Water Safety: 5 Ways to Make the Pool Area Safe for Kids

Swimming pools are appealing to many children as they are excellent entertainment facilities; however, they can be extremely dangerous if safety measures are ignored. Children have a high risk of drowning in pools, especially in residential areas. Many of these drowning cases occur when children gain access to the pool unsupervised. Water safety at home is crucial; therefore, it is vital to enact safety measures to ensure the pool area is safe for children. The most appropriate way to safeguard your pool is by having multiple layers of protection.

Parents need to educate their children on pool safety regulations and the pool’s dangers to make them understand the need for safety while at the pool.

Below are ways to make the pool area safe for kids.

Fencing

Fencing around the pool is an essential measure of protection barring children from assessing the pool. Fencing can either be permanent or temporary. Installing a four-sided fence is an excellent way of enhancing safety. The fence should be tall enough to prevent children from jumping over. An ideal fence should be 5-6 feet high, with spaces not wider than 4 inches. Additionally, the fence should not have any handholds or footholds that a child can use to climb over. The fence should not have protrusions that a child can squeeze through.

The gate leading to the pool should be self-latching and self-closing; this provides extra security. The gate should open away from the pool. Besides, doors leading to the pool area can be fitted with alarms.

Use of covers

Pool covers are not only essential in preventing leaves and other foreign material from getting into the pool; they are significant when it comes to pool and water safety.

It is advisable to have a motorized pool cover installed to boost safety measures around the pool. The pool cover should cover the entire pool surface to prevent a child from slipping under it. An ideal cover should support the weight of an adult.

It is crucial to ensure that the pool is always covered when it is not in use, and water does not collect on the cover’s surface. Ladders and steps should be removed when not in use. On the other hand, a pool cover should be removed entirely when the pool is in use to avoid trapping people beneath it.

Pool nets play a similar role as pool covers; however, they are lighter and do not keep foreign material from entering the pool. Aside from that, they play a significant role as an added layer of protection.

Supervision

The best way to ensure children are safe around the pool is through supervision. Parents/guardians are responsible for watching their children whenever they are at the pool, as they can easily drown. They should always keep their eyes focused on the children despite them knowing how to swim. Accidents can occur while children are playing in the pool, which can be fatal.

Children should not be allowed to swim in the pool’s deep end. Such areas should be well marked to keep the children away.

Good maintenance of pool area

Good maintenance of the swimming pool area is critical when it comes to safety. Pool deck maintenance significantly contributes to safety around the pool. The pool deck is prone to developing algae and mold due to dampness resulting in a slippery and dangerous surface. Regular cleaning is the best method to get rid of the algae and mold and curbing potential accidents. Cleaning using a pressure washer is the most effective method of attaining a clean surface.

Regular repairs of the damaged pool deck goes a long way in improving safety around the pool. Cracks arising from damaged pool decks, if left unrepaired, can be a tripping hazard for children.

Pool toys like floaties are essential for children learning how to swim; however, they can be a safety hazard when left in the pool. A child could drown while trying to grab a toy left floating in the pool. It is advisable to store such toys when they are not in use to avoid accidents.

Safety gadgets.

Vast research pertaining to water safety has led to the development of swimming pool kids gadgets. These gadgets enhance safety by making the pool area safer for children. The gadgets come in various types and varieties. The underwater swimming pool alarm is one of the safety gadgets installed to enhance safety measures around the pool. This system detects motion beneath the pool and sounds a warning in response. It is worth noting that the alarm is not triggered by wind movement on the pool’s surface, making it an ideal system that does not give any false alarms.

Wrist alarms is a swimming pool kids gadget vital for safety. A wrist alarm is attached to the child’s wrist and sounds a warning through the mother hub. Some of the wrist bands sound the alarm when they get wet, while other wrist bands sound the alarm a few seconds after being underwater.

Other suitable safety gadgets include wall-mounted alarms, threshold alarms, and floating sensors.

Besides these gadgets being an added layer of protection, they are not foolproof in protecting children from drowning. It is still necessary to closely supervise the children, and under no circumstances are they supposed to be left unsupervised in the pool.