It will soon be time to open up those pools and get ready for some splashing summer fun! Be sure to have fun and avoid the dangers that come with this beloved summer activity. In fact, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that an average of 4,900 people received emergency care for injuries suffered in a swimming pools or spas each year in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Furthermore the CDC reported that drowning was the number one cause of unintentional death of children ages 1 to 4. Here are 5 quick ways you can help prevent accidents around your pool.
1. Check all handrails, guardrails, and fences to ensure they are secure and tight. these safety devices can become dangerous if not maintained well. An damaged fence can create a false sense of security, loose handrails can cause someone to slip or they can give away suddenly causing major injury.
2. Fix cracks in concrete surfaces. Those cracks will get worse and could become a safety hazard with small feet running around. Make sure to check with a concrete contractor to decide on the best course of action as some of the concrete around a pool maybe supporting important systems such as railings, gates, fences, etc
3. Remove any and all trip hazards. Trip hazards such as anchors left over from winter leaf covers, heaving concrete, or ill fitting skimmer covers can cause people to fall, sometimes ending up in the water unintentionally. Fixing these hazards is paramount to keeping the fun times rolling.
4. Ensure gates are properly locked and secured. Special locks should be used on all gates leading into the pool area. These locks prevent children from opening them and self lock when the gate automatically closes. Locks like the one pictures below should not be used. gates should also be self closing to prevent one from being left open accidentally.
5. Ensure all doors leading into the pool area have alarms installed and are secure. These alarms will sound off when the door is open which can alert adults to children making an unsupervised mad dash to swimming pool freedom. Doors should be secure to prevent children from breaking out, a screen door like the one below isn’t strong enough to stop a determined child.
These are just a few items we found wrong during one of our home inspections in west Michigan. There are many more tips and safety procedures that should be followed to prevent accidents around your pool. For more information on keeping your pool secure we recommend visiting the Red Cross webpage. If you would like our certified pool inspector to look at your pool and provide you a full narrative style written report email us at info@cardinspectionservices.com
About Us
Card Inspection Services, llc is a home and commercial property inspection company covering the majority of west and mid-Michigan. Our owner and inspector, Darrin Card has over 8 years of inspection experience and over 16 years in the construction industry. He is a Michigan licensed residential contractor, InterNACHI certified professional inspector, CCPIA certified commercial property inspector, ICA2 certified radon and mold inspector, and holds many more qualifications which will serve to give you a detailed, thorough, and informative inspection. Visit us for more information and ask us about our Buy Back Guarantee.
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