Pool Safety and Preventing Accidents Around the Pool in Alabama

According to the national education campaign entitled Pool Safely, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in children between one and four years old. This includes natural bodies of water as well as private and public pools and spas. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that an average of 10 people a day of all ages drown in non-boating related water accidents. Approximately 20 percent of drowning victims are under the age of 14. For every child who dies due to a swimming accident, another five require emergency treatment.

Always Supervise Children in a Pool

Even when children know how to swim, a parent or other responsible adult should supervise their time in the pool. The CDC recommends that one person be named an official Water Watcher. That means he or she should not read, use their smartphone, or engage in any other activity that distracts from the primary task of keeping an eye on the kids while they swim. However, having a phone nearby is a good idea in case the designated watch person loses sight of the child so he or she can call for immediate help.

Having a lifeguard on duty is no guarantee of a child’s safety. They need to take breaks and may not see everything going on in the water. Lifeguards also have many people to look after, and unfortunately, may not see a problem with your child until it’s too late. Sadly, some public pools are simply negligent in hiring and training lifeguards in the first place.

Swimming Skills Are Essential

Swimming is an important life skill that everyone should learn as early as possible. If you don’t feel confident about teaching your children to swim, sign them up for lessons from a certified instructor. It’s also a good idea to take lessons yourself if you never learned to swim or it has been many years since you have been in the water.

Children ages 1 to 4 can drown in a pool, a hot tub, or a spa, so the best way to waterproof your child is for them to receive swimming instructions.

Children can begin swimming lessons as early as age one. At that age, children learn survival skills by rolling on their back and learning how to float. Parents can attend these classes with their kids to make the lessons that much more fun.

Stay Away from Drain Covers and Teach Children to Do the Same

In 2007, a six-year-old girl from Minnesota named Abigail Taylor was severely injured when she sat on an uncovered pool drain. She died of her injuries several months later. The suction from the drain eviscerated two feet of the little girl’s lower intestines. The golf club where the pool was located was eventually found liable for not having proper drain covers that could have prevented this horrific accident. This is just one example of severe negligence that had devastating consequences.

All owners of public swimming pools, including those located in Alabama, must comply with the Virginia Graeme Baker Federal Pool and Spa Safety Act signed by President George W. Bush in December of 2008. The legislation is named for the seven-year-old granddaughter of James Baker, a former Secretary of State, who drown in a hot tub in June 2002. If you encounter a public pool or spa without required drain covers, avoid swimming there and report it to the local health department.

Learn CPR

An accident in a swimming pool can happen in seconds and any delay in providing assistance to the victim could cost his or her life. Anyone who spends time around water should take a CPR class to learn how to give life-saving aid to both children and adults. The American Red Cross and several local health and human service agencies offer such courses.

COVID-19

First- there is the ever-present concern about coronavirus. Not to worry, says a University of Alabama assistant professor. Ellen Eaton M.D. says, “if a pool is using chemicals per standard guidelines, it’s a relatively sterile environment. Although there are some viruses and parasites that are waterborne, coronaviruses are not among them.”

Continue to be careful about touching surfaces around the pool and practice social distancing.

Even if a pool is maintained correctly, swimmers can be sickened if they swallow water contaminated with Cryptosporidium (or Crypto).  They come from humans or animals infected with the parasite. The germ can survive even in treated water for more than a week. Anyone with diarrhea should never swim in a pool in case they contaminate others.

E. coli, Shigella, and norovirus are other germs that can make people sick if they swallow contaminated water.

Regular monitoring of the water is essential, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health.

Other Tips for Swimming Pool Safety

In addition to the above, the CDC advises people to follow these safety regulations when using or supervising someone at a swimming pool:

• Avoid drinking alcohol before swimming as this can dull reflexes or make you feel over-confident in your abilities
• Pay attention to the weather forecast and don’t go in the pool during a storm
• Don’t rely on foam arms and other such items to keep your children safe as they are only toys
• Build a fence around your home pool and keep the gate locked when not in use
• Avoid swimming alone

Help for Swimming Accident Victims in Alabama

Even when you’re extremely careful, accidents can still happen if other people are negligent in their duties. If you have lost a family member to drowning or experienced severe injuries yourself due to someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Please contact the experienced Alabama personal injury attorney at the law office of Chip Nix, Attorney at Law at (334) 279-7770, or by using our website contact form, for a free and confidential case review.