RESUMO
In this paper we describe the laws and rules applying to swimming pools. Authorization activity title for recreational swimming pools is regulated according to articles 80 and 86 of the TULPS R.D.n°773/1931. In Regione Toscana periodic management of the hygienic requirements for swimming pools is regulated by Regional Decree 54R/2015. It requires the evaluation of physical-chemical and microbiological indicators. The law applies to structural and organizational requirements of swimming pools as well as defines responsabilities of managers.
Assuntos
Higiene , Saúde Pública , Piscinas/legislação & jurisprudência , Piscinas/normas , Qualidade da Água/normas , Humanos , Higiene/legislação & jurisprudência , Água/análise , Microbiologia da ÁguaRESUMO
Four-sided, non-climbable pool fencing is an effective strategy for preventing children from drowning in home swimming pools. In 2009, the Queensland Government introduced legislation to improve the effectiveness of pool fencing. This study explores community attitudes towards the effectiveness of these legislative changes and examines child (<5 years) drowning deaths in pools. Data from the 2011 Queensland Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) Social Survey include results from questions related to pool ownership and pool fencing legislation. Fatal child drowning cases between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2015 were sourced from coronial data. Of the 1263 respondents, 26/100 households had a pool. A total of 58% believed tightening legislation would be effective in reducing child drowning deaths. Pool owners were more likely to doubt the effectiveness of legislation (p < 0.001) when compared to non-pool owners. Perceptions of effectiveness did not differ by presence of children under the age of five. There were 46 children who drowned in Queensland home pools (7.8/100,000 pools with children residing in the residence/annum) between 2005 and 2015. While pool owners were less likely to think that tightening the legislation would be effective, the number of children drowning in home swimming pools declined over the study period. Drowning prevention agencies have more work to do to ensure that the most vulnerable (young children in houses with swimming pools) are protected.
Assuntos
Acessibilidade Arquitetônica/legislação & jurisprudência , Afogamento/prevenção & controle , Planejamento Ambiental/legislação & jurisprudência , Piscinas/legislação & jurisprudência , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Afogamento/epidemiologia , Humanos , Lactente , Masculino , Queensland/epidemiologiaRESUMO
After over a decade the Italian regulation on hygiene and surveillance in swimming pools is under revision based on WHO guidelines and current laws from other European countries. The Ministry of Health is proposing an update of the Annex 1 that contains physical, chemical and microbiological indicators for monitoring swimming pool hygiene. The authors review current regulations and the new proposal for updating surveillance. A comparison of Annex 1 as approved in 2003 and the new version as proposed in 2016 allowed to enlighten innovative improvements. The suggested updates underwent a public consultation through an online questionnaire involving citizens and stakeholders, following the required procedure for accessing the final approval of a new regulation. The updates include new requirements and changes involving several controls and microbiological parameters. Safety of recreational waters is presently under revision in different European countries. This updating process is a valuable opportunity to implement critical control points and improve monitoring. The final aim is an optimization of surveillance in terms of efficacy and costs, with an advantage for both the National Health Service as the swimming pool management.
Assuntos
Saúde Pública/legislação & jurisprudência , Piscinas/legislação & jurisprudência , Europa (Continente) , Governo , Humanos , Itália , Piscinas/normas , Microbiologia da Água/normasRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Swimming pool attendance exposes users to infection and chemical risks that could be largely reduced with the adoption of healthy behaviors. This study aims to investigate if the knowledge of swimming pool regulations and awareness of health risks can be associated with users' health-related behaviors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted using self-administered questionnaires to collect data from two different target groups of swimming users: 184 adults and 184 children/adolescents. The association between specific variables and patterns of behaviors and knowledge was assessed through multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: Although more than 80% of both groups declared they knew the regulations, compliance with healthy behaviors was often unsatisfactory, especially in adolescents and youth. In the children/adolescents group, healthy behaviors significantly increased with the frequency of attendance per week. In both groups, compliance increased with educational level (of parents for children/adolescents), while no positive association was observed between viewing the regulations and adopting appropriate behaviors. In the adult group, a higher knowledge/awareness of health risks was related to decreased odds of at least one unhealthy behavior. CONCLUSIONS: Guaranteeing the public display of regulations in swimming facilities is not sufficient to promote and change health-related behaviors. Much more attention should be given to educational interventions aimed to increase knowledge of health risks and the awareness that bathers are directly responsible for their own well-being.
