Safe jumps: This is how the Geisweid outdoor pool is prepared for hot days!

Safe jumps: This is how the Geisweid outdoor pool is prepared for hot days!

The summer holidays in North Rhine-Westphalia have begun and the outdoor pools are filling up with people who want to escape the heat. A very special place is the Geisweid hot water outdoor pool, which now looks back on over 70 years of history and was modernized in the 2010s. Operations manager Steffen Schmidt and his colleague Leonard Wied, who are responsible for the city's indoor and outdoor swimming pools, emphasize the importance of safety measures and proper operation, although the amount of technology behind successful swimming pool operations sometimes fades into the background. Siegener Zeitung reports that inspection patrols by the pool team are carried out daily, especially on hot days.

The Geisweid outdoor pool is equipped with modern digital displays that monitor water flow, pump activity and the chemical status of the water. The pump house is referred to as the “heart of the system” because it ensures the water cycle and enables operational activities. This means swimmers can be sure that the quality of the water is being maintained as best as possible. A fact that is not insignificant: around 30 liters of water are lost per bather every day, mainly by leaving the pool.

Safety in the leisure pool

The strict requirements for the operation of outdoor pools are based on DIN standards and the regulations of the statutory accident insurance, which are summarized in a comprehensive set of rules and comprise a total of 102 pages. Safety standards such as DGUV Rule 107-001 offer clear guidelines that ensure the safety of employees and bathers. An important point is the handling of hazardous substances, especially chlorine gas.

Chlorine gas is crucial for disinfecting drinking and bathing water, but it also poses risks - if it escapes uncontrollably, health symptoms such as swollen eyes and irritated respiratory tract can occur. Experts pay particular attention to training on how to safely handle chlorine gas. Thomas Bag has published a new manual that is intended to increase safety in swimming pools. Lutz Jesco reports that the manual covers, among other things, technical handling, storage and dosage as well as comprehensive safety precautions that are urgently needed.

It's all about the right training

Qualified specialist personnel are crucial in order to quickly identify malfunctions and possible risks. In Geisweid, this responsibility is taken seriously because the safety of bathers has top priority. Digital technology in outdoor pools makes it possible to quickly locate and resolve problems. Especially in the hot season, it is particularly important to keep an eye on potential sources of danger.

An incident in Bergheim, North Rhine-Westphalia, illustrates the urgency: During swimming lessons, 21 children and 3 adults suffered respiratory irritations due to an unexpected release of chlorine gas. This incident has alarmed the industry and shows how important preventative measures and ongoing training are to ensure safety in outdoor pools.

In the Geisweid outdoor pool you can not only swim, but also ensure safety. Bathers can sit back and relax when they jump into the cool water, because here they have a good knack for safe swimming in the height of the summer season.