05/15/2019
Pool Safety for Children
How can I help keep my child safe around swimming pools?
First, supervision. An adult should always actively supervise children playing in swimming pools at all times. For infants and toddlers, the adult should be within arms reach in the pool. The adult should be free from all distractions, and avoid alcohol consumption.
Maintaining Pool Rules
• Keep toys away from the pool when the pool is not in use.
• Empty blow-up pools after each use.
• No tricycles or other riding toys at poolside.
• No electrical appliances near the pool.
• No diving in a pool that is not deep enough.
• No running on the pool deck.
Also, a pool fence is advisable for a home swimming pool. Children can climb out a window, through a doggy door, or sneak out a door to get to the back yard and the pool. The fence should completely surround the pool or spa. This is in addition to adult supervision at all times.
The following are recommendations for pool fences:
• Be climb-resistant and should not have anything alongside it (such as lawn furniture) that can be used to climb it.
• Be at least 4 feet high and have no footholds or handholds that could help a child climb it.
• Have no more than 4 inches between vertical slats. Chain-link fences are very easy to climb and are not recommended as pool fences. If they must be used, the diamond shape should not be bigger than 1¾ inches.
• Have a gate that is well maintained and is self-closing and self-latching. It should only open away from the pool. The latches should be higher than a child can reach – 54 inches from the bottom of the gate.
• For above-ground pools always keep children away from steps or ladders. When the pool is not in use, lock or remove the ladders to prevent access by children.
There are other measures which can be implemented and they include:
• Automatic pool covers (motorized covers operated by a switch). Pool covers should cover the entire pool so that a child can't slip under them. Make sure there is no standing water on top of the pool cover. Be aware that floating solar covers are not safety covers.
• Door alarms
• Doors to the house that are self-closing/self-latching
• Window guards
• Pool alarms
