(ARA) - When families buy homes with swimming
pools, have a new pool built or buy an above-ground pool, they look forward to
years of family fun and wonderful memories. But to ensure that all the
memories are good ones, it’s vital to be aware of potential dangers, and take
safety measures.
According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the
Centers for Disease Control, drowning is the second leading cause of
accidental death for children ages 1 to 4 in the United States. In the Sunbelt
states, drowning is frequently the number one cause of injury-related death
for children under five.
In addition, statistics from both the CDC and the Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC) show that hospital treatment for near drowning is required
for many children each year. Studies have shown that a significant number of
drowning survivors suffer moderate to severe brain damage, which is not widely
known.
“It happens everywhere, in ordinary neighborhoods, to caring, vigilant
parents,” says Marcia Kerr, a CPSC investigator. Kerr, who lost her own son in
a pool drowning accident says, “Homeowners should take steps immediately to
ensure the safety of children who live in or visit their homes. Layers of
protection are essential.”
Constant adult supervision is vital, but most
parents of toddlers will attest to the fact that it’s impossible to supervise
your children every second of every day. Isolation fencing and other barriers
can give parents the time they need to realize their child is missing and to
locate them.
Isolation fencing separates the pool from the home, as opposed to property
line fencing, better known as “perimeter” fencing. Property line fencing keeps
your neighbors’ children from accessing your pool, but does nothing to protect
children in your own home.
Isolation fencing can either totally surround the pool or can enclose the
patio and all doors leading from the home, to protect children who get out the
door from moving beyond the patio. Parents of toddlers should ensure “doggy
doors” are locked or within fenced areas. For above-ground pools, a smaller
fence and gate surrounding the steps or ladder can be effective in preventing
toddler access.
An Australian company, D&D Technologies, has
designed the award-winning Magna-Latch magnetic, self-latching gate latch
and Tru-close self-closing and rust-free gate hinges to meet CPSC
recommendations and pool barrier code requirements. The company’s products
are available in the United States through fencing contractors, pool supply
stores, and select hardware and home improvement centers.
“The Magna-Latch features an extremely powerful magnet that draws the latch
bolt from one housing into the other, latching it securely,” says D & D
Technologies President David Calabria. “It operates without any mechanical
interference, so it cannot jam. It’s rust free and carries a limited
lifetime warranty.”
Both the Magna-Latch “Top Pull” model, which was designed to locate the
latch release knob at the code-recommended 54-inch height when mounted on a
48-inch gate, and the shorter “Vertical Pull” model, designed for gates at
least 5 feet tall, are key-lockable. With Tru-Close hinges, no external
spring is required, and both the hinges and latch are fully adjustable at
any time after installation by the homeowner.
Note that pool gates should be lockable for when homeowners are away from
the property, but not self-locking. Since guests would not have a key,
homeowners are likely to prop open a self-locking pool gate during a pool
party, and that presents a significant danger to toddlers who may slip in
unnoticed.
According to extensive research studies both in Australia and the U.S., a
fence is the only barrier with proven effectiveness, but other products are
recommended for additional “layers of protection.” For example, power safety
covers that meet ASTM pool cover standards can be very effective if closed
whenever the pool is not in use.
If the house forms one side of the barrier to the pool, then doors leading
to the pool area should be protected with alarms that produce a loud sound
when the door is unexpectedly opened. These are reasonably priced, but the
homeowner must be committed to the use of the alarm for it to provide
effective protection.
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