Ways to Prevent Accidents at Swimming Pools

A swimming pool can be a welcome addition to any backyard and a great way to get some exercise and enjoy many different pool-based activities. At the same time, it’s equally important to keep safety in mind when a swimming pool is used. Luckily, there are some simple and effective ways to accomplish this goal and prevent swimming pool accidents. The experienced professionals from San Diego Pools, the experts in pool construction San Diego residents trust for outstanding craftsmanship and exceptional service, offer a few accident prevention tips.

Be Aware of Your Swimming Abilities

There’s no shame in staying in the shallow end of the pool if you’re not yet fully comfortable with handling the deeper end. If you lose your sense of balance in the deeper end and you’re not able to navigate, you may have difficulty and experience some degree of oxygen deprivation.

Take Swimming Lessons

You don’t have to be able to swim to enjoy a pool. However, it can be helpful to learn how to properly swim to increase your safety and confidence. Even if you already know some of the swimming basics, lessons can be helpful so you can learn the correct form and technique. Doing so can further reduce your accident risk.

Supervise Children

Be especially mindful of younger swimmers by supervising children when they use the pool. Even older children who know how to swim may engage in risky behavior, such as diving into shallow water. For this reason, it’s best to keep an eye on your pool area when kids or teens are swimming. It can also be helpful to:

• Install a pool fence with a lock
• Use a gate alarm or water motion sensors for added peace of mind
• Make sure a responsible adult is present in the pool area at all times when children are swimming

Be Careful with Pool Drains

Pool drains help you keep your pool clean and safe to use. Ironically, these drains can also present accident risks due to powerful suction. For instance, your swim trunks may get caught in a drain if you get too close. All swimmers should stay away from pool drains while swimming. This is especially true for children.

Walk, Don’t Run

It’s not realistically possible to keep the area immediately around a pool dry, since it’s always exposed to water from swimmers getting in and out. This is why this area is often slippery. Prevent accidents when heading into the pool to swim by walking and not running so you can maintain your footing—and remind younger swimmers to do the same thing.

Don’t Dive into Shallow Water

With any type of diving into a swimming pool, what you want to avoid is leaping into shallow water. Diving headfirst into the shallow part of a pool can be especially dangerous due to the increased risk of serious brain injuries.

Pay Attention to Pool Rules if Using a Hotel or Community Pool

If you don’t have a backyard pool, you may regularly use community pools or ones at hotels where you stay. When swimming in pools in these locations, pay attention to posted rules (e.g., no running near the pool, no glass containers, etc.). Such rules are in place for your own safety and the safety of other pool users.

If you need any more advice about pool safety, call on the experienced professionals at San Diego Pools. We’re a premier San Diego swimming pool contractor, and our experienced pool design and construction experts are dedicated to building the pool that’s right for your family and providing you with the highest-quality service in the industry. Give us a call today at 888-707-7786.