Onground Swimming Pools – Think Safety
Onground swimming pools are a great addition to your backyard décor. Your entire family can relax and enjoy a hot summer day. Children will certainly have a great time. But with that pool comes the responsibility to think safety. Keeping children safe should always be your number one concern when you install a swimming pool at home. You want to ensure that there are no serious injuries or deaths that result from your pool or the equipment in your pool. The number one causes of serious injuries or death include: 1. Drowning
This is the leading cause of accidental death for children under the age of 5, according to the National Safety Council. Most drownings do occur at lakes, oceans, or rivers but a small percentage do occur in swimming pools.
2. Paralysis
Can occur as a result of sliding, jumping, or diving in both shallow and deep water. Back and neck injuries, heads are hit on the bottom of the pool, a spinal cord injury. Many injuries occur as a result of diving. So set up your rules and make sure your guests comply. Those rules should read “Don’t Dive, Slide, or Jump.”
3. Burns
Can result from chemicals that are used to sanitize and clean the pool. If they are not properly stored burns can result. The chemicals used are very strong and corrosive. They must be stored safely and under lock and key to make certain this never happens.
4. Electrical Shock
Water is a conductor for electricity and electrocution can occur in an instant if a live current enters the water through a device. This includes your telephone! All devices need to be on a GFCI which is a ground fault circuit interrupter which will kick out should a danger arise.
5. Cuts And Abrasions
Pools are a common place for cuts and abrasions to occur. It’s relatively easy to slip and fall and land up with a cut or scratch. And if there’s horseplay it’s very common. In fact broken arms and legs can occur. So although your pool should be a place of fun you need to stop horseplay that can result in injury. As a pool owner you are legally responsible for the safety of the people who use your pool. Make sure your home owners insurance coverage is adequate. That doesn’t mean you guests can’t have fun. There are just some things you need to take care of. Here are some tips for onground swimming pools: 1. Supervise – adult supervision is a must for safe use of your pool. Never leave children unattended using the pool. If you yourself cannot supervise then you must assign a responsible person to do the job.
2. Enforce the rules – the pool supervisor is the person who enforces all the rules of the pool. Your rules need to cover eating food, pool games, alcoholic beverages, maintenance, and more.
3. The rules should also be posted and clearly visible to the user.
4. Someone onsite whether it is the supervisor or another adult should have CPR and artificial respiration.
5. Identify swimmers – learn to tell those that can swim adequately from those that cannot swim or those that can barely swim. If you feel skills are inadequate keep the user to the shallow end.
6. Do not let anyone swim alone or swim when tires, chilled, or when they have been drinking alcohol or using recreational drugs.
7. Do not allow any diving, sliding, or jumping into your onground pool. Onground swimming pools are a great source of entertainment for friends and family of all ages. Just remember safety first!
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