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The Consumer Product Safety Commission offers the following swimming
pool safety tips:
* Swimming pool fencing and other protective barriers should be at
least 4 feet high and installed completely around the pool. Fence
gates should be self-closing and self-latching. The latch should be
out of a small child's reach.
* If your house forms one side of the barrier to the pool, then
doors leading from the house to the pool should be protected with
alarms that produce a sound when a door is unexpectedly opened.
* A power safety cover -- a motor-powered barrier that can be placed
over the water area -- can be used when the pool is not in use.
* Keep rescue equipment and a portable phone poolside with emergency
numbers posted. Knowing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
can be a lifesaver.
* For above-ground pools, steps and ladders should be secured and
locked or removed when the pool is not in use.
* If a child is missing, always look in the pool first. Seconds
count in preventing death or disability.
* Pool alarms can be used as an added precaution. Underwater alarms
generally perform better and can be used in conjunction with pool
covers. CPSC advises that consumers use remote alarm receivers so
the alarm can be heard inside the house or in other places away from
the pool area.
PARENTS AND GUARDIANS: ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT A DROWNING. WATCH YOUR
CHILD CLOSELY AT ALL TIMES. MAKE SURE DOORS LEADING TO THE POOL AREA
ARE CLOSED AND LOCKED. YOUNG CHILDREN CAN QUICKLY SLIP AWAY AND INTO
THE POOL.
Pool Diving Safety
Diving injuries can result in quadriplegia, paralysis below the
neck, to divers who hit the bottom or side of a swimming pool,
according to CPSC.
Divers should observe the following precautions:
* Never dive into above-ground pools. They are too shallow.
* Don't dive from the side of an in-ground pool. Enter the water
feet first.
* Dive only from the end of the diving board and not from the sides.
* Dive with your hands in front of you and always steer up
immediately upon entering the water to avoid hitting the bottom or
sides of the pool.
* Don't dive if you have been using alcohol or drugs because your
reaction time may be too slow.
* Improper use of slides presents the same danger as improper diving
techniques. Never slide down head first -- slide down feet first
only.
[The safety information
above is from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.]
Important Disclaimer:
information here is not a substitute for professional advice, alertness and good common sense. Use the information on this
on this page at your own risk.
Information about pools and
pool fencing on this page is the sole opinion of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and does not
represent any legal, medical, or professional advice.
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