Beware of Dangers From Swimming Pool Chemicals, CDC Warns

As the summer swimming pool season approaches, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are warning Americans about the dangers of commonly used pool chemicals. When not used or stored properly, chlorine and other caustic chemicals, which help keep swimming pools clean and healthy, can result in severe injury, including blindness, and even death.

According to the CDC, injuries caused by exposure to toxic pool chemicals account for as many as 5,200 emergency room visits across the United States each year. Nearly all the injuries in 2007 occurred at a residence and most of the incidents were entirely preventable with proper care in the use of the chemicals, the CDC said.

The peak season for pool chemical injuries runs during summer, from Memorial to Labor Day, health officials said. Swimming is the second most popular sports activity in the United States, with approximately 339 million swimming visits to all types of recreational water venues, including swimming pools, lakes, streams, and rivers, the CDC said.

Risks of Inhalation and Skin Exposure

Inhaling toxic fumes while opening chemical containers or improperly handling the materials can result in severe burns and other internal injuries to the mouth and lungs. Also, many people are injured when liquid chemicals splash into their eyes or onto their skin, the CDC warns.

“Pool chemicals make the water we swim in safer by protecting us from germs, but these same chemicals can also cause injuries if they are not properly handled,” said Michele Hlavsa, lead author of a new study on the danger of pool chemicals and an epidemiologist at CDC.

Tips to Reducing Pool Chemical Injuries

To help reduce the risk of severe injury or death from exposure to pool chemicals, the CDC offers some tips. First, owners and operators of public and private swimming pools are cautioned to always properly store pool-cleaning chemicals to reduce the risk of spillage or accidental exposure. People should always be aware which chemicals are being stored and avoid combining chlorine materials that are not intended to be mixed. Appropriate safety gear, including gloves and eye protection, should be kept nearby and used, the CDC said.

A complete list of the CDD’s tips can be found at www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming/pdf/pool_chem_assoc_inj.pdf.

The CDC also offers advice on how to avoid contamination of swimming pool water and reduce the risk of recreational water illness. People should avoid swimming while ill with diarrhea, ensuring that young children take frequent bathroom breaks and practice good hygiene while swimming. Also, swimmers should always avoid swallowing pool water, the CDC said.

By following the CDC advice on the safe and proper storage of chlorine and other pool-cleaning chemicals and practicing proper hygiene while in the pool, we can all make the summer of 2009 a safe and healthy swimming season.

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