From pool safety and the Virginia Graeme Pool and Spa Safety Act to outdoor grill recalls, it's important to keep updated on the news you need to maintain your outdoor space as a safe haven. Many accidents occur while inattentive adults are present. You'll learn about safety products like fencing, locks, alarms, along with training your children to follow rules that can help them stay safe while having fun.
While swimming pools provide hours of exercise and enjoyment, accidental drownings in pools and hot tubs iare the leading cause of death for children under age 5 and the second-leading cause of death for children 14 and under. Follow these layers of protection to make your backyard pool or spa a safe and fun place.
Some experts believe that the way to keep children safe around swimming pools is to teach them to swim when they're infants, as young as 6 months old. In this informative article from
Parenting, find out children's swimming capabilities for certain age groups, along with teaching methods and facts and suggestions.
Drownings are a leading cause of hospitalizations and death in children. But there are other not-so-obvious dangers that lurk in yards that have pools, spas or hot tubs. Here are some trouble spots and ways to prevent accidents and fatalities from occurring.
Here's a good message for all juggling parents: A few seconds of inattention is all it takes for a child to drown, even in a small inflatable pool. Sara Schaefer Munoz reports on parents and caregivers' increasing distractions by their PDAs and cellphones while watching their children in a swimming pool. As one father says, "One e-mail at the pool and you are not watching your kid."
In this article from
The Wall Street Journal, safety officials report an increase in the average number of drowning deaths in pools and spas among children under the age of 5, heightening concerns about inexpensive, inflatable pools that often don't have the added safety measures of fences or alarms.
What used to be Pool Safety Week has now become National Water Safety Month. Starting in May 2009, the public awareness campaign spearheaded by The Association of Pool & Spa Professionals, the World Waterpark Association and the National Recreation & Park Association is dedicating the month to educating the public about safe aquatic environments. Learn more.
Drowning may be one of the most remorseful fatal accidents to occur at a home. Why? Because it's entirely preventable. It's most often due to human error, negligence, distraction, forgetfulness or lack of pool safety education. If you own a pool or spa, you owe it to all who will use them to keep them updated with anti-entrapment drain covers, barriers and rescue equipment.
Current research shows that most drownings occur during residential swimming pool parties. This informative article from
Aquatics International reveals why, and offers seven crucial ways to make backyard parties safer.
Diving in residential pools is not a smart idea, and many areas have banned the use or sale of diving boards for private pools. The reasons: backyard pools are smaller and not as deep, so they don't give the diver enough room in front and on the sides to land safely in the water without hitting the board, pool edge or bottom. Learn the diving rules for private pools.
The sport of diving has an exemplary record when it comes to safety. Divers and coaches place a premium on safety. Each time a competitive diver steps onto a springboard during practice he or she should follow these three simple rules to ensure the safety of themselves and their teammates.
Confused about safety barriers for your backyard swimming pool or spa? This 10-page booklet from the Consumer Product Safety Commission describes and illustrates in detail the guidelines you should follow to make your swimming pool and spa area a safe place for recreation.
Swimming pools, spas and hot tubs all require some sort of electrical connection to keep them working properly. Electric pumps, filters, heaters and lighting all play a part in their day-to-day operation and maintenance. These electrical connections have to be done according to the electrical code in your area. In most cases, a licensed electrician will have to do the installation for you.
Besides sensible supervision around swimming pools, it always helps to have backup protection, especially if you have a baby. With the Safety Turtle pool alarm system, you simply strap the wristband on your child. If your baby enters the water, the alarm sounds immediately. How does this product rate? Find out in this review by Heather Corley, About.com's Guide to Baby Products.
We’ve all heard the terms GFCI or GFI outlets, but what in the world are they used for? Why would we buy outlets that cost between $5.00 and $10.00 when regular outlets only cost a dollar or two? Seems silly, right? Not so fast. GFCI’s are specifically designed to save your life. They automatically turn themselves off when there is a short circuit or there’s an unbalanced load to ground.
If a storm or hurricane is approaching, the last thing you want to worry about is what to do about your swimming pool or spa. Post this checklist on your refrigerator so you'll know what to do to secure your pool or spa in the anxious hours before a storm hits or prior to evacuation.
Storms and hurricanes are inevitable in some parts of the world. If you live in a storm or hurricane-prone region, take a proactive approach to surviving a disaster by getting your house, yard and swimming pool ready before the storm hits. Follow these important suggestions and steps from experts like the American Red Cross.
You may know how to protect your family from a storm, but what about your swimming pool? Follow these suggestions to help minimize the damage to your swimming pool that might be caused by a tropical storm or hurricane. By Woody McDowell for About.com: Swimming.
Warning: Get out of your swimming pool or spa at the first signs of a storm. Lightning can strike from as far as 10 miles away. Even if the storm looks like it's a long way off, you need to evacuate the pool ASAP. Find out why in this article from
The Arizona Republic.
Join host Bob Vila for this online how-to video on constructing a storm-ready cage for your swimming pool. The screened, aluminum cage is rated to withstand a wind load of 130 mph.
