Editor, The News:
Re: Leisure Centre shut down, again (The News, Oct. 26).
I was concerned to read that the chlorine system at the Maple Ridge Leisure Centre had sprung a leak twice on the weekend, causing an evacuation of the facility and a response by the fire department on both days.
The public and workers could both at risk of this deadly toxic process gas if the disinfection system doesn’t meet the minimum safety standards.
The British Columbia occupational health and safety regulation requires a manual or automatic remote shut off of the deadly chlorine gas in event of a leak.
Does this system have that?
Does the chlorine room have a negative pressure seal, is it ‘gas tight’?
Given that the room is adjacent to Haney Place Mall, in my opinion, the general public and workers (parks operations staff and emergency first responders) could be at serious risk of injury or death if a large leak were to occur.
The parks department should bring its chlorine system up to date and install automatic remote shut-off devices on its equipment or move to a less hazardous disinfection method, if it hasn’t already done so.
Brian Northam,
Occupational Health & Safety Officer
Greater Vancouver Regional District Employees’ Union
