When the weather starts to get warm, many people start looking forward to swimming and other water-based activities. However, any kind of water activity requires participants to be alert and safety conscious to avoid serious accidents. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an average of 10 people died of unintentional drowning every day in 2006 alone. By learning and practicing the basic rules of water safety, you can greatly reduce your risk of a serious or even fatal accident while swimming.
Don't Swim Alone
Even an experienced swimmer can run into trouble in the water. Swim in locations with lifeguards, or make sure you have a friend to keep an eye out for you, advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition, children should never swim without supervision, says the CDC. It is important to have someone available to help you or your children if something goes wrong while swimming.
Protect Your Skin
UV rays can damage your skin and increase your risk of developing skin cancer. The CDC suggests sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher. In addition, swimming can wash the sunscreen off your skin, leaving it exposed to harmful rays. Reapply sunscreen after swimming to keep your skin protected, suggests the CDC.
Be Careful Diving
It is essential to know the depth of the water before you attempt a dive. Diving into shallow water can knock you unconscious or even break your neck. In a swimming pool, you can check the depth markers on the side to ensure appropriate depth for diving. In natural bodies of water, such as lakes or oceans, swimmers should always check the depth of the water before attempting to dive. Sometimes it is difficult to accurately assess depth in turbulent or murky waters, notes KidsHealth.org.
Ocean Safety
Swimming in the ocean presents additional hazards to swimmers. The CDC suggests swimmers learn the meaning of the warning flags lifeguards use on the beach to alert swimmers to water conditions. For example, red flags indicate a high level of danger from factors such as undertows, high surf or rip currents. The CDC suggests swimmers check weather reports and water conditions before attempting to swim. Rip currents can be especially dangerous to unprepared swimmers. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, rip currents often exist around piers, so swimmers should stay at least 100 feet away from these structures.
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