Assuntos
Regulamentação Governamental , Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde , Segurança , Piscinas/legislação & jurisprudência , Adolescente , Adulto , Criança , Estudos Transversais , Feminino , Comportamentos Relacionados com a Saúde , Humanos , Conhecimento , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Pais/psicologia , Inquéritos e Questionários , Natação , Estados Unidos , Adulto JovemRESUMO
PROBLEM/CONDITION: Aquatic facility-associated illness and injury in the United States include disease outbreaks of infectious or chemical etiology, drowning, and pool chemical-associated health events (e.g., respiratory distress or burns). These conditions affect persons of all ages, particularly young children, and can lead to disability or even death. A total of 650 aquatic facility-associated outbreaks have been reported to CDC for 1978-2012. During 1999-2010, drownings resulted in approximately 4,000 deaths each year in the United States. Drowning is the leading cause of injury deaths in children aged 1-4 years, and approximately half of fatal drownings in this age group occur in swimming pools. During 2003-2012, pool chemical-associated health events resulted in an estimated 3,000-5,000 visits to U.S. emergency departments each year, and approximately half of the patients were aged <18 years. In August 2014, CDC released the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC), national guidance that can be adopted voluntarily by state and local jurisdictions to minimize the risk for illness and injury at public aquatic facilities. REPORTING PERIOD COVERED: 2013. DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM: The Network for Aquatic Facility Inspection Surveillance (NAFIS) was established by CDC in 2013. NAFIS receives aquatic facility inspection data collected by environmental health practitioners when assessing the operation and maintenance of public aquatic facilities. This report presents inspection data that were reported by 16 public health agencies in five states (Arizona, California, Florida, New York, and Texas) and focuses on 15 MAHC elements deemed critical to minimizing the risk for illness and injury associated with aquatic facilities (e.g., disinfection to prevent transmission of infectious pathogens, safety equipment to rescue distressed bathers, and pool chemical safety). Although these data (the first and most recent that are available) are not nationally representative, 15.7% of the estimated 309,000 U.S. public aquatic venues are located in the 16 reporting jurisdictions. RESULTS: During 2013, environmental health practitioners in the 16 reporting NAFIS jurisdictions conducted 84,187 routine inspections of 48,632 public aquatic venues. Of the 84,187 routine inspection records for individual aquatic venues, 78.5% (66,098) included data on immediate closure; 12.3% (8,118) of routine inspections resulted in immediate closure because of at least one identified violation that represented a serious threat to public health. Disinfectant concentration violations were identified during 11.9% (7,662/64,580) of routine inspections, representing risk for aquatic facility-associated outbreaks of infectious etiology. Safety equipment violations were identified during 12.7% (7,845/61,648) of routine inspections, representing risk for drowning. Pool chemical safety violations were identified during 4.6% (471/10,264) of routine inspections, representing risk for pool chemical-associated health events. INTERPRETATION: Routine inspections frequently resulted in immediate closure and identified violations of inspection items corresponding to 15 MAHC elements critical to protecting public health, highlighting the need to improve operation and maintenance of U.S. public aquatic facilities. These findings also underscore the public health function that code enforcement, conducted by environmental health practitioners, has in preventing illness and injury at public aquatic facilities. PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION: Findings from the routine analyses of aquatic facility inspection data can inform program planning, implementation, and evaluation. At the state and local level, these inspection data can be used to identify aquatic facilities and venues in need of more frequent inspections and to select topics to cover in training for aquatic facility operators. At the national level, these data can be used to evaluate whether the adoption of MAHC elements minimizes the risk for aquatic facility-associated illness and injury. These findings also can be used to prioritize revisions or updates to the MAHC. To optimize the collection and analysis of aquatic facility inspection data and thus application of findings, environmental health practitioners and epidemiologists need to collaborate extensively to identify public aquatic facility code elements deemed critical to protecting public health and determine the best way to assess and document compliance during inspections.
