Spending time in the swimming pool is a cool and refreshing activity on a hot summer day. You and your family can enjoy time in the pool as long as you remember important safety rules, according to Kids Health. Approximately 1,000 children die each year in drowning accidents, most of them in home swimming pools. Knowing pool safety rules will help protect your family from the dangers that swimming pools pose.
Adult Supervision
Active adult supervision will enable you to prevent potential accidents before they occur. An adult should always be present while children are swimming, recommends Healthy Children. For younger children, you should be in the water and within arm's reach of little swimmers. Older children are able to swim on their own as long as you are actively watching them and are not distracted by things like the cell phone or chores. Healthy Children also recommends that you know how to swim if you are planning to supervise children while they play in the pool.
No Running
Teach your family to avoid running around the pool area, Healthy Children recommends. Water can get splashed onto the area outside of the pool, making it easy to slip and fall into the water or on the hard walkway surface, causing injury. Healthy Children also recommends removing furniture and other obstructions from the pool area to prevent your family from tripping and falling when moving around outside the pool.
No Diving In Shallow Water
Diving is an entertaining way to play in the pool, but only when the water is deep enough, says Healthy Children. Diving in shallow water can cause spinal cord injuries, permanent brain damage or death, but your family can stay safe by diving only in deep water. Healthy Children also recommends that you and your family take diving lessons to further protect yourselves. You should also avoid diving into inflatable rings or onto other inflatable toys.
Install a Pool Fence
One of the best ways to prevent swimming pool accidents is to install a fence around the pool and to use a lock when the pool is not in use. Kids Health recommends using a fence that is at least four feet tall, with slats close enough together that children cannot squeeze through. The latch on the gate should be out of reach of children as well. Teach your family the importance of the pool fence so everyone understands how important it is for preventing accidents. Healthy Children adds that you should keep patio furniture and other things that can be climbed on away from the fence to prevent anyone from climbing over.
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