Still pools with dangerous stainless steel
Despite stricter legislation, there are still at least 64 indoor swimming pools in the Netherlands where hazardous stainless steel is present in parts where this is not permitted. This is evident from an inventory of RTL News. Of nearly 50 swimming pools, municipalities have no idea whether hazardous materials are used.
Stainless steel was used until a few years ago in swimming pools to, for example, hang lights above a bath or to install swimming pool stairs. Chlorine fumes can damage the structure and cause corrosion. Parts can then break off or fall down.
The death of baby Rosalie
The latter happened in 2011, when a sound box in the De Reeshof swimming pool in Tilburg fell down. As a result, baby Rosalie died. Her mother was injured. Research showed that the municipality did not have the maintenance of the swimming pool in order.
After this accident the law was modified and swimming pools were forced to have themselves checked for the presence of non-resistant, or dangerous stainless steel. Before the first of January 2017, the swimming pools had to have removed the dangerous stainless steel.
Still dangerous stainless steel
Last year, a survey commissioned by the Ministry of internal affairs showed that many swimming pools did not have their affairs in order. A year later RTL News recorded the state of affairs in the 168 municipalities where it was already known that swimming pools did not meet the requirements, or where this was unclear.
What did they find? Dozens of swimming pools have not complied with the law for a year and a half. In Rotterdam alone, 25 swimming pools are involved. In Heerlen a swimming pool is closed immediately after questions from RTL News about its safety. The municipality doesn't want to mention the name of the swimming pool involved. Also many other municipalities do not want to say which swimming pools still use the dangerous stainless steel.
No supervision
Other municipalities have no idea whether their swimming pools meet with the requirements or not. For example, the municipality of Terschelling still has to inspect all private baths. The municipality of Coevorden points to the responsibility of swimming pools.
Ben Ale is emeritus professor of safety and calls it a 'bad thing'. "It is not that complicated, someone has hung things there and specified what is hung. It is in the quotation. It is ridiculous that those names of swimming pools that do not comply cannot be known. You could better hang up a sign with: you walk here at your own risk, or: wear a helmet. "
Thermometer
Rene Wouts annually inspects hundreds of swimming pools with its inspection company RBI Corrosion. He acknowledges that many swimming pools are not yet sufficient. "Recently at a swimming pool: the whole load-bearing structure was built on the ceiling with dangerous stainless steel.The owner knew nothing, but the corrosion had already occurred."
On behalf of the swimming pool sector, "Stichting Zwembadkeur" announces that it believes that safety in Dutch swimming pools must be well organized and the authorities responsible for it must take their responsibility.
Accountability inventory
RTL News has questioned all 168 municipalities where in July 2017 were swimming pools whit dangerous stainless steel or of which it was unclear whether there was dangerous stainless steel. All municipalities were asked the same questions. In the context of transparency, the names of the swimming pools that did not meet the requirements were also requested. Most municipalities did not provide these names because they did not want to harm the commercial importance of the swimming pool.
Source: https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nieuws/nederland/artikel/4397721/nog-steeds-tientallen-zwembaden-met-gevaarlijk-roestvrij-staal