Safety Tips
Pool Safety for Kids & Families
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all families with children under the age of five install at least a 4-foot-tall pool fence or guard around all sides of the pool (or that they hold off on pool building until the children are over age five). Many states, such as Florida, already have pool fence/barrier laws in place. Watch this video on pool safety tips:
Other key pool safety tips include these:
- Never, even for a split second, leave young children unattended in or around a pool. Keep a phone by the pool for emergency calls and also for answering. Many drowning have occurred while the person supervising ran into the house to pick up a ringing phone.
- The pool fence should completely separate the pool from the house and play area. It should also self-close and self-latch, with latches higher than the children’s reach.
- Do not let your child use or rely on air-filled toys and “swimming aids” such as “floaties.”
- Anyone watching young children around a pool should learn CPR and be able to rescue a child if needed.
- Toys should always be removed from the pool after use so that young children are not tempted to reach for them.
- Children should be trained in water survival from the time they are able to walk or crawl to the pool. That said, do not consider a child “drown-proof” just because he or she can swim or has had swimming lessons.
- If a child is missing, the pool should always be checked first, as each second counts when it comes to preventing drowning.
- Don’t leave the pool fence open or propped open at any time, even for a second or two.
New Main Drain Codes:
Congress has passed a new federal law titled the “Virginia Graeme Pool and Safety Act”. New Drain Cover requirements were established under standards set by ANSI/ANSI A 112.19.8 based on this law. This code requires all drain covers to meet this new performance standard effective December 20, 2008.
Safety Reminders
SUPERVISION
- Never take your eyes off a child when he or she is in or near any body of water, not even for a second.
- Do not rely solely on barriers, such as fences or walls. This is no substitute for constant supervision.
- Keep toys, tricycles, and other children’s playthings out of the water and away from the pool or spa.
- Do not consider your children to be “drown-proof” because you enrolled them in swimming or “waterproofing” classes
- Do not rely on inflatable devices to keep your child afloat. These are not substitutes for adult supervision.
BARRIERS
- Make sure your pool or spa meets all necessary barrier requirements such as a fence, wall or safety cover that guards against unsupervised access, particularly by young children.
- Make sure doors leading to the pool or spa area are self-closing and self-latching, or are equipped with exit alarms, and are never propped open. Gates should have self-closing, self-latching mechanisms. Latches should be out of reach of young children and kept in proper working order.
- Make sure the safety cover is always closed when the pool or spa is not in use.
- Always drain standing (surface) water from a pool cover. Remember that even a few inches of water can be hazardous, especially to young children.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
- Learn how to administer lifesaving techniques to children, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
- Install a phone, or keep a cordless phone, in the pool or spa area.
- Post the emergency medical services phone number (i.e. 911) in any easy-to-see place near the pool or spa.