Assuntos
Fiscalização e Controle de Instalações , Logradouros Públicos/legislação & jurisprudência , Piscinas/legislação & jurisprudência , Humanos , Logradouros Públicos/normas , Saúde Pública , Piscinas/normas , Estados UnidosRESUMO
Public session access to diving boards is one of the stepping stones for those wishing to develop their skills in the sport of diving. The extent to which certain dive forms are considered risky (forward/backward/rotations) and therefore not permitted is a matter for local pool managers. In Study 1, 20 public pools with diving facilities responded to a U.K. survey concerning their diving regulation policy and related injury incidence in the previous year. More restrictive regulation of dive forms was not associated with a decrease in injuries (rs [42] = -0.20, p = 0.93). In Study 2, diving risk perception and attitudes towards regulation were compared between experienced club divers (N = 22) and nondivers (N = 22). Risk was perceived to be lower for those with experience, and these people favored less regulation. The findings are interpreted in terms of a risk thermostat model, where for complex physical performance activities such as diving, individuals may exercise caution in proportion to their ability and previous experience of success and failure related to the activity. Though intuitively appealing, restrictive regulation of public pool diving may be ineffective in practice because risk is not simplistically associated with dive forms, and divers are able to respond flexibly to risk by exercising caution where appropriate.
Assuntos
Mergulho/legislação & jurisprudência , Gestão de Riscos , Piscinas/legislação & jurisprudência , Humanos , Assunção de Riscos , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosRESUMO
(1) Outbreaks of diseases associated with aquatic venues have nearly quadrupledto more than 40 per year. (2) The Cryptosporidium (Crypto) germ is the leading cause of diarrheal outbreaks related to swimming pools. (3) A national voluntary effort is underway to reduce the number of illnesses and injuries from recreational water facilities.
Assuntos
Recreação , Piscinas/legislação & jurisprudência , Natação/legislação & jurisprudência , Humanos , Estados Unidos , Microbiologia da ÁguaAssuntos
Saúde Ambiental/legislação & jurisprudência , Política de Saúde/legislação & jurisprudência , Saúde Pública/legislação & jurisprudência , Piscinas/legislação & jurisprudência , Microbiologia da Água , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. , Surtos de Doenças/prevenção & controle , Afogamento/prevenção & controle , Saúde Ambiental/normas , Saúde Pública/normas , Estados UnidosRESUMO
The Mediterranean area is densely populated and a very popular tourist destination. This study aimed at gathering up-to-date information on current national pool and spa regulations. We formulated and duly distributed to 20 Mediterranean countries a questionnaire divided into two sections: for pool and spa facilities, respectively. The questionnaire was formulated in such a way that a positive answer would imply that the specific topic was addressed effectively. While all 20 countries responded to the swimming-pool-related questionnaire, only 11 of these countries reported the existence of spa-related regulations. When combining the response overall of all countries for pool and spa facilities together, of a grand total of 606 answers, 183 (30.2%) were positive. The positive answers in the pool section of the questionnaire were 29% of the total of 420 answers while positive answers in the spa section of the questionnaire were fewer (27.8% of the total of 176 answers). The countries were grouped by geographical area of the Mediterranean basin where they are situated. Also, the questions were grouped into broad thematic categories. The paper presents conclusions drawn on the basis of the data received according to these geographical and thematic groupings.
Assuntos
Estâncias para Tratamento de Saúde/legislação & jurisprudência , Saúde Pública/legislação & jurisprudência , Piscinas/legislação & jurisprudência , Viagem , África do Norte , Região do Mediterrâneo , Oriente Médio , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosRESUMO
Natural swimming ponds (NSPs) are a new type of recreational water facility characterized by the substitution of traditional disinfection with biodepuration. While this feature meets esthetic desires of users, specific concerns on public health issues have been raised by the scientific community and local authorities. The absence of a European directive applicable to these environments leaves each country without specific and harmonized indications. The present work describes the local/national policy situation, describing adopted parameters and monitoring activities. All documents underline the need for appropriate microbiological analysis and correct water management.
