With the warm weather, we know that swimming season is not far away. With public pools preparing to open for summer, homeowner associations doing the same at private pools and house owners readying their residential pools, the sounds of splashing and laughter will soon ring throughout communities.
But these seasonal developments also bring to the forefront concerns about swimming pool safety. Swimming pool mishaps are not uncommon and may lead to severe injuries or prove fatal. Drownings, near-drownings and diving-related accidents are among the concerns.
Drowning and diving accidents
Certain factors play significant roles in swimming pool injuries. For example, an overcrowded pool may lead to difficulty keeping track of all swimmers. Lack of or ineffective fencing may lead to children gaining access to pools. The last matter stresses the importance of the supervision of children.
Among the common swimming pool injuries and incidents that occur include:
- Drowning, near-drowning: Situations caused by the lack of swimming skills, horseplay and clothing caught in drains may lead to drownings. Young and unsupervised children may venture into a neighbor’s yard and gain access to a swimming pool, potentially leading to tragedy. Drowning is the second-leading cause of death among children ages 1 to 4. Most drownings of children in this age group occur in swimming pools. Another startling statistic: an estimated 23% of child drownings take place at a family gathering near a swimming pool.
- Diving accidents: Water in some pools may not be deep enough for diving. Diving into shallow water and smashing your head on the bottom of a pool may lead to spinal cord injury, broken neck and paralysis. Also, divers must remain alert to their surroundings as they could dive into the water and land on an unsuspecting swimmer.
- Slip and fall injuries: These may take place poolside. The wet ground may cause someone walking to slip and fall, sustaining serious injuries such as head trauma and fractures. Such an injury also may occur when someone slips on a diving board.
Many of these injuries may lead to severe consequences. You do not want to become a statistic.
Safety and an injury-free summer
Enjoy the upcoming summer swimming season. But please focus on safety. You want an injury-free experience every time you go to the pool.
