6 Must-Include Items On Your Swimming Pool Safety Checklist

A swimming pool is believed to be a lovely element to any home. It can be an area in your home outdoor space where family and friends can have fun or unwind during extremely hot and sunny days.  

Throughout the years, the possibility of injuries and fatalities in swimming pools is becoming more apparent. It’s believed that accidental drowning is the leading cause of death for young children. Time and time again, parents and guardians are reminded to don’t leave their children unsupervised, even if they know how to swim.  

When you have kids, it’s crucial to ensure safety in and around the swimming pool area at all times. You ought to make the right choices to keep them safe for a child to still have fun at the same time. Here are some of the must-include items in your swimming pool safety checklist.   

Pool Barriers And Fences

A physical barricade such as pool fencing, covers, and walls serves as the initial line of defense for children from accessing the pool without the presence of an adult. In some areas, it’s mandatory by state or municipal law.   

When installing pool fencing, there are factors to consider. Children shouldn’t be able to go under, over, or through the wall or fence. The precise recommendations will vary depending on the type of barrier and the pool you have. Furthermore, some of them are the following:   

• Fencing around the pool should have a minimum height of four feet.   
• The spaces in the fence must not be wide enough for a small child to squeeze through.  
• Avoid positioning structures such as stones or benches nearby since children can use them to hop or jump the fence or barrier.  
• The gate to the swimming pool area must have a self-closing latch that’s beyond a kid’s reach.   

 It’s said that the need to install a permanent fence depends on the security you need around the pool area in your home. Even a mesh barrier is usually enough as long as it undergoes proper installation. If you’re considering glass pool fencing for your pool area, checking out reliable professionals in your area will significantly help.  

Gates And Doors   

Depending on the door or gate style you’ll get, lever locks, childproof doorknob covers, or sliding door locks are ideal additions for doors for outside use.   

A good add-on to have is an alarm that signals every time the door opens. You’ll know right away if a child goes to the pool on their own. If you’re still concerned about children entering the pool after you’ve secured the area, you can install a pool alarm that uses the latest motion sensor technology to help detect whenever there’s an activity in the pool.  

Pool Covers

Getting a pool cover is another option to prevent unintended accidents. For a swimming pool, you can choose between manual and automatic covers. A manually laid cover generally stretches throughout the top part of the pool, either by hand or with a crank mechanism and anchors into the pool deck. 

As for an automatic pool cover, the retracting covers are easier to use but comes with a higher price tag. However, it offers convenience as you don’t need to operate the mechanism by yourself. If you’ll go with one, keep the controls out of reach of children at all times.   

An alternative to pool cover is a safety net. The net stretches over the pool surface and anchors around the perimeter. You must install it properly so that it can catch children that might fall in. 

When the swimming is not in use, make sure that the cover is in place to avoid accidents.  

Drains And Drain Covers

The drains can produce an underwater suction with force capable of trapping even strong swimmers below the surface. Drains can potentially cause near-drowning injuries among children.   

But this can be easily remedied by installing a drain cover. Additionally, ensure that all the drain covers are clean and not missing or showing signs of damage.  

Pool Maintenance And Cleaning Chemicals

As part of pool maintenance, chlorine is a necessity when correctly used. It helps eliminate waterborne bacteria and parasites in a manner that’s harmless to humans. Sadly, when a swimming pool’s water shows signs of neglect and incorrect use of chemicals, it can result in skin irritation, illness, and even fire.   

Keep chemicals out of reach by children and store them in a secure area with a lock. When storing the chemicals, separate them from other household cleaners due to the potential for chemical reactions resulting in combustion. The storage area must be clean at all times and free of dirt, leaves, and other debris. Additionally, it would be best to clean up any chemical spills that might occur immediately.    

Pool Safety Rules

Always prioritize pool safety at all times. Adults should be present and vigilant at all times when monitoring children in and around the pool area. It’s best to limit cellphone use, drinking, and the like for they may be a form of distraction from you being able to monitor children’s security. Make it a priority to instruct children to avoid running around the pool, entering the adjacent area alone, and others.   

As for kids’ toys and flotation devices, you should be mindful of what you allow and impose responsible play. It’s best to bypass slides and diving boards entirely. Keep in mind that floats and life jackets only serve as secondary safety devices and aren’t enough protection on their own.   

Enrolling your child in a swimming class is a good move but will not guarantee safety too. It’s best to teach children as soon as they’re old and capable enough. A child as young as six months old can start by taking part in a parent-child swimming class to introduce them to the water.  

It’s also advisable for you to learn the signs of drowning and enrolling in first aid and CPR course to be able to deal with emergencies appropriately before a professional response team reaches the scene. 

Conclusion

A swimming pool is said to be an ideal venue for use in entertaining friends or when unwinding with a dip in the cool water during the summer. Both children and adults have fun using swimming pools. Make sure to prioritize safety at all times with the help of the abovementioned considerations on swimming pool safety. They may be helpful for everyone to both have a great and safe time at the swimming pool at all times.