Here are some pool safety reminders to help
prevent accidents and to keep your family and friends safe.
SUPERVISION
- Adult supervision is a key element
in getting the maximum, safest enjoyment from your pool.
Never let children under the age of 14 swim unsupervised
in a pool. Constant, vigilant supervision of infants and
children is paramount at all times.
- One individual must assume primary
responsibility for supervising the pool and consistently
enforcing pool rules.
- Set pool rules and stick by them.
Don't allow running around the pool, which can easily
cause slips to occur. Insist on safe diving and proper
use of diving boards, slides and other water toys.
- Pool rules should be clearly
communicated and understood by all persons - young or
old - who use your pool.
- Never swim alone or allow others to
do so.
- Be sure access to your pool area
meets or exceeds local codes to keep children and
uninvited guests from using your pool unsupervised.
SWIMMING ABILITY
- Always find out whether or not
guests can swim. Supervise guests who can't swim the way
you would a child.
- If you're uncomfortable with
someone's swimming abilities, make sure they stay in the
shallow water area and watch them closely.
- Pay special attention to educating
young children and non-swimmers about important safety
precautions.
HEADFIRST ENTRY: DIVING AND SLIDING
The chief danger for divers or headfirst sliders is
serious spinal injury. Serious spinal injuries can occur
even at very slow speeds if the head strikes firmly against
the pool bottom or side. Any diving board, rock, platform or
slide should be inspected prior to use to affirm that its
installation conforms to applicable industry standards and
government regulations.
DO...
- Know the shape of the pool bottom
and the water depth before you dive or slide headfirst.
- Plan your path to avoid submerged
obstacles, surface objects or other swimmers.
- Hold your head up, arms up, and
steer up with your hands.
- Keep arms extended and head and
hands up.
- Practice carefully before you dive
or slide headfirst.
- Test the diving board for its spring
before using.
- Remember that when you dive down,
you must steer up.
- Dive straight ahead - not off the
side of a diving board.
DON'T...
- Drink and dive.
- Dive into an above-ground pool.
- Dive into a pool not meeting a
"diving pool" standard.
- Dive or slide headfirst in the
shallow part of the pool.
- Dive across the narrow part of
pools.
- Run and dive.
- Dive from any place that is not
specifically designed for diving.
- Engage in horseplay on diving or
sliding equipment.
- Use diving equipment as a
trampoline.
- Do a back dive; backyard pools are
not built for this dangerous dive.
- Try fancy dives; keep the dives
simple.
- Dive or slide headfirst at or
through objects such as inner tubes.
- Put diving or sliding equipment on a
pool that wasn't designed for it.
- Swim or dive alone.
- Dive into unfamiliar bodies of
water.
MEDICAL PRECAUTIONS
- Strongly consider having
at least one family member trained in basic CPR.
- Keep a wireless telephone near, but
not too close, to the pool.
- Keep these basic safety items by the
pool at all times:
- Shepherd's crook or long-handled
hook
- Life preserver
- First aid kit including written
instructions on how to administer CPR
ENTERTAINING
- Plan ahead to prevent accidents and
injuries, and make your entertaining truly enjoyable.
- Keep electrical appliances a
significant distance from the pool. Don't use extension
cords. Use a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) on
any appliance or electrical device that is used
poolside.
- Use of alcohol or drugs does not mix
with pool activities.
- Games that may appear safe sometimes
are not. Encourage and supervise the use of good pool
games and toys. Prohibit horseplay, especially throwing
or pushing someone into the pool.
- You have the bottom line
responsibility in poolside entertaining. Use good
judgment to help protect yourself, your family and
guests. If in doubt, prohibit use of the pool by persons
whose condition you doubt. Remember, you are in charge
of your pool.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
- Drains, Suction Fittings, and Jets -
Current grates and covers help prevent body or hair
entrapment. Make sure that drain covers meet the ANSI/ASME
A112.19.8M standard. Safety doors should be installed in
all pool cleaner wall suction lines. Pools, spas, or hot
tubs with drain covers that are broken, missing, or not
adequately secured should not be used until the proper
replacement has been installed.
- Ladders, Steps and Handrails - Make
sure there are adequate safe-entry and safe-exit methods
in both ends of the pool and two sides of the hot tub or
spa.
- Drowning Prevention - Install and
routinely inspect fences, self-closing and latching
gates, baby barrier fences, and alarms. ASTM standards
identify four types of pool alarms: one detects movement
of the surface water, one measures sub-surface pressure
waves, one monitors the perimeter using a laser, and one
is a personal immersion alarm that is locked onto a
child's wrist. There are also alarms for doors and gates
leading to the pool or hot tub area. Learn CPR. Purchase
lockable safety covers that meet the ASTM International
F1346-91 (2003) Safety Standard.
- Water Clarity - Clear water aids in
identifying soakers and swimmers in distress, helps
swimmers avoid collisions and is an indicator that the
sanitizer, circulation, and filtration systems are
functioning. Poor water clarity suggests the presence of
bacteria and/or algae or nutrients for their growth, and
that the circulation and filtration systems may not be
working efficiently to remove the contaminants from the
water.
LINKS TO ADDITIONAL SAFETY INFORMATION
Click on the web sites below to get
safety information from other safety and/or pool and spa
organizations.
