Pool Safety
Summer is here and those with a backyard swimming pool are the lucky ones. What a great way to cool off and enjoy the great weather. Each year, however, many children drown in swimming pool and water related incidences. Most injuries occur through negligence, lack of supervision, a child slipping in the pool, entrapment hazards such as ladders, diving boards and filtration systems.
Here are some safety guidelines to prevent pool drownings recommended by Toronto-based Solda Pools Ltd.
- Keep all garage or patio doors locked that lead to backyard.
- Build a fence surrounding the pool with a self-latching gate.
- Keep a first aid kit close by and a phone handy.
- Stay out of the water during storms.
- Make sure all electrical appliances and devices are protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter (GPCI).
- Make sure your deck has a non-slip surface.
- Only one person at a time on the diving board.
- At night, make sure there is enough lighting in and around the pool so that the bottom is visible at all times.
- Always have an adult supervising in and around the pool. Never leave children unattended (it only takes a second for a child to drown and it’s always silent). If it’s a group of kids, count the kids and make sure to recount frequently.
- Store all pool chemicals out of reach and sight of children. Store chemicals in a cool and dry place, off the floor. Always read labels. Wash hands after use. Never add when swimmers are in the pool. Always add chemicals to water, not water to chemicals.
- Children who cannot swim must always wear a life jacket or a floatation device. This is not a guaranteed safety device.
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