Summer Time Swimming Pool Safety

​With the children off school for the summer, its time to spend some quality time by the pool.  While a swimming pool is a place to have fun, if you have a swimming pool in your backyard, what steps do you need to take to ensure it is a safe environment?
 
It is a sad fact that many children die each year from drowning accidents, with those under age 5 being at the greatest risk.  What makes this so bad is that it happens so fast and generally with no noise, which means that a child has often drowned before anyone knew they were missing.  So, how can you protect a child if you have a swimming pool in your home?
 
If you have a pool on your property, its important that you have some kind of pool barrier.  This could take different forms such as fencing or a wall.  There are specific guidelines put in place for pool barriers, for example, they must be the correct height, any fencing should have the correct amount of spacing and must make it impossible for a child to climb under.
 
If you have an above ground pool or hot tub etc. there must also be strict safety measures in place so that a child would not be able to access the pool without supervision.
 
Walls of the home can also act as a pool barrier but any doors that lead directly to the pool should have an alarm system which will go off when the doors are opened.  The alarm sound should be loud enough to hear throughout the home and have a sound that is different from any others.  In this way, it will be difficult for a child to gain access to the pool, through the doors, without being detected.
 
Yes, summer by the pool is what most children want.  By following these safety guidelines, you will help to ensure their safety as well.

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