When Things Go Wrong

Chemical exposure, vehicle accidents, wildlife and dangerous weather are just some of the hazards field techs may face on the job. But protocols, structured training and daily reminders can reinforce a team’s commitment to safety and help field techs protect themselves. 

Austin Gardiner, CEO of GL Pools in San Diego, California, says the quality of a field tech’s life inside and outside the workplace is greatly impacted by the level of care and strategy their trainers, teachers and coaches provide. 

“As a business owner, I have a duty to keep our team healthy,” Gardiner says. “They have entrusted us to provide them with career opportunities, and they expect to be in a safe work environment.” 

Safety issues can arise from decisions made before a field tech even arrives at a jobsite. Gardiner advises maintaining reasonable vigilance. 

“Employ a similar mindset to defensive driving where you expect worst-case scenarios and constantly scan for risks,” he says. 

Bob Buettner, field development and training manager for National Pool Partners in Tampa, Florida, warns that most incidents happen because techs are distracted when they’re in a hurry. 

“Safety starts in your mind,” Buettner says. “If you think about working safely, it becomes a behavior.”

Training and protocols

There is a balance between speed and safety. Buettner preaches slowing down to pay attention and reading all label directions. 

NPP’s 15-day training program covers hazard communication, chemical safety, chemical transportation, distracted driving, electrical safety, swimming pool care and other safety topics. Monthly safety meetings cover specific topics, and “tailgate talks” between trainers and techs happen daily.

“This allows our safety team to interact with technicians to identify behaviors before they become an issue,” Buettner says. 

Other preventive steps include protocols for reporting accidents and formal monthly safety inspections for facilities and vehicles. 

“Safety does not slow down productivity,” Buettner says. “Accidents and injuries do.” 

Awareness is a key component of Gardiner’s training method, which includes using common sense alongside knowledge to detect threats and dangers. 

“All of our senses play a role in keeping us alive and well,” he says. “So we need to use our eyes, ears, nose and touch.” 

GL Pools provides an emergency kit and a safety data sheet for each chemical in every vehicle.

“We spend time during all technicians’ training to cover which chemicals react with each other, proper storage and proper handling,” Gardiner explains.  

Gardiner says safety gear is maintained by the vehicle’s primary driver, with accountability and support through a semimonthly inspection marked by supervisors or managers. This ensures emergency supplies are organized and accessible and their contents are understood so techs know when and how to use them.

On-site decision-making

When techs encounter a dangerous or unexpected situation, Gardiner and Buettner advise making sure everyone is out of harm’s way, keeping a safe distance and assessing the source. Is it a chemical spill or reaction? A missing main drain cover? An aggressive person or pet? 

“Understand what’s happening and why,” Gardiner says. “Jumping into action without the right plan can make a bad situation worse.”

The lines between an incident, hazard or true emergency may be blurry at times, but Gardiner and Buettner classify an incident as a one-off, nonpatterned and near-miss event that’s been resolved and can serve as a preventive training example. A hazard is an issue that is likely to repeat or be ongoing and has not been resolved. 

An emergency, Buettner says, is dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Techs should be ready to gather the who, what, where, when, why and how of a situation and capture what photos they can. 

Protocols will differ depending on type and severity but may include specific cleaning protocols, use of personal protective equipment, filing chemical incident reports and employee workplace injury or illness reports.

“If it doesn’t look right, say something,” Gardiner says. “In many cases, our team can put an early warning on our clients’ radar and offer the support of our in-house repair specialists, or help our clients quickly find reputable professionals who perform specific services that we don’t.”

Equipment and safety gear 

Buettner’s must-have safety gear for service and repair techs:  

• Safety goggles
• Protective gloves (nitrile or work gloves, depending on task)
• N95 dust masks
• N95 nuisance acid gas masks
• Eye wash solution
• First aid kit
• Nonslip shoes; steel- or composite-toe for repair work
• Logout/tagout equipment for repair techs

Buettner also recommends installing cameras in every vehicle. “They are one of the best investments a service company can make,” he says.

Gardiner asks supervisors and managers to remember that their initial response to techs after an incident should always start with making sure they are OK — physically, emotionally and mentally — as near misses or accidents can be traumatic. “That’s the only way to lead and care for people,” Gardiner says.