A Study On The Current Management Situation Of Swimming Complexes In Xiamen: Problems And Suggested Solutions

Swimming, as a sport suitable to men and women, old and young, is popular among themasses. Xiamen is a quite developed city where there are a number of swimming complexes,providing good fitness sites for the residents. However, the problems of water quality inswimming complexes and some potential safety hazards are frequently revealed by news reports,as the number of swimmers is increasing. These problems not only hinder the development ofswimming complexes, but also threaten the safety of swimmers. Thus how to ensure waterquality, prevent drowning accidents by taking preventive measures and standardize themanagement of swimming complexes is particularly important.This study analyzes the current management situation of swimming complexes in Xiamenand the existing problems from the perspective of management by using literature, field survey,questionnaires, system analysis, mathematical statistics and logical analysis. By using systemtheory analysis, the thesis carefully studies the sanitation and safety management system inswimming complexes, industrial standard and operation system, and then proposes thecorresponding countermeasures to standardize the management of swimming complexes. Thestudy shows that:(A) Xiamen municipal government attaches great importance to the safety of the swimmingcomplexes. Since2007, the Municipal Council Office for Rectifying have organized andcoordinated the Municipal Trade and Industry Bureau, the Health Authority, SwimmingAssociation and12315consumer complaints report center as well as representatives of the publicto jointly inspect the swimming complexes, and exposed the existing problems through XiamenDaily, television, Internet and other media. Due to several years of inspection, the acceptancerate of the water quality in swimming complexes has increased from67.2%in2008to80.3%in2012. Nevertheless, the acceptance rate of disinfection pools is still low,73%in2012.(B) Recent years have witnessed the growing number of swimming complexes in Xiamen.From2008to2012, the number has increased from97to149. The number of swimmingcomplexes in communities grows most evidently, providing convenient places of fitness forresidents.(C) Among71swimming complexes investigated in2012,65are licensed and six runwithout a license or with an expired license. The number of lifeguards in swimming complexesbasically meets requirements, but some bigger ones don’t hire enough lifeguards. Among195lifeguards surveyed,41have no certificates or expired certificates. (D) Public swimming complexes and schools are well-equipped with life-saving equipment,first-aid equipment and safety signs while the swimming complexes in residential areas andhotels are not. Residential swimming complexes are small, and most of them are undertemporary contracts. What’s worse, most contractors do not have the expertise in management ofswimming complexes, water treatment and life-saving. Therefore water quality is prone to fail tomeet the standard, and some accidents are likely to happen.The study suggests the relative departments of municipal government should closelysupervise swimming complexes, build up a professional inspection team to regulate theinvestigation, and raise public awareness of safe swimming. The administrators should learn therelevant knowledge about management of swimming complexes, equipping themselves withprofessional knowledge and skills, regulating the lifeguard management, equipping theswimming complex with sufficient life-saving equipment, first-aid equipment and other relatedequipment and ensure to check them regularly in case of emergency. In a word, it is necessary tostandardize management of swimming complexes to ensure the water hygiene and the safety ofswimmers.