Cal/OSHA issues scathing report on Island Waterpark after potential Father’s Day drowning

A Cal/OSHA inspection of the wave pool at Island Waterpark in Fresno following a potential drowning on Father’s Day has uncovered a number of chilling findings in its operation and maintenance.

Included in a field report by inspector Kelley Roberts:

• Black algae is covering large areas of the wave pool floor, exposing patrons and employees to a health hazard and impairing the ability of operators/attendants to differentiate between the black algae and a patron in distress.
• Life rings located around the wave pool are UV damaged, with knotted retrieval lines that restrict the ability to deploy the life ring properly, and the rings are not maintained or inspected daily as required.
• The owner/operator is not performing all of the manufacturer’s required water quality testing procedures as specified in the manufacturer’s manual.
• The documentation presented to the Division for Aquatic Facility Operator Certifications is incomplete and missing for two employees. Additionally, the Red Cross certification card provided to the Division for the Waterparks Lifeguarding Instructor Trainer expired on Oct. 5, 2020.
• Several hazards are present that should have been identified during daily pre-opening inspections and corrected prior to public operation of the wave pool: loose corroded or otherwise damaged ladders; damaged perimeter fencing; missing restricted access signage; worn, damaged, and unusable life rings; loose wave pool floor surface coating presenting rough and sharp edges of the floor surface.

Roberts inspected the wave pool for nearly 60 hours over nine days, from June 22 to July 14.

The Cal/OSHA investigation is ongoing and preliminary requirements were issued on Friday to the owner/operator of Island Waterpark, on Barstow Avenue just off Highway 99. Upon continuation of the investigation, additional requirements may be issued and a detailed narrative will follow, according to the report.

Death on Father’s Day, autopsy report pending

Sirenio Cortez Coronado, 46, of Dinuba, was pulled from the bottom of the wave pool by another patron on June 20, Father’s Day. According to the field report, approximately two minutes had elapsed before operators/attendants initiated rescue and resuscitation protocols, and Coronado was pronounced dead after being taken to Community Regional Medical Center by Fresno Fire Department personnel.

An autopsy has been completed by the Fresno County Coroner’s Office, but has not yet been released.

The owner/operator of the Island Water Park also failed to immediately report by telephone the incident to the Cal/OSHA Amusement Ride and Tramway Unit as required, and failed to preserve the accident scene after the incident.

Island Waterpark did not report the potential drowning to Cal/OSHA ART until the following day and did it by email, and the wave pool was reopened shortly after the scene was cleared.

There also were several electrical issues found including the main breaker panel located next to the wave pool’s motor control cabinet is missing knockouts from the dead front cover, exposing employees to an electrocution hazard.

The inspection found damaged conduit feeding electrical wiring to the main breaker panel; several missing electrical junction box covers throughout the maintenance pits; damaged, unsecured, and/or hanging work lights with exposed wires located along the sides of the motor control cabinet and inside the chemical rooms; and damaged electrical conduits with exposed wires along the catwalks located above the sand filter pits.

The inspection also found deficiencies in training of staff and lifeguards.

The manufacturer’s blueprints/drawings (Aquatic Development Group, Inc.) indicate there are to be six lifeguard positions located around the wave pool, but in interviews Roberts had with Island Waterpark staff, lifeguards, and management, it was indicated that the graphical charts presented to the Cal/OSHA inspector and used for training lifeguard to identify their zones of protection were discovered to be inaccurate.

These zones of protection also had not been validated since 2019.

In addition, lifeguards interviewed indicated that there are times when they operate with five guards and other times they operate with three.

This story was originally published July 17, 2021 at 12:06 PM.