Layers of Protection
You'll see us mention Layers Of Protection over and over again on the coming pages. The phrase refers to the complimenting nature of having multiple safety devices on your pool. Clearly a pool with only a privacy fence around the pool is not as safe as the neighbor with an additional child-protection fence. And that one is not as safe as the next house with both fences and anti-entrapment, anti-entanglement drain covers. Yet another pool is safer still because the owner placed door and window alarms on all passages leading from the house to the pool. So, the more layers you have in place, the safer your pool.
That said, we believe it is important to state the obvious at this point. That being - COMPETENT SUPERVISION MUST BE THE CORNERSTONE OF YOUR SAFETY PROGRAM.
Your first line of defense is competent supervision. Know that no amount of gadgets or devices can keep your family safe from drownings or accidents. At best they'll give you a few seconds of warning. They help, and they're definitely part of overall safety program you should have for your pool. But don't get lulled into a false sense of security simply because of your new pool alarm or the new "kid-proof" fence.
YOU are the best protective device your pool has.
Safety devices are very important in protecting neighborhood kids and visiting kids as well. After all, it's one thing to supervise your own kids. Most parents know where their kids are at all times while inside the house. Most of us take the necessary steps to ensure they are capable swimmers, even at the age of 1. Take, for example, a family with 2 children ages 4 and 6. Their parents have taught them to swim. They've taught them that using the pool requires at least one parent to be present. They've placed alarms on their doors and windows leading from their house to the pool and they keep a close eye on their kids even when they're inside the house.
But neighborood kids, especially those who don't have a pool, aren't so easy to keep track of. On a hot day, their next door neighbor's kids sneak into the yard and into the pool. The homeowners are busy protecting their own kids, but what about the sneaky neighborhood children now ready to dive into their pool?
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Layers of Protection refers to the various safety features you install on your pool. The more layers you have the better protected you are. Some safety features are mandated by state and local health codes, such as anti-vortex drain covers (which we'll discuss in depth later), specific fence types, even door and window alarms in some situations. We advise you to inspect your pool for the following items.
- A fence that completely blocks access to your pool that is equipped with self-closing/latching gates.
- A child-protection fence that follows code for installation that completely blocks access to your pool by children.
- Drain covers on the main drain(s) that are anti-entrapment, anti-entanglement. These are very different from anti-vortex covers mandated by most states. They offer a more thorough protection by eliminating the possibility of hair and finger entrapment.
- Properly valved pump suction. We can't tell you how many people cut their skimmer off for various reasons, not realizing that they've now increased the suction of their main drain significantly.
- Properly marked Emergency Off labels (or larger signs if the switch is not in direct view of the pool deck) indicating how to cut the pump's power in case of an emergency. I almost find it funny that many customers don't know how to turn their pump on or off. It would be funny if it weren't so potentially tragic.
- Decks should be free of tripping hazards. Care to guess how many people leave piles of pool toys, chairs, tables, coolers, towels, clothes lines, pool tools or other such nonsense laying all about their deck? Plenty. There's really no good reason for it and it presents easy tripping hazards for youngsters and adults as well. Keep your deck clean and free of clutter.
- Overhead power lines should be no closer to the edge of the pool than 10 ft. That's according to Florida Building Code. In my mind, that's still too close. The reason for the 10 ft rule is so when people are cleaning the pool they don't strike the power line and electrocute themselves. Makes sense, especially to folks in my business. But, when lines break, 10 ft may not be far enough.
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