Swimming Pool Safety

Take Precautions To Prevent Drownings

THINGS TO CONSIDER

Swimming is a very fun pastime and an enjoyable activity that people can do in their own backyard. But with children running around as fast as their little legs can take them, a giant hole in the ground filled with water may not be the safest place for them to play. Pool safety is a must-know for all who love to swim wherever there is water. There are simple solutions everyone should know and practice to make pool areas safer for smaller children.

CHILDREN DON'T REALIZE THEY CAN DROWN

Drowning is the very dangerous process of a person’s lungs filling up with water where only air should be. Little kids who don’t know any better may experience this tragic process simply because they see a toy in the pool and went in to get it without realizing they cannot swim or need to hold their breath. Another reason a child could drown in a pool may be an unintended slip and fall accident, which could have been prevented with a few commonsense precautions.

TAKING CHARGE OF POOL SAFETY

To prevent swimming pool drownings, items like gates and pool covers, along with adequate supervision, of course, can be a major factor. A gate with a latch that is high-enough to be out of a child’s reach and fence pickets that are installed close together so that the child cannot squeeze through them or climb over the top are ideal. A pool cover can also help, but be sure it is rated to hold enough weight to handle an adult or two and a child in case the child needs rescuing by mom or dad from atop the cover.

OTHER POOL CONCERNS

While precautions at home may be a helpful factor, accidental drownings can happen in someone else’s pool. Pool accidents at public pools can range from improper supervision to glass or other dangerous objects near or in the pool. Other incidents can involve improper chemical maintenance, poor lighting in and around the pool, or damaged pool ladders and diving boards. These types of accidents were common for decades according to a Dallas premises liability attorney who has handled many swimming pool cases.

While swimming in a pool should be fun, it is important to recognize the dangers of having a pool and a child together. The fact that a child knows how to swim may not prevent him or her from drowning. Instead, be proactive and do not wait for a tragedy to happen first by simply taking the necessary precautions that will prevent the possibility of an accidental drowning.

If you are doing your own pool maintenance, make sure you are properly trained to manage swimming pool water and pool equipment. This will ensure that swimmers will not become sick from improperly maintained pool water or injured from damaged pool slides, diving boards, or other swimming pool features. Commercial pools and other water features located in apartment complexes, motels and hotels, water parks, club buildings, or other locations should hire professionally trained personnel or pool service companies who know about pool water, pool equipment, and pool safety.