Home swimming pools are a fun luxury to have within your own home. Imagine having the opportunity to go for a quick dip and you only need to go as far as your own backyard? With swimming pools, it’s a no-fuss way to spend those hot afternoons. But it’s important to know that there are some hazards that are posed by home swimming pools. Adult and youth swimmers alike are susceptible to these hazards, and knowing what these issues are can help you to minimise the risk of these hazards to your family and friends.
Drowning
Of course, the most tragic hazard that exists when owning a pool is drowning. It is because of this that it’s required to have pool fencing, and it’s also recommended that children and adults alike are taught how to swim. Drowning doesn’t look like how you’ve seen it in the movies. Oftentimes, children and adults drown silently. It can happen in a matter of minutes! Young kids especially will show very little movement in their arms and legs, and may not have much time other than to take a quick breath, much less yell out for help, before they go under. It’s also significant to note that combining alcohol and swimming can be dangerous, too. Ingesting alcohol can impair one’s judgement, distorting the perception of risk as well as confidence in one’s abilities. This can then lead to increased risk taking behaviour, which can get people taking great, life threatening risks while in the pool. This can lead to drowning.Because of this, it’s important to keep an eye on swimmers in the pool, especially if they are not strong swimmers. Home swimming pools do not have lifeguards after all, so it’s up to the pool users to be responsible and safe when it comes to swimming. However, there are still risks that these precautions do not cover, which means that it’s important to be educated on other home swimming hazards that can be dangerous for home swimmers.
Drain Entrapment
A less known hazard, yet still dangerous, is known as drain entrapment. This happens when a body limb is held against the drain of a pool or a spa because of the powerful force of the pool’s suction. While this may be an unusual hazard, it still does occur - and it’s not just limbs that are vulnerable to this occurrence. It’s important to know that some cases have shown the disastrous aftermath of drain entrapment after hair, jewellery, or clothing have been caught in a faulty pool’s drainage system. It’s important to teach children to avoid pool drains when swimming, and it’s just as important for pool owners to know how they can shut off their pool pump if there’s an emergency. Often, the suction of the drain will be too strong to pull someone off, so the only way to free them is by disabling the drain suction. Keep an eye on missing, loose, or broken drain covers, as these can be especially hazardous to home swimmers.So how do you prevent drain entrapment from happening in your pool?As with most home swimming hazards, this is a preventable hazard. Keep your guests and family safe from drain entrapment by installing safety drain covers or anti-entrapment covers. These prevent things such as hair or clothing from getting caught in the drains. Aside from this, make sure that your pool drainage system is regularly inspected and maintained, lessening the risk of a faulty pool drainage system.
Electrical shock
Electricity and water are a bad combination. It’s important to keep an eye on your pool lights, sound systems, and other electrical wirings that are in the pool area. In the past, old pool lights have been known to cause electrical accidents for swimmers, so make sure that your pool lights are properly maintained. Electrocution can be extremely dangerous! In order to run your pool’s pumps and Pool heaters, electricity is required - which means keeping an eye on these parts of pool maintenance. Pool equipmentshould be powered through ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). This also applies to radios and fans being used in the pool area. Make use of portable GFCI or plug these devices into a GFCI-protected circuit. It’s also important to keep these devices far away from the edge of the pool to ensure that swimmers do not reach for them while in the water, lessening the risk of this home swimming hazard.When it comes to keeping your pool safe, it’s important to talk with the pool experts to help you lessen the hazards and risks from owning a pool. After all, it’s a fun luxury that will serve you well in the years to come. You just have to be aware of the hazards and how to minimise the chances of potential dangers in your home pool.
