pro should take away from this course. Pool water balance takes all the individual puzzle pieces of total alkalinity, pH, calcium hardness, total dissolved solids (TDS) and temperature and put them together. These water balance parameters are connected to each other to determine if the water is corrosive(hungry) or scaling(overstuffed) water. The ideal result is to have the pool water balanced. The pool pro learns about the consequences of unbalanced water on the pool surface and all other pool system components that the water touches. These consequences can be financially devastating to the pool customers and ultimately lead to loss of customers.

Water balance is a great tool for private pools too. A vast majority of newly constructed private pools are on salt chlorine generators. Pool water imbalance has a negative effect on a salt chlorine generator and its ability to properly generate free chlorine into the water. In turn, this affects how recreational water illnesses are killed and algae is destroyed. Pool water levels are not always going to be properly balanced, and changes have to be made to correct these imbalances. Pool chemical dosage, or the amount of chemicals to be added to a pool to correct imbalanced pool water levels is heavily covered in this course. Pool pro should leave this course with an improved understanding of what chemicals to use in the proper amount. Improper training can result in chemical overdoses or not adding enough chemicals to correct imbalances. Overdoses can cause harm to pool users, such as burns. The lack of proper education for pool pros can ultimately lead to people being harmed.

Proper water testing procedures are covered in the CPO® Course. Handson pool water testing occurs at many in person CPO courses. Many pool pros are amazed at some of the small mistakes they make on water testing after the completion of the course. The pool pro will even learn about the proper method to store their pool test kit. As an instructor, proper test kit storage is a small topic but one of the biggest mistakes made by pool pros. Typically, they do not realize how improper test kit storage affects obtaining accurate water test results.

Entrapment involves a person getting stuck on a suction outlet, mostly the main drain outlet. Suction entrapment is a very important topic covered in the CPO® Course. It tackles the two main types of pool circulation designs and how they impact entrapment. The course details prevention as the best line of defense. Most pool codes require the use of a main drain cover that meets the Virginia Graham Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act of 2008. Pool pros are taught how important it is for them to do their visual safety inspections of these main drain covers to ensure they are intact and not loose or missing.

Furthermore, the course also shows that a vacuum line cover is also on direct suction and that those vacuum line safety covers must also be compliant. Children can still get their arms entrapped even if the vacuum pump is inoperable.

Pool pros shall understand what the different parts of a pool system are that control circulation, filtration, chemical treatment and heating. The CPO® course highlights each section of the pool equipment and how it works in the pool. The course details basic maintenance and problems with the equipment that can be handled by a certified pool operator. Remember, any repairs still must be completed by a licensed pool contractor.

Pool pros should be taught about the local public pool rules and how they apply to their facilities. As an inspector, I would inspect public pools and come across so many poorly trained pool pros that did not even know how a public pool was defined or how it was regulated. In these instances, the pools would usually be closed due to lack of proper training on Chapter 64E-9, F.A.C. CPO® Instructors are required to educate on the local regulatory code with their students.

In my experience of conducting pool inspections, I have truly seen the implications from the lack of formal training like the CPO® Course can have on a pool service business. Education is one item that a pool service tech can do for themselves to stay in compliance, but to also to just keep the pool healthy and safe. Many public pool closures can be prevented through proper education.