Spreading the Word about Pool Safety

July 14, 2011

With the weather warming up, it is important to taking special care in and around water. In an ongoing initiative, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is taking steps to protect children who use pools to reduce the number of swimming pool-related accidents and injuries.

Law Requires Safety Features, Empowers Education Campaign

The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act was signed into law in December of 2007. Named for Virginia Graeme Baker, a 7-year-old who drowned after becoming entrapped by a hot tub drain, the act mandates that all pools comply with safety standards for pool components like drain covers/grates and automatic shut-off systems.

In addition to setting pool equipment standards, the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Safety Act lays out a framework for the establishment of a nationwide public educational campaign. The program Pool Safety: Simple Steps to Save Lives is administered by the CPSC. Currently in its second year, the program releases statistics and prevention strategies in a targeted manner to urge parents and kids to be cautious in and around pools.

During the first six months of 2011, the CPSC has already received reports of 103 drownings and 138 near-drowning incidents across the country. Many of these accidents involve children, and CPSC statistics compiled from the years 2006 to 2008 indicate that children younger than 5 are three times more likely to become the victim of a fatal drowning compared to those between the ages of 5 and 15.

Tips To Keep Your Kids Safe

There are many things a parent or another adult can do to prevent pool accidents and injuries. First and foremost, kids should never be left unsupervised near a pool, even for only a short period. Furthermore, adults watching children in a pool should be familiar with CPR and capable of performing a water rescue if necessary.

Engineering solutions--including a high fence surrounding all sides of a pool that latches at a height kids cannot reach, and keeping life preservers and other safety equipment close at hand--can also prevent injury.

Finally, kids should be encouraged to practice safe behavior. Swimming lessons may be beneficial for children age four or older, and anyone using a pool must be made aware of important safety rules (no running, diving into shallow water, etc.).

Remember, when the lives of children are at stake, you cannot be too careful in monitoring pool safety.

Article provided by Miller Law Inc.
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