The case in summary Paul Notto Mikkelsen (84) has suffered long-term health problems after working in a swimming pool, probably due to exposure to chlorine. A recent report from the Norwegian Working Environment Institute (Stami) shows that chlorine can be a health risk for swimmers and employees in swimming pools. Senior researcher at Stami, Pål Graff, believes that measures are necessary to reduce the amount of substances that are formed due to chlorine in the air and water. Grimstad swimming pool, where Mikkelsen worked, has undergone several upgrades over the years, including replacement of the ventilation system and the introduction of regular breaks for the employees. Paul Notto Mikkelsen is still receiving treatment for his injuries, but believes that little helps effectively. He has found relief in walks and physical activity. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – It hurts all the time, and I have terrible pain in my back. It is very troublesome. Paul Notto Mikkelsen sits back in the armchair in the living room. He talks about the injuries he is left with after working in the Grimstad swimming pool for 19 years. The 84-year-old sits comfortably back in his chair. He struggles with a lot of pain during the day. Photo: Lilli Storrønningen / news Chlorine can be a health risk for swimmers and employees in swimming pools, according to a recent survey by the Norwegian Institute for the Working Environment (Stami). The 84-year-old has noticed that well. – I will never get well again, he says to news. Presuming exposure is the cause Late in the 90s he received disability benefits due to COPD. Mikkelsen has not smoked. – We know too little about such dangerous substances, he says. Today, Mikkelsen is being treated by lung specialist Heidi Rolke. She believes it is likely that chlorine is the main cause of the damage. – The asthma probably came because of an acutely poor lung capacity. We assume that exposure to chlorine gas is the cause, she says. Paul Notto Mikkelsen is being treated for the injuries he is left with after working in a swimming pool. Photo: Lilli Storrønningen / news Measures needed Chlorine is used to keep swimming pools clean, but at the same time it creates challenges for employees, writes Pål Graff. He is a leading senior researcher at Stami. He says that inhalation or skin contact with substances formed due to chlorine can be harmful to health over time. Chloroform and trichloramine are examples of this. The researcher believes that measures are necessary to reduce the amount of substances in the air and water. – Reducing chlorine use is important. In addition, a good ventilation system is necessary. He says it is also important to wash yourself properly before entering the pool. Pål Graff believes that measures are necessary in swimming pools to reduce the risk of health damage. Photo: Lilli Storrønningen / news Affects everyday life For Paul Notto Mikkelsen, everyday life was different than he imagined. The damage caused by chlorine remains in the body and inhibits much of everyday life. – I cannot do any kind of work. It is absolutely impossible. In addition, I did a lot of cycling, which I can’t do today. Every day he has to take several medications to live as comfortably as possible. He takes out a medicine for COPD which he inhales. This medicine is one of the few things in the treatment that Mikkelsen notices helps. The rest of the treatment does not make him much healthier, he believes. – I still have to believe that it helps, despite the fact that I don’t feel like I’m getting better, he says. Tours and physical activity have also become important. He often walks with his walking sticks, which are a great help. Not a common risk Heidi Rolke is a lung specialist at Agder Lung and Allergy Centre. – I have seen cases of people who work in swimming pool facilities and have suffered acute damage to the respiratory tract after they have been exposed to too much chlorine vapour, she says. According to the doctor, the injuries that can occur are asthma-like. Among other things, acute narrowing of the airways and hypersensitive mucous membranes. She still believes that it takes a lot to get such injuries. – It should not be a normal risk for those who work with it, she says. Paul Notto Mikkelsen is well aware of the effect chlorine has had on his body. It inhibits much of his everyday life. Photo: Lilli Storrønningen / news Must take breaks Subject leader in Grimstad municipality Sigvard Laurendz says that a lot has happened to the swimming hall facility since Paul Notto Mikkelsen received disability benefits in the late 90s. Grimstad swimming pool is almost 60 years old, and has been upgraded several times over the years. – We have replaced the ventilation system several times. When we purify the water, we use sand filters, UV rays and chlorine. In addition, we focus on guests washing themselves before entering the pool, he says. Employees in Grimstad swimming pool must now take regular breaks every half hour from sitting in the hall. – There is probably a completely different focus on chlorine treatment than before. The indoor climate is something completely different from back then, says Laurendz. More measures Aquarama bad and spa in Kristiansand opened the doors to a brand new facility in 2013. General manager Vibeke Holm Ruud says that the systems for purifying pool water have improved over time. Vibeke Holm Ruud believes they have control over the risk of damage due to chlorine. Photo: Lilli Storrønningen / news The swimming pool takes several measures to ensure the health of its employees. – In addition to using chlorine to clean the water, we also use UV filters, sand filters and hydroanthracite, she says. In addition, a good ventilation system must ensure quality in the water and in the air. – We also take measurements to ensure that there are no values that could be harmful, says Ruud. The Aquarama swimming pool uses several methods to clean the water to reduce the use of chlorine. Photo: Lilli Storrønningen / news Going to the South Paul Notto Mikkelsen will most likely never fully recover. The 84-year-old has still not lost hope. Changing the climate helps, so trips to the south are not unknown to him. – The Canary Islands help a lot, so I go on a trip there once a year. I could well imagine moving there, but I can’t get my wife to agree to that, he says while laughing warmly. Published 27.06.2024, at 19.28
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