Man is Injured by Broken Glass in Pool

Case Overview

This case takes place in Massachusetts and involves a man who suffered injuries from a glass shard that was present at the bottom of a swimming pool in a large water park. The man had been relaxing by the side of a large pool when he decided to take a swim. After descending a ladder on the side of the pool to enter the water, the man began to wade through the pool. After traveling thought the pool for several minutes, the man felt a large piece of glass puncture his skin. After removing the glass from his foot, it was inspected and found to be consistent with the type of glass used in the bottles of beer that the park was serving at a poolside bar. As a result of his injuries, the man suffered serious nerve damage to his foot that will never heal. It is alleged that the pool area should have been properly inspected before and after opening, and that that glass containers should not have been permitted in that area.

Questions to the Hotel expert and their responses

What are the proper checks that need to be followed before opening up pool area to the public?

It seems clear that the management of the park was negligent in allowing glass containers to be used in the pool area without instituting the proper safety procedures and considerations.

Should glass containers be allowed in the pool area- if so, what extra precautions need to be taken to ensure patron safety?

It is generally standard practice to not allow any glass in the pool area because of potential injuries from broken glass that can't be easily seen. It is often the case that clear, hard plastic is not allowed for the same reason. Some businesses require that any plastic (or glass) used in a pool area be colored and that the color not be the same as the pool surround or tile. Should glass containers be allowed in a pool area, it would be reasonable to require that they be of a color that stands out from the walking and pool surfaces and that there should be an inventory of the items before and after use. I did not allow any glass or clear, hard plastic on the premises.

About the expert

This hospitality and restaurant expert has more than 20 years of experience dealing with hotel, country club, and foodservice operations, management, logistics, and safety. He earned a B.S. in Hotel Administration from Cornell University, an M.S. in Environmental Science and Hospitality Design from Cornell University, and a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He is a certified hotel administrator, a registered food sanitation instructor, and a registered responsible beverage instructor through the National Restaurant Association. He has managed numerous restaurants and hotels throughout his career, and has taught courses on restaurant and hospitality management for over a decade. Currently, he is the founder and principal of his own hospitality consulting firm.

E-009291

Specialties:

Hotel