Pool Safety

Supervision is always your primary layer of protection, but studies show that 69 percent of the drowning incidents occurred when parental supervision failed and there were not "backup layers" in place. Layers of protection include:

• Access doors to the pool area with high locks.
• Alarms on access doors.
• A pool safety barrier (fence) separating the pool from your home and all access doors and entrances.
• Water survival training for a child when he/she is capable of crawling or walking to the pool.
• CPR and knowledge of rescue techniques, should there be an accident.

The goal of instituting layers of protection is to come as close to a "fail safe" system of preventing drowning incidents as possible. This way, if there is a momentary lapse of supervision for whatever reason; there are several backup systems already in place.

Water Walking

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging consumers to stop participating in a new water-related recreational activity, due to the potential risks of suffocation and drowning. The activity is called water walking and the water walking ball has numerous brand or ride names.

The product has no emergency exit and can be opened only by a person outside of the ball, significantly heightening the risk of injury or death. Pre-existing medical conditions, such as heart, lung or breathing issues, can be made worse by use of the product, according to the CPSC.

Several states have banned or refused permits for rides that use this product. CPSC is aware of two incidents involving this product. In one incident, a child was found unresponsive after being inside the ball for a very brief period of time. In the second incident, a person suffered a fracture when the ball fell out of the shallow, aboveground pool onto the ground.

CPSC warns consumers of the risks associated with this product, including the potential for suffocation, drowning and impact injuries. Because the ball is airtight, oxygen is depleted and carbon dioxide can accumulate inside the ball in just a few minutes. Water walking balls have no padding, so impact injuries can occur if the balls collide with each other, or fall out of the pool onto hard surfaces. Additionally, the balls present a high risk of drowning if there is a leak or a puncture.

Drowning

According to the National Safety Council, drowning is a leading cause of accidental death in this country, especially for children under five. Although the greatest percentage of drowning occurs in natural aquatic settings, (e.g., oceans, lakes, quarry, etc.) drowning does occur in swimming pools. The water depth of any pool is sufficient for drowning to occur. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports the drowning of children in even water buckets and toilets.

Protecting young children from accidental drowning in all aquatic environments, whether natural or constructed, is a primary concern of the aquatic industry, health and safety organizations and regulatory groups. It is the responsibility of the parent, caretaker and pool owner to prevent accidents.

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. Enforce your rules!

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 children cannot reach them.

Electrocution

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).

Abrasions

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Drain Cover Standards

The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act mandates that drains installed after Dec. 19, 2008, comply with ASME A112.19.8. Some believe language in this standard led to confusion over testing procedures and, ultimately, the recall.

In the meantime, third-party testing laboratories must know how to proceed. To bridge the gap, the labs follow supplemental testing criteria handed down by the Consumer Product Safety Commission during the investigation that eventually led to the recall. CPSC required manufacturers to retest with drains and sumps mounted in a floor, rather than attached to the end of a pipe. Pumps had to achieve a vacuum level typically found in the real world, where some labs had been using variable-speed pumps set at low rpms. Finally, the blocking element used to simulate a human during a body entrapment had to measure 18-by-23 inches.

Since the recall, testing labs have been instructed to follow these criteria and provide more information in their reports.

Officials with ASME — the American Society of Mechanical Engineers — said the organization has decided to withdraw its drain-cover standard, deeming APSP a more appropriate organization because of its specialization in pool and spa technology. APSP holds the same accreditation as a standards-writing organization as ASME.

It also used the ASME text as a foundation, and is refining the language to, among other things, incorporate the CPSC-mandated testing parameters.