A beautiful pool in your garden promises endless summer fun but it also comes with a huge responsibility of keeping fast and fearless little ones out of harm's way. Listed below are a few rules that will ensure the safety of young children in or near a swimming pool but they also apply to anyone using a pool regardless of their age or swimming skill:
• Non-swimmers must be accompanied in the water by an adult who can swim.
• Children may not enter the pool area without an adult who can swim.
• No one may ever swim alone.
• No running, pushing, or rough play is allowed in or near the pool.
• No diving is allowed unless the pool has an area designed for it.
• Glass and electrical appliances are not allowed in the pool area because of the risks of injury or electrocution.
• No swimming is allowed during a thunderstorm because water attracts lightning.
• Night swimming is not recommended unless children are closely supervised by adult swimmers in a well-lit pool
• Consider swimming lessons as a health-care priority
• Knowing even basic CPR and acting immediately—instead of waiting for emergency responders—can make the difference between life and
death in drowning cases
• Pool covers that are designed to keep kids out, are the surest barrier if designed and used correctly. A good pool cover must be
able to support an adult’s weight.
• Pool fences. A standard cover may not fit a very large pool or irregularly shaped pool. Even with a cover, a child-safe pool should
be fenced to keep it securely off-limits between supervised swims. Keep furniture and any similar objects that could be used for
climbing away from the fence.
Be smart about pool services
When opening your pool for the season, hire a certified professional to check that the pool’s safety cover is working properly, the electrical components are in order and the fencing is solid, with self-closing and self-latching gates which work to prevent child drownings and encourage active supervision in and around water. Ask your service provider to check for and repair loose screws or rough edges that could catch a costume or hair.
