The warm summer weather in Ohio draws many families to the cooling waters of a swimming pool. Having a pool on your residential property can be fun and convenient. However, it also represents a significant responsibility to take steps to keep everyone safe in the vicinity of your pool. This includes your family, your guests and children in your neighborhood.
The American Red Cross recognizes the potential dangers of home swimming pools. It has put together a list of steps you can take to improve your home pool safety.
Prepare for an emergency
Learn rescue techniques and CPR so that you can take immediate action if someone on your property has a pool accident. Have a plan in place that involves calling emergency services for assistance.
Establish safety rules and enforce them consistently
Examples of good safety rules include the following:
- Always swim with a buddy
- Only enter the pool under the supervision of a water watcher
- Do not dive headfirst into the pool unless there is an area designated for that purpose
- Stay sober when around the pool
Make sure that everyone who uses the pool is aware of the rules. Be vigilant in enforcing them.
Secure the pool area
The type of security your pool requires depends on the type of pool you have. For an above-ground pool, you need to remove and lock away anything that a child or unauthorized swimmer could use to gain access when the pool is not in use. An in-ground pool requires a four-sided isolation fence, preferably with a self-closing/self-latching gate. As an additional security measure, you can also make use of a lockable cover.
The information in this article is not intended as legal advice but provided for educational purposes only.
