AN Islander who was left fighting for her life after being poisoned by jacuzzi chlorine tablets has issued a stark warning to others about the dangers of pool chemicals.
Tanya Osmand (55) told the JEP she was in the middle of moving house in July when she picked up a tub of chlorine tablets for her jacuzzi: “I opened the lid – and I came round almost three weeks later on life support in London.
“The last thing I remember was a little pop when I opened the tub. I don’t remember the ambulance, the hospital, the flight.”
She has now learned that chlorine poisoning could have killed her.
Almost two months later, she said she is on the mend and reading WhatsApp updates her daughters sent loved ones to understand what happened.
She said her 15-year-old son found her in the living room, struggling to breathe, and called an ambulance. She was rushed to hospital, and even a tracheotomy wouldn’t have helped her as her airways had closed completely.
When she arrived at the hospital, Mrs Osmand was put in a coma and flown to London, where she received an ECMO – a surgery that involves pumping blood outside of the body, removing CO2 and adding oxygen before it is put back into the body.
“My family were told: ‘Prepare yourselves for the worst’,” she said.
“It was quite horrific.”
During induced moments of consciousness, Mrs Osmand said she thought she had had a breakdown – and that due to the stigma around mental health, it had been a relief to hear she was poisoned.
The procedure left her with scars and with damage to her vocal chords – and she had to learn how to eat, drink, lift a phone, walk, take the stairs. She still can’t taste anything and is being examined in case there has been neurological or nerve damage.
Now, she said, she is recovering physically, but the mental health impact is harder to treat. Anyone who has had to be treated in the ICU is recommended to get psychological support, she said.
But, with the Island’s mental health services stretched, she said she had spent months on waiting lists and not had any confirmation that she would get this support.
“Both the Jersey ICU and London said they can’t believe the recovery.”
She tells others to wear a mask when handling pool chemicals and to make sure they’re stored in a dry place. This applies to pool owners, engineers, and hot tub specialists.
Mrs Osmand said she can’t be sure what happened – but that one of the tabs might have been old or exposed to moisture, and that oxygen in the air could have provoked a toxic reaction.
“Mine were in a basket all together,” she said, adding that her garage might have had some condensation.
Mrs Osmand and her husband were due to buy their new house the week after the accident happened. Not knowing what was next, they pulled out of the sale and lived with their daughter at first.
Mrs Osmand praised her friends and her family who supported them – from taking the sofas to be cleaned to providing a place to stay.
Chlorine safety
Swim England have set out recommendations for swimming pools, including:
- Risk must be assessed for every chemical
- Chemicals should be stored in separate rooms with no risk of fire or overheating
- Keep liquids in areas that can take 110% the volume stored
- Keep containers securely close, cool and dry
- Chemicals from paper or plastic sacks should be stored in plastic bags and securely closed
- Anything that will generate chlorine in contact with water should be kept below 30̊C, in closed containers and away from dampness and contamination
- Chemicals can react with strong acids or alkalis
- Don’t try to mix chemicals
- Use chemicals only in the circulation feeder designed for them
- Safety systems, equipment and PPE should be in the plant room
