Summer is here and it’s officially pool season. After being quarantined inside for months, people are shedding their clothes and dragging those lounge chairs poolside.
Beware though, several dangers surround that innocent and serene looking body of water and you want to be prepared.
Ways to make your pool safer
Make sure that everyone in your family knows how to swim and understands pool safety
To reduce the risk of drowning, you should brush up on your pool safety knowledge as well as your swimming skills and ensure everyone in your family does the same. Regularly review safety rules with your family and be strict about who they allow into the pool, especially when you are not there.
The last thing you want is people who cannot swim entering the pool as it poses too much of a risk for them and a potential source of anxiety for you. This, in fact, should be a rule you institute for your pool, that non-swimmers are not allowed.
Construct a pool fence
Nothing invites people to swim in a pool they haven’t been invited to like the lack of a pool fence. Imagine being away at work and neighbors are climbing over the fence to swim in your pool. Or worse, your small child or toddler falling into the pool because there was nothing to bar their access.
Pool fencing comes in a variety of materials. There are also permanent and temporary fencing options you can employ to prevent people from easily entering your pool. With a pool fence, you not only add an extra layer of security, but you also add peace of mind.
Keep latches and locks for the fence out of the reach of children and as far as possible make these self-locking once they are closed. It’s also a good idea to install alarms on these gates so you can tell if anyone has entered the pool area.
Learn CPR
If the worst should happen during an afternoon of fun, you should be prepared to be a first responder and offer life-saving medical aid. It’s essential that you know how to perform CPR as a pool owner.
CPR allows for the resuscitation of anyone who has taken on the water into their lungs and has stopped breathing on their own. This is a critical situation, as the brain endures permanent, irreversible damage after as little as 5 mins of oxygen deprivation. You never know when you may need to use this training, which is why it’s all the better to have it in reserve, just in case.
Have safety equipment near the pool
Just as you want to be able to perform CPR on a guest that may need it, it’s also a good idea to keep a first aid kit, safety items like life jackets and flotation devices, and items like scissors and a phone near your pool.
If there is an accident of any kind, you can call for help on a nearby phone. Anyone in difficulty can be thrown a life jacket and if anyone becomes caught in a pool drain, they can be cut free quickly.
Cover pool drains
Speaking of pool drains, these are the site of thousands of accidents in pools. Children are particularly prone to get caught in them. This is why it is recommended that you speak to the company that built your pool to have them built and fitted from the beginning.
Uncovered pool drains are dangerous because the suction can pull clothing, hair, and even limbs into the openings. From there it is only a short matter of time before someone expires from the lack of oxygen, especially if no one sees what is happening.
Observe good pool hygiene
Danger does not only exist around the pool. Sometimes the threat may be in the pool water itself. There are a number of waterborne pathogens that can be acquired from an unclean pool or from drinking unclean pool water.
Therefore, have your pool cleaned regularly. Also insist that guests not go into the pool if they have a cold or the flu or if they have open cuts or sores. Both present opportunities for disease to be spread.
Supervise children around a pool
Children must never be left unsupervised at a pool. Children will play rough games, dunking games, and run on the slippery surfaces around a pool and think it all good fun. Adults generally tend to see the dangers involved, but only if they are looking on.
This summer, be sure to enjoy your pool. However, make sure you take steps to ensure your enjoyment is safe.
