Should TFP become an APSP member?

[Titanium]

SeanB,

Have you considered whether TFP should join APSP (The Association of Pool and Spa Professionals)? Maybe with TFP being an APSP member, TFP can foment change in how APSP operates - especially with regard to how APSP teaches proper maintenance of pool chemicals.

Here is a link to the APSP dues: https://www.apsp.org/joinnow/calculatedues.aspx

It is not clear to me what category TFP would fit under:

Professional Affiliate ($500)
Firms or individuals that provide professional services. Includes consultants in designing, building, and operation, architects, landscapers, finance and lending firms, bookstores, advertising, PR, and insurance agencies/agents.

Asssociate ($100)
Non-profit or not-for-profit organizations, government entities, trade or professional associations, research or academic institutions. [I know that TFP is not non-profit, but maybe TFP could be considered a trade association or maybe a research/academic institution ?!? Or maybe TFP could create a non-profit affiliate specifically for APSP membership.]

Other?

I would be willing to donate $20 or $30 towards APSP membership.

Thanks for your consideration of this suggestion.

Titanium

 

[Guest]

IMHO, APSP is just a marketing organization. It is aimed primarily at pool stores, disributors and builders so consumers are directed toward the members when they make inquiries. It is just a reincarnation of the now defunct NPSI.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[Titanium]

waterbear,

Doesn't APSP also train pool professionals in the "proper" way to maintain the chemistry of a pool? If so, then it would seem to me that APSP is a little more than just a marketing organization.

Although I am sure that marketing is a very large part of what APSP does.

Do you have any other ideas on how to begin to change the "standard protocol" of the pool and spa industry to reflect what TFP is recommending?

Titanium

 

[Guest]

They publish guidelines but as far as training goes....not really.

 

[Titanium]

waterbear,

If APSP is not the main pool and spa trainer in the industry, who is? What other organizations certify most pool operators and pool store employees?

Or are most pool operators and pool store employees learning pool chemistry via on-the-job training?

Titanium

 

[chem geek]

APSP does offer some training courses called "TECH I" and "TECH II", but it is NSPF that offers the more popular "CPO" course. As waterbear points out, APSP is funded by the industry and a little by their certification courses while NSPF is funded mostly through its certification courses. Both are marketing organizations, but the APSP is more industry focussed as a trade organization (see this link) while the NSPF is a little broader wanting swimming to be healthy and safe (see this link) and also funds research .

Richard

 

[Guest]

Or are most pool operators and pool store employees learning pool chemistry via on-the-job training?

Titanium

you got it. Much of the 'training' comes from product manufacturers. APSP has trade shows with classes put on by product manuracturers for themost part.
Most pool store employees get very little formal training from what I have seen.

To give you an example of the kind of 'training' that is offered to pool store employees I have a certificate from LaMotte that states I am "WaterLink Espress Certified Water Testing Professional". It says that I have passed "the WaterLink Express Certified Water Testing Professional examination. This confirms that the WaterLink Express lab analyst(emphasis mine) is knowledgeable in the basic procedures to prepare reliable tests..." and so on.

Sounds pretty impressive, doesn't it? Know what I had to do to get it? Answer 20 questions online! Then again I have worked with a few people that could NOT pass it (and if you get a wrong answer they give you the right answer and then ask the question again!)

Training from product companies has one purpose...to sell product! I have been to some that were nothing but 'smoke and mirror' shows. One of my favorites was when the guy was pushing his non chlorine shock (MPS). He got a glass of water and put OTO in it and, because of the chlorine in the tap water it turned slightly yellow. He then stuck his hand in it to show how bathers deplete the chlorine. The yellow disappeared. No surprise here. He than added some of his non chlorine shock to the glass and the yellow color came back. He said it was because the non chlorine shock rejuvenates the chlorine!
I confronted him after the 'training' about this and he admitted that the OTO was simply reading the interference from the MPS and it has nothing to do with 'rejuvenating chlorine' but the other people in the room ate it up. I had to give him credit for doing a great magic show but it had nothing to do with pool chemistry! Sadly, these other people will go back to their stores and tell their customers to use his non chlorine MPS to bring their chlorine levels up!

 

[SeanB]

They were unreceptive to earlier e-mails I sent them. I don't see any significant advantage to joining.

The industry will change when the government starts mandating more consumer protection from unscrupulous builders and practices, and when consumers, like the members of TFP, start educating themselves on how to properly take care of their own pools.