Pool Safety Tips

Pool safety tips for homeowners

Swimming pools are great for cooling off in the summer heat, but make sure your pool is safe by installing one or more of the following:

Safety covers

Either manual or motorized, covers are placed over the water’s surface
when the pool is not in use. Ensure the cover:

• • fully covers the surface of the pool;
  • can withstand the weight of a child and two adults in case someone falls and
    needs to be helped off;
  • allows for easy and quick removal to respond to emergencies.

Pool fences

Barriers and fences entirely surround a pool to ensure children do not have
access. For maximum safety, be sure the fence:

• • does not contain vertical bars more than four inches apart;
  • is at least four feet tall;
  • does not have footholds or handholds that may be used for climbing;
  • features a self-closing and self-latching child-proof gate;
  • is clear of any objects, such as chairs or tables, that may be used to climb over it.

Alarms

Installing alarms on a pool ensures adults are alerted when water in the pool is
displaced. Effective alarms:

• • sound for at least 30 seconds and begin within seven seconds of being triggered;
  • are loud enough to be heard throughout the home – at least 85 decibels;
  • emit an alarm sound distinct from other sounds in the home (e.g. telephone or doorbell);
  • contain an automatic reset feature and deactivation that cannot be located by
    children.