Backyard pools are a prime factor in why drowning is a leading cause of accidental death for children aged under five years of age in Australia. This statistic is concerning, especially for a nation where outdoor living, the backyard pool, and the beach are so much a part of our culture. This awareness is important information to understand, but no-one in their right mind would tell people to never go in a pool.
In the water, your children obviously need to be supervised. A number of factors add to a fun, safe use of the pool for all of the family. This includes fencing, pool covers, teaching children from a very young age to swim, and learning about and using some of the other strategies used to ensure everyone in the family has a fantastic experience when using the pool and all have great memories associated with the benefits of pool ownership.
Understanding Pool Safety in Australia
Swimming is a part of the culture down under, and so many Australian family homes have a pool - it's the best way to get a little relief from the brutal heat! They're also a great resource for get-togethers and really bring that family element.
But it's essential to mention a very prevalent fear that many parents have, and it's to do with Australia's biggest killer when it comes to the accidental death of young children - the family pool. Much of the world is aware of this, and when this object is commonly placed in backyards across the globe, it makes it more accessible to unsafe situations.
To counteract this problem, Australia is known for having the harshest laws around pool safety - any pool that you can jump in needs to have a fence that complies with the size regulations and has a gate that meets the locking mechanism rules - this is to prevent young, energetic kids from jumping in without any supervision. Extra safety laws around signs and other safety precautions are your country's legally obliged legislation; a pool owner needs to tick the box of these safety compliances in Australia!
Essential Pool Safety Tips for Families
Backyard pool safety starts long before the first day the pool is up.
• One of the most overlooked pool safety tips is adult supervision. Drowning can happen in moments. If you have children, make sure a responsible adult is with them at all times.
• Along with watching your children, teach them about safety around the pool. This includes no running, no going near the water without an adult, and what flotation devices are and how to use them.
In Australia, the following are the rules for pool safety equipment:
• Life jackets
• Pool alarms
• Pool and spa safety guidelines recommend multiple types of rescue equipment, including reaching poles and flotation rings.
A great way to make sure your pool area is safe for everyone is to print out a pool safety checklist online. This list should include things like inspecting the area for different hazards, a checklist for the effectiveness of safety equipment, and overall cleanliness. That way, most of the little things that can add up won't be missed. Hopefully, this will help your backyard swimming pool continue to be a safe and happy area for all you and your guests.
Implementing a Pool Safety Checklist
Every family should have a comprehensive pool safety checklist to create the safest environment possible. This includes not just the obvious, such as ensuring there are no gaps or damage to pool barriers, and that all gates are not only self-closing and self-latching; they should also make sure that safety equipment, including life rings and reaching poles, is readily available and in good condition. Every member of the family should also know what to do in an emergency, so occasionally going over this information is a good idea.
Of course, the pool itself should also be safe to use, so regular pool maintenance is another issue that families must take into account. In addition to obvious issues such as sharp edges and surfaces that may be slippery, having the correct water chemistry is crucial, and all of your equipment (including filters and pumps) should be inspected for any visible signs of damage or other indications that the equipment might not work as it should.
Pool safety should be a priority for all families and especially for our families here in Australia where swimming is such a regular part of our lives. Always watch kids while they swim, make sure you have effective barriers to prevent kids getting to the pool, ensure that everybody at the property can swim, teach kids about water and pool safety and keep a first aid kit on hand near the pool area. As well as these, use these tips in this article to help your clan remain safe. Have the discussion about all the aspects above in and around the pool.
After all, swimming is a fun activity—keep it that way by making sure that everybody is safe.