Don’t let anyone who uses your swimming pool become a statistic: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accidental drowning is the leading cause of death among children between one- and four-years-old. Most of these happen in home swimming pools and could be prevented if safety measures were in place and diligently enforced.
There is no better way to keep people safe in and around your swimming pool than by preventing any type of accident. Whether you’re a new swimming pool owner or a long-time swimming pool owner we want to offer these swimming pool safety resolutions that you can read, laminate and incorporate into your family’s rules of the pool.
Swimming Pool Safety Resolutions
- Safety fences matter (and are likely required) To keep the kids (and your pets) safe when you’re not available to supervise you need to keep them out of the water. Plain and simple. Chances are, the municipality in which you live will have regulations that must be followed for safety fences and you will want to work with your pool contractor to meet, or even exceed the minimums. Look for self-latching safety fences. Alarm the safety fence. Don’t use mesh fencing as children can climb them.
- Speaking of an alarmed fence… install pool safety alarms. A fence is your first line of defense, a pool alarm is a great second line of defense. Look for floating alarms, infrared alarms that will sound if the beam is broken and even motion-activated alarms.
- Use a safety cover. There are a myriad of pool cover types and styles. To truly protect anyone from falling in, invest in a safety pool cover. These covers are weight-rated and can not only protect the pool water but keep children or pets from falling into the swimming pool even if they have breached the fence and outsmarted your other pool alarms.
- Keep the pool chemistry regulated. Don’t let anyone swim in water that isn’t clean, clear and free of bacteria. Test the water chemistry between pool service contractor visits and add the necessary chemicals. If you test the water and the chemistry isn’t right, give your pool contractor a call and schedule a service visit.
- Keep the deck free from cracks or trip hazards. Damaged decking can lead to trips and falls and even a tumble into the pool. Inspect the deck regularly and repair any issues.
- Use non-skid and non-slip materials on the pool decking and on the diving board. Also, institute a “no running” on the pool deck rule.
- Is the pool ladder safely installed and the correct size? A rule of thumb is the rungs on the ladder should
be at least three inches wide as that is a safe depth for your feet. If you have wider steps they are considered safer. Don’t forget to check the handrails to assure they are sturdy and safe. - Swim lessons should be mandatory. Ask around to find a swimming instructor and find out how young children can be to learn to swim. Even though a child knows how to swim, it still makes sense to have them wear a life vest in the pool.
- Never. Never. Never. See how emphatic we are about that? Leave a child alone in a swimming pool — not even for a second. Also, no one — not even an adult — should swim alone.
- Be like a Boy Scout and Always Be Prepared. Someone should know CPR. There should be a phone at the poolside to use for emergency situations — not to play CandyCrush while you’re supposed to be watching the children. Have life vests, safety hooks and other safety equipment poolside and at the ready.
Everyone who uses the pool needs to be aware of safety rules and should understand how to help if someone is in trouble. Ask your pool contractor for tips about keeping everyone safe in the pool.