Assuntos
Política de Saúde/legislação & jurisprudência , Lagoas/microbiologia , Saúde Pública/legislação & jurisprudência , Recreação , Piscinas/legislação & jurisprudência , Europa (Continente) , Piscinas/classificaçãoRESUMO
The NEHA Government Affairs program has a long and productive association with the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). The organizations have worked together on any number of legislative and policy areas that directly impact the environmental health profession. One of the keys to the successes of the NEHA/NCSL collaboration has been the recognition of the fact that often some of the most significant legislation and policy initiatives related to environmental public health occur in state legislatures. The states have, in a very real sense, been the innovators in developing new programs and practices. In recognition of this fact, we have asked NCSL to provide occasional overviews of state environmental public health legislative activity, covering topics that are of the most pressing public concern. Doug Farquhar, program director for NCSI's Environmental Health Program, has worked with NCSL since 1990. Mr. Farquhar directs development, management, and research for the Environmental Health Program. These projects encompass consultation and policy analysis of state and federal policies and statutes, regulations, and programs regarding environmental and related topics for state legislatures and administrative programs. Amy Ellis is a law clerk for NCSL within the Environment, Energy, and Transportation Group. As a law clerk she has researched a wide variety of environmental health policies. She is expected to obtain her JD from the University of Colorado Law School in 2015.
Assuntos
Exposição Ambiental/legislação & jurisprudência , Saúde Ambiental/legislação & jurisprudência , Política de Saúde/legislação & jurisprudência , Serviços de Saúde Escolar/legislação & jurisprudência , Poluição do Ar em Ambientes Fechados/legislação & jurisprudência , Poluição do Ar em Ambientes Fechados/prevenção & controle , Amianto , Asma/tratamento farmacológico , Asma/prevenção & controle , Modificação Corporal não Terapêutica/legislação & jurisprudência , Água Potável/normas , Exposição Ambiental/prevenção & controle , Saúde Ambiental/organização & administração , Monitoramento Ambiental/legislação & jurisprudência , Epinefrina/uso terapêutico , Inocuidade dos Alimentos , Substâncias Perigosas/normas , Humanos , Governo Estadual , Piscinas/legislação & jurisprudência , Estados UnidosRESUMO
This population-based retrospective case series study examined the frequency and distribution of protective stratagems (legislatively compliant safety barrier, adequate caregiver supervision, water familiarisation and early administration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR]) amongst drowning deaths of young children (0-4 years) in private swimming pools or spas in Victoria, Australia. In 65.0% (52/80) of deaths, none of the four protective stratagems were known to be present and there was only one case where all four were known to be present. This indicates that if the presence of all four stratagems is increased, this may reduce drowning in this age group and setting. While these results are positive, further examination of the presence and interaction of these stratagems for effectiveness is required. Further research is also warranted to explore the impact of enforcement of pool fencing legislation and potential associations between water familiarisation and drowning risk. In addition, a consensus on the definition of adequate supervision in needed.
Assuntos
Prevenção de Acidentes/métodos , Afogamento/prevenção & controle , Piscinas , Atenção , Reanimação Cardiopulmonar , Cuidadores , Pré-Escolar , Afogamento/epidemiologia , Feminino , Humanos , Incidência , Lactente , Masculino , Estudos Retrospectivos , Natação/educação , Piscinas/legislação & jurisprudência , Vitória/epidemiologiaRESUMO
Water is the most commonly reported vehicle of transmission in Cryptosporidium outbreaks. While mains drinking water quality is highly regulated in industrialised countries, treated recreational water venues remain highly variable and these have emerged as important settings in the transmission of cryptosporidiosis. Epidemiological investigations of outbreaks benefit from supplementary microbiological evidence and, more recently, the application of molecular typing data to link isolates from cases to each other and to suspected sources. This article documents how waterborne Cryptosporidium outbreaks are identified and reported, how such outbreaks have acted as drivers of regulatory change, and some of the recent developments in the detection and investigation of these outbreaks and their spread, especially the application of molecular typing assays.
