Tag Archives: Pool Safety

Pool and Spa Equipment, Pool and Spa Safety

Pool Fences are Just One Part of the Protection Plan

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Pool Safety Information

Ensuring the highest level of safety around the backyard swimming pool means creating a plan of protection that makes it extremely difficult for children or pets to gain entry to the pool water.  Proper adult supervision is one important part of this plan, but it doesn’t provide the entire solution. 

Along with supervision, a pool fence should be installed around the pool to prevent entry.  Pool fences that surround in ground pools should be at least 4 feet in height and should be constructed of a material that cannot be climbed.  Gate entry points should always remain locked, and gate handles should be out of reach of small children.  

Pool Fence for Safety

If the side of your home makes up the 4th wall of your fenced pool area, be sure to install a door alarm on the door that allows entry to the pool area.  Keep the alarm on at all times, and make sure it’s loud enough to hear in all parts of your home.

The same fencing will work well around an above ground swimming pool, but you should also consider installing a safety fence on the pool itself.  A safety fence designed specifically for above ground pools provides an additional safety barrier that prevents unauthorized entry to the pool.

Above Ground Pool Safety Fence

There’s no such thing as too much safety when it comes to backyard swimming pools.  Responsible adult supervision and proper pool fencing are just two parts of the protection plan that homeowners should implement to help prevent accidents in and around the pool.

Pool and Spa Safety

Pool Safety Tip — Proper Supervision Defined

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Supervising children during pool time play is only one of several important steps parents and caregivers should take to help prevent accidents and drownings in the backyard swimming pool.  But, what does proper supervision really mean?

Adequate supervision is active supervision.  The designated “water watcher” should keep his or her attention focused on the children in the pool at all times.  Books, cell phones, conversations with friends, and other distractions should be put aside until another responsible adult takes his or her turn providing supervision.

Accidents can happen in a split second, so keeping both eyes on the action in a swimming pool is essential to ensure safe swimming.  Learn more about proper pool supervision in the following video produced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Pool Safely campaign:

Holidays and Gift Ideas, Pool and Spa Safety, Pool Fun

The Only Sport That Can Save a Life

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Did you know that swimming is the only sport that can save a life?  By learning how to swim, or by strengthening your existing swimming skills, you have a much better chance of staying safe in the swimming pool.  Lessons for adults and children are available year round at many community centers, YMCAs or YWCAs, and Red Cross facilities.  Now is the best time to improve swimming ability because there’s plenty of time to learn this vital life-saving skill well before swimming season begins again.  

If you like to give meaningful gifts for the holidays, consider giving swim lessons to your favorite water-loving adult or child.  Swimming lessons make a unique, long-lasting, and life saving gift.  It would be hard to find any other gift that offers benefits like that! 

For more information about the importance of swimming lessons and knowing how to swim, watch this short and helpful video from the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Pool Safely campaign.

Innovative Solutions, Pool and Spa Safety

Pool Safety Netting are NOT Safety Covers!

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Above Ground Pool Safety Covers

For years, we’ve emphasized the life-saving benefits of pool safety covers for in-ground pools, which prevent countless drowning accidents and can be a literal lifesaver. Now, with the increasing popularity of above-ground pools, many people are looking for similar safety solutions. While traditional safety covers were not always an option due to the usual lack of decking around the entire pool, we’ve seen innovative solutions like the Water Warden Above-Ground Pool Safety Net.

Keep in mind these do NOT qualify as a safety cover and do not satisfy many requirements of local codes or insurance requirements for a safety cover or fencing for your pool.

A safety net is a significant step toward making your pool safer, as it provides a tensioned barrier that prevents children and pets from submerging into the water. It installs quickly and is lightweight for easy removal, holding up to 485 lbs of weight without tearing. However, it’s crucial to understand a key difference: The picture above Pool Safety Netting is NOT a Safety Cover!

A true safety pool cover, as defined by ASTM standards, is a much different product. It not only provides an unparalleled safety barrier but also helps keep your pool clean. A safety cover is anchored to the deck and is designed to support the weight of a person, preventing them from coming into contact with the water. There are two main types of safety covers:

  • Mesh Safety Covers: These are lighter and allow rain and melted snow to pass through, preventing water from pooling on top.

  • Solid Safety Covers: These covers offer the ultimate protection by blocking all sunlight, debris, and rain from entering the pool. They require a cover pump to remove any standing water.

Beyond providing a safety barrier, these covers offer additional benefits, including preventing evaporation and reducing the need for chemicals and routine maintenance.

Looking for a Safety Cover for your Pool?

For ready-made rectangular safety covers for common-sized pools, visit our selection here: Pool Covers – Safety

For custom safety covers, such as when you are replacing a worn cover and want to match existing anchors, or if you have a non-rectangular pool, or a rectangular pool with non-removable objects within 18 inches of the pool’s lip, we can help! You can find more information and get a quote for a custom safety cover here: Custom Safety Pool Covers

 

Pool Accessories, Pool and Spa Safety

Summer Pool Safety for Children

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Swimming pools are great, but they can also be a hazard. Drowning deaths among children increase significantly during the summer months when children have access to opened swimming pools. Just a few minutes of unsupervised time can lead to disaster. Make sure that you have some (or preferably all) of the following safety features in place. Even if you do not have small children living in your home, you should use these safety devices to ensure the safety of neighborhood children or visitors to your home.

  • Fencing – Most states require that some form of fence enclose your pool to keep children out. Even if your state does not have this law, you should still enclose your pool to prevent unauthorized access.
  • Safety Pool Ladders – There are several kinds of pool ladders that restrict a child’s access to an above ground pool. Some have a locking gate that blocks steps when not in use. Others have a roll guard that is pulled down and works like a garage door to cover the ladder. No matter which kind of safety ladder you choose, they are an outstanding way to prevent children from entering the pool.
  • Pool Alarms – Pool safety alarms do not prevent entry into the pool. They alert you if a child DOES fall into the pool. When something weighing 10-15 pounds or more (minimum weight depends on brand), a high decibel siren is sounded, both at pool level and at a receiver inside the house. You will be alerted instantly, and those precious saved minutes could be the difference between life and death.