Tips On Increasing Swimming Pool Safety
(NAPSI)-If you want to make a splash with swimming pool safety, here are some tips. While pools and spas can be great fun, care must be taken to enjoy these water activities safely.
When it comes to safety, there is no substitute for the watchful eye of a caring adult or parent when small children are present in and around a pool. Because small children can drown in a matter of seconds in as little as 2 inches of water, always be sure to drain standing water from the surface of your pool and spa covers. NSF International has put together a series of safety tips to help parents and families reduce the risk of drowning, injury or illness around the water:
• Establish and enforce sensible rules for pool and spa use. Kids should never be allowed to run or play games near the pool.
• Keep electrical appliances, such as televisions and stereos, away from the pool or spa so they cannot be knocked into the water accidentally. Extension cords should never be used around pools.
• Never allow anyone to use the pool or spa unless the cover has been completely removed to ensure no one gets trapped under the cover.
• Installing a barrier or pool alarm is another way to increase safety.
• Check with your local building officials to ensure your fence and gate meet local codes. Most building codes require a minimum 48-inch-high fence surrounding inground pools.
• Gates leading to the pool area should have a self-closing and self-latching mechanism to prevent unauthorized entry.
• Take special care to evaluate your pool or spa for suction grates or intake fittings at the bottom of the pool or spa. Make sure your drain covers are NSF Certified to meet the newly revised ASME A112.19.8 (2007) standard for preventing one’s body parts, limbs and hair from becoming trapped.
• Always follow manufacturers, operating instructions for filters, chemical feeders and other equipment.
• In the event of threatening weather, especially thunderstorms, make sure everyone leaves the pool area and seeks shelter indoors.
Since 1944, NSF International, an independent, not-for-profit organization, has been committed to making the world a safer place for consumers. Its Consumer Affairs Office offers a series of fact sheets and tips on its Web site to help keep families safe, as well as to help pool owners select drain covers, filters and disinfection systems that have been independently tested and certified.
Further information is available at http://www.nsfconsumer.org/ or by calling the NSF consumer hotline at (800) 673-8010. Consumers can also e-mail questions to info@nsf.org.
When it comes to safety, there is no substitute for the watchful eye of a caring adult or parent when small children are present around a pool.
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