I'd planned a massive Saturday morning swim today at the Y, but I'm here on the couch blogging because there's a thunderstorm in progress. A few years ago the Y started closing the pool (indoors) during lightning. After all these years. All of a sudden.
How many of you practice at facilities where the pool closes down in lightning storms?
Is there a good reason for this?
Have we all been risking our lives for the last 50 years?
Just wondering!
Parents
Former Member
Excerpts from the JATA article cited earlier:
Lightning current can enter a building via the electric or telephone wiring. It can also enter via a ground current through the incoming plumbing pipelines. This condition makes locker-room shower areas, swimming pools (indoor and outdoor), telephones, and electric appliances unsafe during thunderstorms because of the possible contact with current-carrying conduction. While such reports are rare, people have been killed or injured by lightning in their homes while talking on the telephone, taking a shower, or standing near household appliances such as dishwashers, stoves, or refrigerators.1,3,8,13–15
Even though a swimming pool may be indoors and apparently safe, it can be a dangerous location during thunderstorms.25 The current can be propagated through plumbing and electric connections via the underwater lights and drains of most swimming pools. Lightning current can also enter the building, either into the electric wiring inside the building or through underground plumbing pipelines that enter the building.8 If lightning strikes the building or ground nearby, the current will most likely follow these pathways to the swimmers through the water. Thus, indoor-pool activities are potentially dangerous and should be avoided during thunderstorms.25
Excerpts from the JATA article cited earlier:
Lightning current can enter a building via the electric or telephone wiring. It can also enter via a ground current through the incoming plumbing pipelines. This condition makes locker-room shower areas, swimming pools (indoor and outdoor), telephones, and electric appliances unsafe during thunderstorms because of the possible contact with current-carrying conduction. While such reports are rare, people have been killed or injured by lightning in their homes while talking on the telephone, taking a shower, or standing near household appliances such as dishwashers, stoves, or refrigerators.1,3,8,13–15
Even though a swimming pool may be indoors and apparently safe, it can be a dangerous location during thunderstorms.25 The current can be propagated through plumbing and electric connections via the underwater lights and drains of most swimming pools. Lightning current can also enter the building, either into the electric wiring inside the building or through underground plumbing pipelines that enter the building.8 If lightning strikes the building or ground nearby, the current will most likely follow these pathways to the swimmers through the water. Thus, indoor-pool activities are potentially dangerous and should be avoided during thunderstorms.25
