subject: Pool Safety: Avoiding Injuries [print this page] If you are like the majority of people who own swimming pools, when you consider the concept of safety the first thing that will come to your mind is drowning prevention. Now this is perfectly understandable because drownings do happen, and they are a horrific catastrophe. However, at the same time what you don't want to discount is the risk level that you face with regards to any one of a number of types of smaller accidents. Accidents that while not deadly, can nonetheless be a tragedy.
As an example, if you currently allow glass containers and bottles in the pool area, you're flirting with disaster. This is because all it takes is for one to get dropped and you'll be stuck with shards of glass scattered throughout the patio and landscaping. Of course, you you can sweep it up, but it's difficult to get all of it off the course surface of the cement patio and for sure out of the landscaping. Then any glass shards that make it into the pool itself are almost impossible to locate.
Then here's something you may not have known. That is that in recent years, contractors have begun excavating shallower pools to save on the installation cost. So as a result of pools having deep ends that aren't as deep as they used to be, injuries from divers striking the bottom with their faces have shot up. Accidents that can result in broken teeth, noses and even a broken neck leading to paralysis and death. So check the depth of your pool before you have a diving board installed.
Toys that were not meant to be played with in the water that are brought into a pool also pose a hidden risk. Particularly heavy plastic toys and standard field balls like basketballs, footballs and soccer balls that are far too heavy for close quarters water roughhousing. It's the younger kids who are at the most risk because it's primarily their upper body and head that's exposed and vulnerable when the big kids start roughhousing with hard toys and heavy balls.
So the solution here is to make a point of stocking up on a good supply of toys that are specifically designed for pool play because they're softer and lighter. Not only are there more games to choose from now on, but today's new generation of pool toys are filled with a state-of-the-art foam that doesn't saturate and hold water. These foam filled toys never need inflating and won't go flat when they get punctured. Pool toys also don't have metal on them to cause rust stains.
Then still one more thing the you need to give serious consideration to is the risk of overexposure to sunlight. Particularly for young children who have thin skin because sun damage to skin is cumulative. This means that it builds up over a lifetime; so long after the sunburn has healed, the damage to the tissue remains and, in fact, builds up. So make sure that you have at least one umbrella for shade, a few floppy hats for the kids to wear,and for sure stock up on good water resistant sunblock.
