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Drowning
According to the National Safety Council, drowning is a leading cause
of accidental death in this country, especially for children under five.
Although the greatest percentage of drowning occurs in natural aquatic
settings, (e.g., oceans, lakes, quarries, etc.) drowning does occur in
swimming pools. The water depth of any pool is sufficient for drowning to
occur. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports the drowning of
children in even water buckets and toilets.
Protecting young children from accidental drowning in all aquatic
environments, whether natural or constructed, is a primary concern of the
aquatic industry, health and safety organizations and regulatory groups.
It is the responsibility of the parent, caretaker and pool owner to
prevent accidents.
Paralysis
Improper diving or sliding, alcohol consumption, horseplay, or
roughhousing in and around swimming pools may lead to serious neck and
spinal injuries including paralysis, in the form of quadriplegia or
paraplegia. A number of these injuries occur yearly, with the overwhelming
majority occurring in shallow water. A number of people who ignored these
rules and chose to dive into shallow water are now paralyzed. The facts
show that many of these were experienced divers. Don't let this happen to
you. Inform family and guests who come to enjoy your pool of the safety
rules you have established.
Burns/Fires
Chemicals needed for clean, sanitized water are potentially harmful
when stored or used improperly. If mixed with other chemicals or elements,
explosions and fire can occur. Read the label and follow manufacturers'
instructions. Always store chemicals where children cannot reach them.
Electrical Shock/Electrocution
Water is an excellent conductor of electricity. Electrical shock or
electrocution can occur in a pool if live electrical current flowing
through appliances and devices (including current from a telephone) comes
into contact with the water. Make sure all electrical appliances and
devices are protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).
Cuts, Contusions, and Abrasions
The pool environment, as well as associated products and equipment,
can be a source of injury to users. Slipping and falling can result in
cuts or scrapes, or broken legs and arms. Horseplay, improper use of
equipment or failure to follow manufacturers' instructions and warnings
can result in serious trauma and permanently disabling injuries.
For more tips from the National Spa and Pool Institute, visit their Web
site at
http://www.nspi.org/Home/.
Layers of Protection
Supervision is always your primary layer of protection, but studies
show that 69 percent of the drowning incidents occurred when parental
supervision failed and there were not "backup layers" in use. Layers of
protection include:
- Access doors to the pool area with high locks are a secondary layer
of protection.
- Alarms on access doors is another layer of protection.
- A pool safety barrier (fence) separating the pool from your home and
all access doors and entrances is one more layer of protection.
- Water survival training for a child when he/she is capable of
crawling or walking to the pool.
- CPR and knowledge of rescue techniques are the final layer of
protection, should there be an accident.
The goal with instituting layers of protection is to come as close to a
"fail safe" system of preventing drowning incidents as possible. Meaning,
if there is a momentary lapse of supervision for whatever reason; there
are several backup systems in place.
There cannot be any compromise on pool safety.
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