POOL OPERATOR 2026 EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
RATED A+
✔✔standard of care - ✔✔-a measure used to establish a standard against which actual
conduct is judged
✔✔duty of care - ✔✔the amount of reasonable care owed to individuals using the
aquatic facility
✔✔who should become a certified pool operator? - ✔✔-any individual who makes
changes to the water quality, or performs routine maintenance of swimming pool system
components
-any individual who evaluates and adjusts the pool water chemistry
✔✔danger - ✔✔-strongest signal word
-user must be extremely careful handling product
✔✔warning - ✔✔-less strong than danger
-means that the user could become very ill or badly injured by exposure
✔✔caution - ✔✔-shows the product could be harmful but less harmful than products
with a danger or warning signal
-could cause skin irritation, illness if fumes are breathed or trauma if product contacts
the eyes
✔✔to reduce the risks of poisoning from chlorine gas: - ✔✔the EPA requires that use in
nonresidential swimming pools be restricted to certified pesticide applicators, or to those
under their direct control
✔✔SARA Title III exists to: - ✔✔encourage emergency planning efforts at the state and
local level, regarding the release or spill of hazardous or toxic chemicals
✔✔SARA Title III includes: - ✔✔aluminum sulfate
ammonia
calcium hypochlorite
chlorine gas
hydrogen peroxide
muriatic acid
sodium bisulfate
sodium hypochlorite
✔✔OSHA has estimated that more than ____ million workers are exposed to 650,000
hazardous chemical products in more than ___ million American workplaces - ✔✔32; 3
, ✔✔the basic goal of Hazard Communication Program is: - ✔✔to ensure that employers
and workers know about work hazards and how to protect themselves
✔✔Recreational Water Illnesses - ✔✔spread by swallowing, breathing or having contact
with contaminated water from swimming pools, spas, hot tubs, etc.
✔✔symptoms of RWI's - ✔✔-gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic and
wound infections
-most common: diarrhea
✔✔what inactivates crypto? - ✔✔UV, ozone and chlorine dioxide inactivate
✔✔giardia can be destroyed within ___ min at 1ppm of free chlorine at pH of ____ or
less - ✔✔45; 7.5
✔✔shigella is present in - ✔✔the diarrheal stools of infected persons
✔✔shigellosis usually lasts __-__ days - ✔✔5-7
✔✔protozoa - ✔✔cryptosporidium
giardia
✔✔bacteria - ✔✔shigella
E. coli
✔✔viruses - ✔✔norovirus
adenovirus
hepatitis a
✔✔what is the response for formed stool? - ✔✔1. raise the free available chlorine level
to 2 ppm and ensure the pH is 7.5 or less at 77 deg. or higher
2. maintain the chlorine concentration for at least 25 min before opening the pool
3. ensure the filtration system is operating while the pool reaches and maintains the
proper free chlorine concentration
✔✔what is the response for diarrheal discharge? - ✔✔1. raise the free available
chlorine level to 20 ppm
2. maintain the pH of 7.5 or less at 77 deg. or higher
3. maintain the pH and chlorine level for 12.75 hours
4. backwash the filter after full disinfection time
5. return the chlorine level to normal levels
✔✔Contamination Time (CT) value - ✔✔-the concentration of free chlorine in ppm times
time in min
RATED A+
✔✔standard of care - ✔✔-a measure used to establish a standard against which actual
conduct is judged
✔✔duty of care - ✔✔the amount of reasonable care owed to individuals using the
aquatic facility
✔✔who should become a certified pool operator? - ✔✔-any individual who makes
changes to the water quality, or performs routine maintenance of swimming pool system
components
-any individual who evaluates and adjusts the pool water chemistry
✔✔danger - ✔✔-strongest signal word
-user must be extremely careful handling product
✔✔warning - ✔✔-less strong than danger
-means that the user could become very ill or badly injured by exposure
✔✔caution - ✔✔-shows the product could be harmful but less harmful than products
with a danger or warning signal
-could cause skin irritation, illness if fumes are breathed or trauma if product contacts
the eyes
✔✔to reduce the risks of poisoning from chlorine gas: - ✔✔the EPA requires that use in
nonresidential swimming pools be restricted to certified pesticide applicators, or to those
under their direct control
✔✔SARA Title III exists to: - ✔✔encourage emergency planning efforts at the state and
local level, regarding the release or spill of hazardous or toxic chemicals
✔✔SARA Title III includes: - ✔✔aluminum sulfate
ammonia
calcium hypochlorite
chlorine gas
hydrogen peroxide
muriatic acid
sodium bisulfate
sodium hypochlorite
✔✔OSHA has estimated that more than ____ million workers are exposed to 650,000
hazardous chemical products in more than ___ million American workplaces - ✔✔32; 3
, ✔✔the basic goal of Hazard Communication Program is: - ✔✔to ensure that employers
and workers know about work hazards and how to protect themselves
✔✔Recreational Water Illnesses - ✔✔spread by swallowing, breathing or having contact
with contaminated water from swimming pools, spas, hot tubs, etc.
✔✔symptoms of RWI's - ✔✔-gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic and
wound infections
-most common: diarrhea
✔✔what inactivates crypto? - ✔✔UV, ozone and chlorine dioxide inactivate
✔✔giardia can be destroyed within ___ min at 1ppm of free chlorine at pH of ____ or
less - ✔✔45; 7.5
✔✔shigella is present in - ✔✔the diarrheal stools of infected persons
✔✔shigellosis usually lasts __-__ days - ✔✔5-7
✔✔protozoa - ✔✔cryptosporidium
giardia
✔✔bacteria - ✔✔shigella
E. coli
✔✔viruses - ✔✔norovirus
adenovirus
hepatitis a
✔✔what is the response for formed stool? - ✔✔1. raise the free available chlorine level
to 2 ppm and ensure the pH is 7.5 or less at 77 deg. or higher
2. maintain the chlorine concentration for at least 25 min before opening the pool
3. ensure the filtration system is operating while the pool reaches and maintains the
proper free chlorine concentration
✔✔what is the response for diarrheal discharge? - ✔✔1. raise the free available
chlorine level to 20 ppm
2. maintain the pH of 7.5 or less at 77 deg. or higher
3. maintain the pH and chlorine level for 12.75 hours
4. backwash the filter after full disinfection time
5. return the chlorine level to normal levels
✔✔Contamination Time (CT) value - ✔✔-the concentration of free chlorine in ppm times
time in min
