Hotel Employee Drowns in Swimming Pool—Kentucky

The following report is the product of our Cooperative State partner and is presented here in its original unedited form from the state. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the individual Cooperative State partner and do not necessarily reflect the views or policy of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

SUMMARY

At 11:11 a.m. on December 18, 2023, a 23-year-old hotel worker died after he drowned while cleaning out the hotel pool. Video footage of the incident indicated that he was working alone and had entered the pool to remove submerged trash, even though equipment was available nearby that would have allowed him to do the work without entering the pool. When he entered the deep end of the pool (approximately 7 feet deep) he attempted to dive down to retrieve trash but then could not remain afloat or reach the side of the pool. He struggled but could not self-rescue and sank to the bottom. Shortly thereafter, he was discovered by a coworker who used a rescue pole with a shepherd’s hook to pull him from the pool. The coworker attempted to revive the drowned employee as did emergency rescue services. He was taken to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead by attending physicians on December 21, 2023.

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS
Key contributing factors identified in this investigation include:

• Lack of an aquatics safety plan
• Lack of education and training
• Lack of lifesaving training
• Lack of pool-related safe work practices
• Working alone in water
• Lack of available personal flotation device

RECOMMENDATIONS
Kentucky investigators concluded that, to help prevent similar occurrences, employers should:

• Institute an aquatics safety plan,
• Prohibit employees from working in or near water until first providing appropriate education and training,
• Provide training in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation,
• Establish pool safety-related work practices,
• Establish procedures to monitor workers working alone,
• Provide and ensure the use of personal flotation devices.

Hotel Employee Drowns in Swimming Pool—Kentucky [PDF – 988 KB]