Swimming Pool Dangers

By Author: Steve Merillat
Total Articles: 14
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Burns & Fires

Chemicals needed for clean, sanitized water are potentially harmful when stored or used improperly. If mixed with other chemicals or elements, explosions and fire can occur. Read the label and follow manufacturers' instructions. Always store chemicals where they cannot be reached by children.

Common Sense Safety Precautions

Never permit the pool to be used unless at least one person other than the bather is present. Children must always be under careful adult supervision. Never run the filter while there are swimmers in or around the pool. Be sure electrical hook-ups comply with national and Local electrical codes.

Do not dispense chemicals into the pool while the pool is being used. Poisoning or painful skin irritations can occur.

Do not permit horseplay or dangerous water games in and around your pool. Remember that the pool area may be wet and slippery, and accidents resulting in serious injuries can be prevented if rules of behavior are strictly enforced.

Keep the water sanitary and healthful at all times, maintain pool sanitation with ...
... the use of a good filter system and the regular application of water purifying chemicals. Unsanitary water is a potential health and safety hazard.

Lighting should be provided to illuminate safety signs, deck surfaces, and walks during nighttime pool use.

Do not allow toys, chairs, tables, filtration system's pumps, heaters or other objects that a young child could climb, to be within four feet (4') of the pool.

# Teach your children to swim.
# Parents and or guardians should learn C.P.R.
# Keep all electrical radios, speakers and other appliances away from the swimming pool.
# Keep the deck and pool area clean and clear of objects that may create a tripping hazard.
# When you touch the filters, pump or electrical parts, make sure the ground under your feet is "Bone Dry".
# Face pool ladder(s) going up or down.
# Allow only one person at a time on the pool ladder(s).

Cuts, Contusions, and Abrasions

The pool environment, as well as associated products and equipment, can be a source of injury to users. Slipping and falling can result in cuts or scrapes or broken legs and arms. Horseplay, improper use of equipment or failure to follow manufacturers' instructions or warnings can result in serious trauma and permanently disabling injuries.

Food Suggestions around the Swimming Pool

Do not chew gum or eat while you swim; you could easily choke.

Never drink alcohol and swim.

Use common sense about swimming after eating. In general, you do not have to wait an hour after eating before you may safely swim. However, if you have had a large meal, it is wise to let digestion get started before doing strenuous activity such as swimming.

Fun in the Sun

Babies under 6 months of age should be kept out of the direct sunlight. Move your baby to the shade or under a tree, umbrella, or the stroller canopy.
# Dress babies in lightweight clothing that covers the arms and legs and use brimmed hats.
# Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside, and use sunscreen even on cloudy days. The sun protection factor (SPF) should be at least 15.
# Try to keep children out of the sun between 10 am and 4 pm - that's when the sun's rays are strongest. Never leave children alone in or near the pool, even for a moment.
# Make sure adults are trained in life-saving techniques and CPR so they can rescue a child if necessary.
# Surround your pool on all four sides with a sturdy five-foot fence.
# Make sure the gates self-close and self-latch at a height children can't reach.
# Keep rescue equipment (a shepherd's hook - a long pole with a hook on the end - and life preserver) and a portable telephone near the pool.
# Avoid inflatable swimming aids such as "floaties." They are not a substitute for approved life vests and can give children a false sense of security.
# Children are not developmentally ready for swim lessons until after their fourth birthday. Swim programs for children under 4 should not be seen as a way to decrease the risk of drowning.
# Whenever infants or toddlers are in or around water, an adult should be within arm's length, providing "touch supervision."

Know your Limitations around the Swimming Pool

Watch out for the "dangerous too's"-too tired, too cold, too much sun, too much strenuous activity.

Stay out of the water when overheated.

Know your swimming limits and stay within them. Don't try to keep up with a stronger skilled swimmer or encourage others to keep up with you. Keep an eye on weaker swimmers-if they appear tired, encourage them to rest on land.

Obey "No Diving" signs, which always indicate the area is unsafe for head-first entries. Always check the depth of the water before you dive. A general rule is to enter feet first into water rather than head-first if you don't know the depth. In addition, learn the correct way to dive from a qualified instructor.

Know local weather conditions and prepare for electrical storms. Because water conducts electricity, it is wise to stop swimming as soon as you see or hear a storm.

Life Saving Equipment

It is recommended that one or more of the following lifesaving items are on hand at all times within the pool area.

A strong rigid light weight pole (shepherd's crook) not less than 12' long with blunt ends.

A 1/4" diameter throwing rope as long as 1 1/2 times the maximum width of the pool, or 50' whichever is less, which has been firmly attached to a ring buoy with an outside diameter of approximately 15" or some other similar flotation device.

Paralysis

Improper diving or sliding, alcohol consumption, horseplay, or roughhousing in and around swimming pools may lead to serious neck and spinal injuries including paralysis, in the form of quadriplegia or paraplegia.
A number of these injuries occur yearly, with the overwhelming majority occurring in shallow water. A number of people who ignored these rules and chose to dive into shallow water are now paralyzed. The facts show that many of these were experienced divers. Don't let this happen to you.
Inform family and guests who come to enjoy your pool of the safety rules you have established.

Slides or Diving Boards and Above Ground Pools

Do not install a slide or a diving board as your pool is approximately 48" or 52" deep and not designed to be used with them. Do not dive or jump into your pool. Your pool is approximately 48" or 52" deep. It is not designed for diving or jumping. If you dive or jump into the pool, you run the high risk of permanent injury or death. Alert all family members and guests of this fact. Point out the DO NOT DIVE labels supplied with the pool.

Swimming Pool Electrical Shock

Water is an excellent conductor of electricity.
Electrical shock or electrocution can occur in a pool if live electrical current flowing through appliances and devices (including current from a telephone) comes into contact with the water. Make sure all electrical appliances and devices are protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).


S.Merillat(r)

To learn more about pool dangers, visit http://www.1800pools.com
Steve Merillat has been in the Pool industry for 35 years. He started early on working for various Swimming Pool supply companies before ventured out in his own business. He pioneered many processes with the installation of pools that are used as industry standards today. He regularly holds seminars and classes on how to properly maintain your Swimming Pool. Visit http://www.1800pools.com