Looking for ways to make your swimming pool safe? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. It’s a fact that nothing beats having a swim in the hot summer months, lounging at the poolside with a cold drink discussing with friends. As much as having a pool is a good thing, pool accidents often happen and can lead to severe injuries or even death.
Here are 7 Ways to Make Your Swimming Pool Safe
1. Install a Safety Cover or Net
When the pool is empty, or no supervisor is available, a pool cover net should be on top of the pull. The cover must be strong enough to hold the weight of two grownups and a child at the minimum before considering it. The cover’s job is to break the fall of anyone who falls in when there is no one there and prevent drowning.
There are mechanically retractable pools available for those who think manually placing and removing pool covers is a hassle.
2. Keep The Pool Area Secure
One of the ways to secure the pool and the immediate area surrounding the pool is to have a fence. Companies like the Wood Glass Group in Brisbane (a team of professional fencers), will build pool fences made of various designs and materials. The fence prevents unauthorized entry into the pool area, especially from children.
When constructing a fence, consider the gate’s position, its height, and the position of locks or bolts. It should be at a height that children can’t reach. Accidental drowning by unsupervised children has a high probability of happening.
One of the major concerns of pool owners is that pool fences are not aesthetically pleasing or give them a feeling of being caged. To prevent this, experts like Wood Glass Group create different designs and use materials like glass that eradicate that caged-in feeling.
3. Install a Pool Alarm
Having a pool alarm allows owners of swimming pools to know when there is an authorized entry to their pools. The best place to install the alarms is on the pool fence’s gates or the on the patio doors.
There are modern pool alarms installed at the pool’s edge, so it sounds when the intruder enters the pool. Using this type of alarm means even the unauthorized person or people scale the fence without opening the gate.
4. Restrict Access to Pool Chemicals
The swimming pool isn’t the only source of potential danger to people and animals, chemicals like chlorine used for the pool constitute a danger. Many pool owners employ various chemicals to make their pools clean and chemically balanced.
Chemicals used in the pool should be kept away from minors and pets. If it is possible, lock them up in cupboard children don’t have access to.
5. Have Pool Rules and Enforce Them
Now that we have dealt with keeping unauthorized people out of the pool and how to alert one to the presence of unwanted guests. The next thing to consider has rules to guide swimmers and the will to enforce them.
The simpler these rules are, the easier they will be to follow. Pool owners don’t necessarily have to hang up these rules. Make sure swimmers are aware of them. Let them know the rules are for their safety; anyone who doesn’t follow the rules should not be allowed into the pool.
Some of the rules of the pool you can enforce are:
- No running.
- Don’t put your fingers near the filters or grates.
- No pushing.
- No diving.
- No roughhousing.
- If you are not proficient, swim with a buddy.
Directions for CPR should be pasted in a place all swimmers can see.
6. Have Adequate Supervision
It is not a great idea to swim alone, even if the said swimmer is an expert. If you have someone in the pool, there should be someone with enough experience supervising. If Olympic swimmers can have lifeguards during their events, recreational swimmers are entitled to one too.
Children are especially prone to swimming accidents, boisterous play, so they required eagle-eyed supervision. Let children know they cannot get into the pool without supervision and permission from an adult.
Keep The Pool Clean at All Times
The pool has an affinity for germs and dirt. Regular cleaning of the pool is necessary. Unhealthy pool water could lead to sickness, poisoning, or even death.
Having filters in your pool is a sure way of ensuring you have clean water. You can also use chemicals like algaecide and chlorine to kill various germs and keep your water healthy.
Pets carry a lot of germs, keep pets away from the pool. In the vein, people with sores or open wounds shouldn’t be in the pool. The same rule applies to people who are sick. For babies, make sure they put on swimming diapers to prevent leakage into the pool.
Conclusion
Making your swimming pool safe is not optional. It is an absolute must. Understand that swimming is an exercise that involves the use of almost all the body’s muscles. Muscle cramps are common during swimming. If it happens when there is no supervision, the results could be disastrous.
Another thing pool owners can do to keep their pools safe is to educate themselves on lifesaving procedures like CPR during emergencies. Another thing is to have an emergency protocol in place, numbers to call in case of an accident. Also, avoiding swimming in inclement weather like during a thunderstorm. When you see a flash or lightning or a clap of thunder order, everyone, out of the pool for thirty minutes; if there is no sign of further weather activity, you can allow swimming to continue.
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