Pool PSA concerning chemicals

This article put out by Vanderbilt got me thinking so here’s another pool PSA (y’all should know me by now and expect these) seriously though. I am a certified Aquatics Facility Operator and have had freak accidents with some pool chemicals!
Of course when you handle chemicals as much as I did (nearly every day) you’re bound to get burned, ruin clothes, etc. I even took safety precautions but still things happen. One crazy thing that happened came from lifting 50 pound bags of soda ash – I got shingles! Yep SHINGLES – I pulled my back because I didn’t lift properly and it caused the dormant virus in my spine to become active.
Yet the worst incident occurred when I was about 10 weeks pregnant with Tedy. I was showing a new employee the opening and closing routines for the pump room and was hit with a cloud of chlorine because the dry form somehow got wet. It caused me to soon go into respiratory arrest – yes I stopped breathing. Luckily I wasn’t alone when the incident occurred and thankfully I trained my staff well and they were amazing responders! Yet part of me still wonders IF…if that accident didn’t happen would Tedy be Autistic? I know deep down that only God knows the mystery that is Autism but still it makes me wonder.
So please folks, be careful around the pool and pool chemicals, especially if you have a backyard pool. Please educate yourself (take a pool operator class) and check your water regularly. Also, if you use a public facility and you notice issues please speak up to the facility manager so that it can be checked and taken care of. Every state and county is different with their testing standards so please know the rules for your area and if there isn’t much required, I suggest going above & beyond to make sure your patrons are in a safe pool.
Be safe & enjoy!