It is that time of year when nothing feels better than a refreshing swim in a pool. Children especially enjoy spending a lot of time playing in the water. If you have a swimming pool in your yard, it’s important that you take all the safety precautions possible to ensure that fun is the only thing that will happen.
Young children (under 5) are at great risk of drowning in water so these guidelines should be followed whether you have an in-ground pool, above ground pool, or even a hot tub or spa.
Never leave a child with access to a swimming pool unattended. This may seem like such an obvious point, but sadly many swimming pool drownings occur when the child was thought to be in the home. If there are doors in the home with direct access to the pool, equip them with a distinctive alarm which would allow someone in another area of the house to clearly hear it.
Pool barriers are very important, and they come in various forms, for in ground pools, this is some kind of fencing or wall around the pool, but they must meet the requirements for proper pool safety barriers which include specific measurements. With above ground pools, any access to the pool (a ladder or steps for example) should have some means of being secured or locked to prevent access by small children.
When securing a swimming pool or hot tub etc. with a barrier, remember that children can get through very small spaces so its vital to make sure that this cannot happen. The pool barrier must stop a child from getting through, under or over it and only be accessible for a child when an adult is there to supervise.