 Board of Supervisors adopt regulations on pools
PIMA COUNTY, May 14, 2020 - At its May 13 meeting, the Pima County Board of Supervisors adopted temporary regulations for the use of public and semi-public swimming pools as part of its COVID-19 pandemic response. With the expiration of Gov. Doug Ducey’s Stay At Home order May 15, the Pima County Health Department and the County’s Back To Business Steering Committee are providing businesses and the public important guidance about minimum safety standards for reopening while the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing.
The protective measures apply to all public and semi-public (hotel, resort, etc) pools regulated by the County’s Health Department. Minimum measures for the health of employees, vendors and guests include:
- Wellness/symptom and temperature checks for all personnel. When possible this can also be extended to vendors, contractors and others as they enter the premises.
- Similar symptoms and temperature checks for guests are optional.
- Cloth masks and gloves and frequent handwashing is required for all staff.
Minimum operation measures include:
- Physical (and website) signage posting at the pool entrance of public health advisories prohibiting individuals who are symptomatic from entering the premises.
- Indoor occupancy limited to 50 percent or lower unless 6-foot physical distance standards can be achieved with higher occupancy.
- Clearly marked 6-foot spacing marks at entrances, hallways, restrooms and any other location within the pool area where patrons may queue or congregate.
- Physical distancing of 6 feet minimum between deck loungers, chairs and/or tables.
- Elimination of self-service stations including water fountains, unless touchless. (Nothing prohibits the serving of bottled water.)
- Hand sanitizers available at or near the entrances to the facility, restrooms and in employee work areas.
- Sanitize customer areas and high-touched surface areas after each sitting or equipment use with EPA-registered disinfectant.
- Implement cashless and/or minimal touch payment methods if possible.
- Post documentation cleaning logs on line and make them available upon request neard the entrance documenting cleaning of all public areas (inclusive of counter tops, door handles, waiting areas, etc.) at least every two to three hours.
Inspectors from Pima County’s Consumer Health and Food Safety Program will work with pool operators on compliance during regular inspections. All establishments that document adherence to the minimum best practice standards for pools will earn a Pima County Best Practice Pledge badge that can be displayed electronically or physically to provide a visible symbol of the commitment to the community's health and wellbeing.
In order to properly plan for a phased reopening of the economy, Pima County created the Back to Business Steering Committee, which includes private-sector and government leaders, and dozens of representatives of large and small businesses. The Steering Committee has overseen task forces for Bars and Restaurants; Resorts, Pools, and Spas; and Attractions, each of which consists of representatives from a variety of businesses within each of those sectors. Each task force developed temporary measures applicable to businesses within each task force sector.
The Back to Business effort has been driven by the county’s mandate to balance public health with getting businesses up and running and people back to work. Pima County’s public health experts played an integral role in forming these Board-adopted regulations so that businesses could protect their employees and the public. As always, people over 65 and the medically vulnerable should stay home as the pandemic is ongoing.
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