Date: 8-10 June 2010

ISRM Sports Facility Management Diploma

Unit 3: Pool Technical Management (Diploma Unit)

Unit Description

This unit forms part of the ISRM Sports Facility Management Diploma suite of level 4 qualifications and also stands alone as a valuable CPD opportunity both for facility managers and also for those who are aspiring/progressing towards management positions.

This unit addresses the key issues contained within the new PWTAG publication, Swimming Pool Water Treatment and Quality Standards, 2009.

In particular, this unit will help swimming pool managers, those with the responsibility for the operation of a swimming pool, and duty officers to manage more effectively the conditions that determine swimming pool water quality, engineering and technical services and oversee the work of outside engineering firms operating on service contracts.

This unit also aims to enable the candidate to develop a deeper understanding of issues addressed in the ISRM National Pool Plant Operators Course by moving the focus from operator level to management level, and by exploring and understanding the influences and processes involved in running swimming pools safely and efficiently.

This unit provides an opportunity for successful candidates to gain Associate Membership of the ISRM and to be entered onto the ISRM Register of Pool Plant Professionals.

Unit Aims

The unit aims to enable the candidate to:
• understand the importance and implications of good pool design particularly in respect of hydraulics and circulation and its effect on water quality.
• develop a deeper understanding of pool water filtration.
• develop a greater understanding of the pool water disinfection processes and systems
• appreciate the importance of managing hygiene in pools,
• recognise the need for microbiological testing and the significance of the results in interpreting the actions required including necessary closure.
• understand the importance of planned regular maintenance of pools, pumps, boilers, calorifiers, domestic hot water supply, Legionella control, and environmental control systems.
• appreciate the importance of managing chemical safety within the facility.
• develop the knowledge and understanding gained on the ISRM National Pool Plant Operators Course

These broad aims are expressed in six distinct learning outcomes:

UNIT OUTCOMES

On successful completion of the unit the candidate will be able to:

1. recognise the importance and implications of good pool design particularly in respect of hydraulics and circulation and its effect on water quality and be able to carry out the necessary calculations in relation to a number of issues including:

* bathing load, calculations and implications
* circulation rate and turnover periods, calculations and implications
* circulation design and its effect on water quality
* surface water removal principles and practice
* balance tanks
* outlet and inlet safety
* circulation pumps
* dye testing pools
* emptying and filling pools
* management of water features

2. demonstrate an increased awareness and understanding of pool water filtration in terms of the principles of filtration, filter design and characteristics, filtering cycles, backwashing, regular maintenance, coagulation and flocculation.

3. demonstrate a greater understanding of the pool water disinfection processes and systems and chemistry including:

* what disinfection is and what it does
* characteristics of the main pool disinfectants
* pool water chemistry: disinfection,
* chloramines and by-products, their influence and control 
* the importance of adequate fresh water dilution
* disinfectant residual values
* pH and its relationship with the disinfection process
* Alkalinity, calcium hardness, TDS and Langelier water balance
* additional water treatment methods, UV and Ozone
* responsible discharging and communication and cooperation with the Environment Agency, water utility companies, local authorities etc

4. explain the importance of managing hygiene in pools, the need for microbiological testing and the significance of the results, including:

* managing pre swim hygiene
* understanding TVC’s (plate counts), coliforms, e-coli and pseudomonas
* testing procedures and interpretation of and acting on results
* the pool regime
* Legionella
* Cryptosporidia
* healthy swimming, trihalomethanes, chloramines and infections

5. understand the importance of planned regular maintenance of pools and the key issues relating to:

* pumps, boilers, calorifiers
* domestic hot water supplies
* Legionella control
* environmental control systems
* inflatables
* pool structures: tank, inlets and outlets

6. Critically assess the effectiveness of the management of chemical safety* and pool plant emergencies within their own facility, including issues such as:

• storage, delivery and handling of chemicals
• dealing with uncontrolled discharges, spillages
• chemical mixing
• explosion hazards
• gas releases
• alarms, EAPs, staff training, PPE
• poisoning, chemical burns, ingestion

*Note: this subject will be developed more fully in Unit 2: Managing Health, Safety and Security in Sport and Recreation Facilities

Assessment
This unit will be assessed by a 2500/3000 word informal report in which the candidate is to write a critical review of the current practices adopted within the centre in which they work which ensures that safe swimming pool water and optimum water quality are achieved, and that the technical management process of the centre supports these objectives.

The report will need to address each of the six learning outcomes.

Conclusions should be drawn from the research and where there are shortcomings; recommendations for improvement should be made.

Submission date:
The candidate will have four weeks from the end of the course to submit their assignment to their course tutor.

Links with other units in this qualification:

ISRM Sports Facility Management Diploma Units
Unit 1: Managing sport and recreation facilities (Design and Energy Management)
Unit 2: Managing health, safety and security in sport and recreation facilities

Level: Nominally NQF Level 4.

This unit is equivalent in level to the ISRM/City & Guilds Higher Professional Diploma in Sport and Recreation Management and provides progression pathway from the ISRM NPPO Certificate.

CPD
This unit attracts 75 ISRM CPD points for members who wish to undertake the course as part of their own CPD activity.

Credit value
This unit has credit value of 3 points.

The ISRM level 4 suite of qualifications is a route into full membership of the ISRM (and use of the designatory letters M.Inst SRM). In order to achieve this, 12 credit points need to be achieved from across the suite.

June 2010