Essential Guide To Safely Tackle Swimming Pool Chemicals

Chemicals such as chlorine are an essential part of maintaining any swimming pool, since they keep the water healthy and free of bacteria. The mishandling of these chemicals however is unfortunately the cause of thousands of injuries per year.


The following guide will give you an easy checklist of the right and wrong ways to tackle swimming pool chemicals in order to help you stay safe.


Right Actions to Follow


Read the Product Label


Pool chemicals need to be administered in the right balance to be effective, so it’s important to always read the manufacturer instructions. These will also contain useful safety warnings.


Protect Your Skin


Pool chemicals are generally corrosive to skin, so ideally you should wear some old pants and a long sleeve shirt to protect yourself against any accidental splashes or spillage. Likewise, wearing sandals or going barefoot is not a good idea. Also be aware that the chemicals can stain clothing, so wear old garments and shoes. Lastly, it’s wise to wear rubber gloves and some protective glasses.


Be Careful When Opening Containers


As described in the paragraph above, you don’t want to have any slashes of corrosive chemicals, so open their containers gently. Even dry chemicals can cause dust which could get into your eyes.



Keep Pool Chemicals at the Correct Balance


The wrong balance of chemicals can potentially do harm to the structure of your pool plus cause skin or eye irritations. For this reason it’s crucial to maintain their correct levels at all times. To this end, be sure to get a pool test kit and always follow the manufacturer's instructions.


Store Chemicals in the Right Place


Pool chemicals should be stored away from the swimming pool and out of direct sunlight. The best location for them will be in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place. It’s also important to keep chemicals in a place where children and pets can’t get at them. Lastly, make sure you tighten the lids on their containers.


Always Wash Your Hands After Using Pool Chemicals


Even a tiny amount of pool chemical can cause major irritation to your skin and especially your eyes, so be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after you’ve been handling pool chemicals.


Use Every Drop


Swimming pool chemicals are a toxic hazard when thrown away, they are definitely not environmentally friendly. For this reason it’s essential to finish them completely before you toss the container in the bin.



Mistakes to Avoid


For safety reasons, never do the following:


Increase chemical levels to compensate for a dirty swimming pool � the incorrect chemical balance can damage the structure of the pool and pose a safety risk for swimmers.


Smoke near swimming pool chemicals as many are highly inflammatory.


Mix chemicals or different chlorine products. This includes using a cleaning product to wipe up chemical spills.


Store liquid chemicals above solid ones � if the liquids spill into the solid chemicals, it could create a toxic mix.


Let chemicals come into contact with oil, grease, acid or any organic material for that matter.


Throw chemicals in the rubbish or sewer.


Conclusion


If used correctly, swimming pool chemicals are effective at ensuring your pool is both hygienic and attractive. Follow the above dos and don’ts to ensure your full safety when handling and storing them.