As Summer Travel Resumes, Swimming Pools Should Prioritize Safety

As pools open for the summer under relatively relaxed guidelines, facility managers have been allowed a little leeway in management this year. But with only a little over 40% of all Americans being fully vaccinated as of now, it may be a few more months before the drive is complete.

During this time, member safety still needs to be prioritized. Omnify explains how pool owners can ensure safety effectively alongside a quality member experience.

Study vaccination data in your state and county as well as among your members before setting pool guidelines.

Manage pool capacity and ensure social distancing using signs with '6 Feet Apart' and marking poolside spaces with tape. Split the pool into lanes and use tools like Turnmaster to double capacity.

Sanitize common areas and touch points including the reception area, door handles, dispensers, sinks, faucets, handrails, switches, and buttons across the facility. Limit the number of people who can use indoor facilities at a time.

Fix a maximum capacity per session based on your local guidelines and vaccination statistics. Take your member's views and tendency to follow regulations into consideration.

Ensure fair access in spite of limited capacities. Over the last year, booking solutions like Omnify have helped pools ensure members could only book a certain number of times in a period of time.

Map out a schedule that allows buffer time to sanitize between slots.