Backyard Pool or Spa? Add Safety in Layers - excerpted from NESPA Press Release, July 2008

It’s summer and time to fire up the barbeque, slide on the flip flops, slip on the shorts and take life a little slower. If your plans also involve family fun in a backyard pool or spa, be sure to add on some layers, in terms of safety.

Every year, there are about 280 drowning deaths of children younger than 5 in swimming pools, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. While drownings are usually termed “accidents,” the truth is that backyard pool drownings are a completely avoidable tragedy -- one that can be prevented by taking a serious look at your protective measures.

The Northeast Pool and Spa Association (NESPA), the largest organization of pool builders, pool/spa service companies and retailers in the Mid-Atlantic and Southern New England regions, stresses that there is no one method of protection that can prevent drowning. Instead, NESPA recommends having multiple safeguards also known as “layers of protection.”

Teach Your Children To Swim -- There are many private instructors and learn-to-swim programs available on the East End. Secondly, take responsibility for supervising your children at all times. If you’re hosting a party with friends and family, have people serve as designated pool supervisors, with each taking a 30 minute shift.”

Perimeter and Child Fences – Install a fence around your property that prevents access to your pool in accordance with local building codes. You might also want to consider an additional child fence. This is a temporary fence that can be placed around the immediate pool area. The child fence is easy to put up and take down, and adds an important safeguard in the event that a child leaves the house and wanders near the pool.

Alarms – If one side of your house forms one side of the pool barrier, it’s critical to install alarms on home doors leading into the immediate pool area. In some places, door alarms are required by local codes. Another important place to install an alarm is on the gate to the pool fence. Wireless, infrared alarms can be installed which will sound when the area around the pool perimeter is entered, and immersion alarms can be installed in pools and are triggered when a child enters the water. Personal child alarms are also available. They can be clipped onto a child’s swim suit, and are triggered when the child moves beyond a certain area, or when he or she enters the water.

Remember that even with fences and alarms, there is no substitute for adult supervision!

Automatic Pool Covers – Automatic pool covers open and close with the push of a button, making it easy to cover the pool when it’s not in use. Although easiest to install on new pools, they can also be retrofitted to existing pools.

Self-Latching Devices – Install self-latching and self-closing devices on all doors leading from the house to the pool area, and on fence gates.

Other protective measures include the use of a rope and float line in the pool to visually separate the deep and shallow ends. A life ring and rescue hook should be readily available in the pool area for use in rescuing a swimmer in trouble. Additionally, CPR instructions and emergency phone numbers should be posted by the pool, and it’s a good idea to have a cordless or wireless phone available in the pool area, not only for quick and easy access, but it also eliminates a reason to leave the pool area.

It’s also important to be aware that suction from drains in swimming pools and spas can entrap swimmers underwater. The Consumer Product Safety Commission offers guidelines for preventing entrapment on its web site http://www.cpsc.gov.

For a more details on protective measures for backyard pools and hot tubs, as well as tips for safe pool enjoyment, visit the NESPA website at www.nespapool.org. You’ll also find a list of NESPA members, photos of award-winning pools, and a wealth of information on pool designs, maintenance and more. For educational pamphlets on how to build and operate a safe pool, write to NESPA at 6B South Gold Drive, Hamilton, NJ 08691.

Courtesy of Consumer Product Safety Commission

• Have a professional regularly inspect your pool or spa for entrapment or entanglement hazards.
• Never use a pool or spa with a missing or broken drain cover. Be sure a newer, safer drain cover is in place. The new drain covers are usually domed-shaped – instead of the old flat drain covers.
• Plainly mark the location of the electrical cut-off switch for the pool or spa pump.
• If someone is entrapped against a drain, cut off the pump immediately. Instead of trying to pull the person away from the powerful suction, pry a hand between the drain and the person’s body to break the seal.

KIDS will have fun learning pool at http://www.splashzoneusa.com
(A consumer service of our national industry association, the APSP)