While home and community pools serve as beloved areas of activity in warm weather, they can pose life-threatening risks. Keep reading to learn how you can make pool time safe and enjoyable.
What’s the Big Deal?
Recent statistics indicate:
- Drowning is one of the leading causes among children of unintentional death for infants and children
- Children aged 9 years or younger represented the largest percentage at 79.2%
- Children of color are at a much higher risk of drowning
- Black children are at four times the risk of drowning
- Latin children are at three times the risk of drowning
- Most drowning incidents involving children between the ages of one and four take place in home swimming pools
- Many of these incidents happen very suddenly — about five minutes or less — while parents are home
- Drowning incidents in home pools are prominent in warmer provinces
Pool Safety Rules
Follow these fundamental steps to keep your backyard oasis safe for children:
- Be present. Always have an adult monitoring children in or near the pool.
- Install fencing and pool alarms. Adequate barriers prevent unsupervised access.
- Learn CPR; this can be the difference between life and death if an accident happens.
- Stay away from drains and tie up loose hair and clothing so they don’t get caught.
- Encourage those present to wear safety vests. Look for Canadian Coast Guard-approved life jackets.
- Post pool rules to show their importance. Enforce them without exception.
- Hire a Red Cross-trained lifeguard when having a pool party. If this is not possible, appoint responsible adults to supervise the pool constantly.
- Have life safety/rescue equipment within reach of the pool.
- Make sure children know the pool area is off limits without constant, active adult supervision.
- Be sure the pool drain is up to code and not worn or cracked.
Pool and Spa Barriers
Adequate barriers for pools and spas are important to keep kids safe and prevent unsupervised access. But what works best?
- For pools: fencing and gates
- For spas and hot tubs: covers with locks
Swimming pools should be completely enclosed by a fence that complies with local code requirements. The fence should be equipped with a locking device to further restrict access.
- Be sure to consult your local provincial and municipal guidelines regarding fence height. In Ontario, a height of 1.2 metres is commonly recommended. For both peace of mind and full compliance, it’s best to follow the highest standard required in your area.
- Any baluster openings should be small enough to prevent a four-inch sphere from passing through
- All access gates should open away from the pool and be both self-closing and self-latching