Assuntos
Criptosporidiose/epidemiologia , Criptosporidiose/transmissão , Surtos de Doenças , Animais , Água Potável/microbiologia , Humanos , Piscinas/legislação & jurisprudência , Piscinas/normas , Microbiologia da Água , Abastecimento de Água/legislação & jurisprudência , Abastecimento de Água/normasRESUMO
Directive 2006/7/EC concerning the management of bathing water quality and repealing directive 76/160/ EEC, adopted in 2006, resulted in changes polish laws and regulations of this topic, which were necessary to comply with the new Directive. These included Water Act and three regulations: on bathing water quality surveillance, on bathing waters register and on bathing water profile. The main changes in the sanitary surveillance on bathing waters quality and their consequences for bathers has been discussed in the article. According to new regulations conducting bathing water quality monitoring was handed over to organizers of bathing sites and local government. Bathing water supervision and water quality assessment is in Polish Sanitary Inspection competence. Unique solution of polish law is division of bathing places into two categories: bathing sites and places used for bathing. In a consequence regulations "create" another category of such objects like places used according to custom for bathing by neighbourhood people, which will be left without any supervision. There is significant threat that new formal aspects combined with organisers burdened with supervision and finance responsibilities, will lead to decrease number of bathing sites in favour of growing number of places used for bathing. This can in consequence diminish bathers health safety.
Assuntos
Praias/legislação & jurisprudência , Saúde Pública/legislação & jurisprudência , Controle de Qualidade , Piscinas/legislação & jurisprudência , Microbiologia da Água/normas , Abastecimento de Água/normas , Praias/normas , União Europeia , Guias como Assunto/normas , Humanos , Polônia , Saúde Pública/normas , Piscinas/normasAssuntos
Piscinas/legislação & jurisprudência , Prevenção de Acidentes , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Humanos , TexasRESUMO
Nature-like swimming ponds represent an emerging approach to recreational waters. The substitution of traditional disinfection with biodepuration enhances environmental sustainability, but implies relevant public health issues. No European regulations are available while several countries delivered local guidelines. Appropriate microbiological analysis, user education, and correct water management based on HACCP approach, represent key points for the development of future guidelines.
Assuntos
Infecções Bacterianas/prevenção & controle , Medicina Ambiental/legislação & jurisprudência , Lagoas , Piscinas/legislação & jurisprudência , Natação , Purificação da Água/métodos , Monitoramento Ambiental/legislação & jurisprudência , União Europeia , Educação em Saúde/legislação & jurisprudência , Humanos , Itália , Lagoas/microbiologia , Lagoas/parasitologia , Guias de Prática Clínica como Assunto , Recreação , Medição de Risco , Microbiologia da Água/normas , Purificação da Água/normasRESUMO
Swimming is the third most popular U.S. sport or exercise activity, with approximately 314 million visits to recreational water venues, including treated venues (e.g., pools), each year. The most frequently reported type of recreational water illness (RWI) outbreak is gastroenteritis, the incidence of which is increasing. During 1997--2006, chlorine- and bromine-susceptible pathogens (e.g., Shigella and norovirus) caused 24 (23%) of 104 treated venue--associated RWI outbreaks of gastroenteritis, indicating lapses in proper operation of pools. Pool inspectors help minimize the risk for RWIs and injuries by enforcing regulations that govern public treated recreational water venues. To assess pool code compliance, CDC analyzed 2008 data from 121,020 routine pool inspections conducted by a convenience sample of 15 state and local agencies. Because pool codes and, therefore, inspection items differed across jurisdictions, reported denominators varied. Of 111,487 inspections, 13,532 (12.1%) resulted in immediate closure because of serious violations (e.g., lack of disinfectant in the water). Of 120,975 inspections, 12,917 (10.7%) identified disinfectant level violations. Although these results likely are not representative of all pools in the United States, they suggest the need for increased public health scrutiny and improved pool operation. The results also demonstrate that pool inspection data can be used as a potential source for surveillance to guide resource allocation and regulatory decision-making. Collecting pool inspection data in a standardized, electronic format can facilitate routine analysis to support efforts to reduce health and safety risks for swimmers.