Industrial Hygiene Aspects of Swimming Pool Service Workers

Swimming pool cleaners are a common sight for swimming pool users across the U.S. These workers do a variety of jobs surrounding pools and spas. Unfortunately, pool worker occupational hazards are not well researched in existing literature. This thesis presents pilot study findings on pool worker hazards. It features two sections: a review of data on the pool industry and a survey of pool service workers in Southern California. The goal was to gather information on workplace hazards for future research. The survey involved 10 respondents and revealed a variety of hazards, including the role of varied work processes, which translated to exposure to different types of hazards. Additionally, workers and their bosses often faced similar hazards, potentially due to the common occurrence of small businesses. The study serves as a blueprint for further research and recommends partnering with pool supply companies to recruit pool workers. Swimming pool cleaners are a common sight for swimming pool users across the U.S. These workers do a variety of jobs surrounding pools and spas. Unfortunately, pool worker occupational hazards are not well researched in existing literature. This thesis presents pilot study findings on pool worker hazards. It features two sections: a review of data on the pool industry and a survey of pool service workers in Southern California. The goal was to gather information on workplace hazards for future research. The survey involved 10 respondents and revealed a variety of hazards, including the role of varied work processes, which translated to exposure to different types of hazards. Additionally, workers and their bosses often faced similar hazards, potentially due to the common occurrence of small businesses. The study serves as a blueprint for further research and recommends partnering with pool supply companies to recruit pool workers.