Owning a swimming pool is a great way to enjoy the summer months, but it also comes with great responsibility. Standing water of any kind poses a potential safety hazard. It is important to take the necessary precautions to keep your pool area safe for kids, pets, and wildlife. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reported drownings to be the most common cause of death among toddlers, making it even more crucial to take the necessary steps to prevent accidents.
In addition to safety concerns, maintaining a pool requires special tools and chemicals that can be dangerous if not used or stored properly. To ensure the safety of everyone around your pool, it’s important to be aware of the common mistakes that can lead to accidents. From landscaping with poisonous plants to leaving pool floats out, knowing about potential hazards can help you prevent similar incidents around your pool.
1. Leaving Pool Gates Unlocked
Many homeowners leave pool gates unlocked, even after installing a pool fence. This can be dangerous, especially for children who may accidentally fall into the pool. To prevent accidental drownings, it is important to lock pool gates regularly.
One solution to this problem is to install a gate alarm, such as the keypad lock and alarm system available at Amazon. This alarm system emits a loud sound of 140 dB, which can be heard from inside the house. If a child tries to breach the fence, any adults in a wide radius around the home will be alerted. Additionally, this system is waterproof and can withstand precipitation and close proximity to a chlorinated pool.
Investing in a gate alarm system ensures that your pool area is safe and secure. Remember always to lock your pool gates to prevent accidental drownings.
2. Not Installing a Pool Alarm
Not installing a pool alarm is a common mistake that can have serious consequences. A pool alarm can alert you when someone or something has fallen into the water. A highly-rated pool motion sensor alarm is designed to float in water and detect waves.
The alarm sensitivity is adjustable, and multiple alarms can cover larger pools of various shapes. By installing a pool alarm, you can help ensure the safety of your loved ones and prevent accidents from occurring.
3. Skipping on Slip Protection
Regarding pool safety, it’s important to remember that slip and fall injuries can happen anywhere, including on your own pool deck. To prevent these types of accidents, consider applying a nonslip sealer.
This clear coating provides traction when walking on various surfaces, including concrete, pavers, and ceramic. After applying two coats, your pool area can be safely used the next day. By taking this simple step, you can help ensure that your family and guests stay safe while enjoying your pool.
4. Lacking a Ladder
A split pool ladder can be a smart choice if you have an in-ground pool without steps near the deep end. A ladder is permanently installed and leaves space for the pool cover. Make sure to install the ladder correctly to avoid accidents.
For above-ground pools, removing and putting away the ladder when not in use is recommended. This will discourage curious kids from climbing up and falling in. Remember to properly install and maintain your ladder to prevent accidents and ensure the safety of swimmers.
5. Not Giving Animals a Way Out
When animals accidentally fall into your pool, they often struggle to find their way out, which can lead to their untimely death. You can help prevent this by installing an animal-saving escape ramp, also known as a “frog log.”
This simple device is available online and can save the lives of frogs and birds, bees, butterflies, and other creatures. By using a frog log, you can avoid the need to remove animals and insects from your pool manually.
6. Landscaping With Poisonous Plants
When selecting plants for your pool landscaping, be aware of the potential dangers of poisonous plants. Some common plants, such as oleander and lantana, can be toxic if ingested or even touched to humans and animals. It is crucial to research the plants you plan to use before planting them in your pool area.
To avoid any accidental exposure to poisonous plants, consider using non-toxic options such as hibiscus, bird of paradise, or agapanthus. These plants are easy to maintain and are not harmful to humans or animals. Additionally, it is important to keep pet- and child-friendly plants in pots if you live in a climate where you only use your pool for a few months in the summer. This way, you can easily bring them indoors when the weather gets too cold outside.
7. Improperly Storing Pool Chemicals
Properly storing pool chemicals is crucial to ensure the safety of your kids and pets. Leaving chlorine and other chemicals out in the open can be dangerous and lead to accidental spills. Investing in a locking all-weather resin box is a smart move. There are even options with wheels that blend in with your pool deck, making it easy to store chemicals stylishly and conveniently.
8. Not Putting Away Pool Gear
It’s important to remember to put away your pool maintenance tools after use to avoid tripping hazards. Consider using a mounted all-weather bracket-and-hook system instead of leaving them on the poolside.
When setting up your pool organizer, make sure to hang up a life preserver as well. Even in a small pool, a life preserver can stabilize a drowning person and provide a ring buoy to help them reach the pool edge. This simple step could save a life in an emergency situation.
9. Missing Depth Markers
It is important to mark changes in your pool’s depth to avoid accidents. Even if you are not operating a public pool, many kids and adults may take risks and dive into shallow water or swim to spots where they cannot stand. To prevent this, you can indicate deep water with pool divider ropes and post “no diving” signs next to shallow water. Additionally, it is recommended that you avoid installing diving boards and slides that could encourage speedy entrances into shallow water, unless you have a very large pool with a particularly deep end.
10. Leaving Floats and Toys in the Pool
Leaving pool floats and toys in the water after swimming sessions can be dangerous, especially for children who may be tempted to enter the pool unsupervised. Additionally, prolonged exposure to chlorinated water can cause rubber and plastics to break down chemically, leading to potential hazards.
To avoid such risks, removing all floats, noodles, and beach balls from the pool after use and storing them safely in a mesh organizer bin is essential.
11. Insufficient Lighting
Concerning pool lighting, decorative lights are great for creating ambiance, but they don’t provide enough light to ensure safety in the dark. To ensure that your pool area is well-lit, you should consider installing triple-mode motion-detecting solar lights.
These lights are cordless and have three heads that can be turned into flood lighting with the help of a remote control. They operate at a 270-degree lighting angle and have a sensing distance of 16-25 feet. This will ensure that your pool area is well-lit, even in the darkest of nights.
12. Not Covering the Safety Drain
Failing to cover the safety drain in your pool can lead to fatal suction entrapment accidents.
It is crucial to regularly check your pool’s safety drain covers and other systems to ensure they are in good condition. If any are loose or missing, replace them immediately with a suitable product.
We recommend hiring a professional to inspect your pool’s systems to ensure that everything is in working order and that your pool is safe for swimming.
