A home pool can be a source of endless fun for the summer break but can turn into a danger for kids if the right steps and procedures are not followed. It has been recorded that 350 children under the age of five drown in backyard pools, according to Momsteam. It is therefore important to ensure that kids are safe while having fun in the pool, a slight mistake can lead to serious injury, and some can be fatal. In this article, we delve into a few strategies on how to ensure pool safety for children.
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Using Safety Covers
Pool covers are a great way of ensuring that the children are safe from potential accidents. They offer a protective barrier restricting unauthorized access, especially for small children. It becomes nearly impossible for an accident to occur and someone falling into the water. They are designed in a way that any pressure applied at a specific area is distributed throughout the entire surface of the pool.
This helps avoid cases where a person or child falls and rips through the cover. Apart from safety, these covers also offer a layer of protection from debris, keeping it clean to save on a pool cleaner when not in use. These covers are designed to meet the standards for pool safety, giving the parent or caregiver peace of mind in knowing that they have a safety measure in place that meets the industry qualifications. It is also good at avoiding legal liabilities in the case of an accident occurring.
Installing a Secure Pool Fence
It is inevitable for a parent to lose sight of their child a few times a day, this makes it vital to have a secure fence around the pool. Naturally, in a home setting, a parent is comfortable enough to leave the children unattended since they are in a secure location. Having the kids playing outside or in a different room is generally normal. This leaves the kids at risk of potential danger, especially if there is an unattended backyard pool.
In a short period of time, a child can find their way out of the house and fall into the pool. Having a secure fence offers a first line of protection restricting the child from access to the facility. It would be difficult for small children to bypass this, saving them from the occurrence. It also meets safety regulations, as some states have this as a legal requirement. These laws have been passed with the aim of reducing the number of drowning incidents and encouraging a sense of responsibility in the parents.
Teaching Water Safety
Apart from physical barriers, teaching children about the potential hazards and risks that come with an open pool is a great way of ensuring safety. Children lack the knowledge of the risks that are involved when in or near the water, this calls for a need to inform them of what to do and what not to do. This awareness will help them stay cautious of their activities around the pool to avoid accidents.
They should be taught about the drainages, strong currents, and the hazards associated with these. By knowing this, they are more likely to stay away from situations that may put them in harm’s way. Ensure that the children are enrolled in swimming classes. Having a basic knowledge of swimming skills will help them stay afloat if they fall in the water, and they can find their way to safety. These skills may seem minute, but they save countless lives, especially kids exposed to these lessons from an early age.
Constant Supervision
While physical barriers and safety lessons are a great way to ensure children are safe around the pool, they can not compare to the watchful eye of an adult. Drowning happens silently, and within a few seconds, during this panic, a child might forget everything they were taught as they are not thinking clearly at this point. Having an adult to act quickly to the situation can save the life of the child.
Always ensure that there is an adult present whenever children are using the pool for supervision purposes. Children are naturally curious, and sometimes they might engage in risky behaviors like diving and running near the pool. It is important to have an adult to correct these behaviors before they lead to an accident. Sometimes they might engage in rough play, like pushing and dragging each other under the water. An adult can notice this and stop it before they unknowingly hurt each other. Exhaustion might also get to the child leading to them being unable to stay afloat in the water. An adult is able to see the distress signs like gasping for air, splashing or staying under the water for too long. They can investigate and help the child out in case something has gone wrong.
Equipping the Pool Area with Safety Devices
There are a variety of safety devices used in the pool to avoid the risk of a potential accident occurring. Some of these devices detect disturbances on the surface of the water. This releases a loud alert that someone has entered the pool. They are great at initiating a parent’s rapid response to the situation. This reduces the likelihood that a child has fallen into the pool and has not received the assistance they require.
There are surveillance cameras for pools that allow parents and guardians to monitor the activity of the child in real-time. These are effective for bigger kids who have experience with being left in the pool but require checking in from time to time. Motion sensors are also a great way of keeping kids away from the pool area. They can be configured to trigger alarms or lights for unauthorized access to the pool, especially during the night hours.
Securing Doors and Windows
Securing doors and windows that give access to the pool area is an easy safety measure when dealing with children. Their curiosity may lead them to wander to the pool area unauthorized, which poses a potential threat. Locked doors discourage this behavior and compel children to ask for help from an adult. Which also helps to keep you aware of the child’s whereabouts.
In addition, doors can be equipped with sensors and alarms that go off when opened. This will send an alert to the caregiver that someone is in the pool area. This is an added layer of water safety and security, especially for homes with large households. This offers peace of mind by knowing that the children can not access the pool. Therefore, the adults can carry on with their business comfortably.
Conclusion to Pool Safety for Children
Ensuring home pool safety for children is a vital process that saves countless lives yearly. By equipping the pool area with safety devices, securing doors and windows, constantly having a supervisor present, using safety covers, teaching water safety, and installing a secure pool fence, one is able to avoid many scenarios that may result in an accident. These measures prevent unauthorized access to the pool and comply with various legal requirements. Combined together, there will barely be any case of an accident occurring.
For more on this topic, check out the full Summer Safety & Activities collection
