Swimming pool safety

Child swimmers

A public swimming pool is a relatively safe environment, but wherever there is water there is always a hazard present and children are at risk. Supervision is imperative at all times, lifeguards are there for users' safety but they cannot replace the care and attention of a parent for children who are using the pool, particularly if they are weak or non-swimmers. Consider the following:

• Familiarise yourself with the swimming pool and find out about the safety rules. Make sure you know how the depth of the pool changes.
• Check how many lifeguards are on duty and where they are positioned
• Do not leave your child unattended, even if they are wearing a swimming aid
• Remind your child to walk in the pool area and only to enter the water with you
• Encourage your child to watch what the lifeguards do and begin to identify which activities in the pool are dangerous
• Enrol your child in swimming or personal survival classes

Adult swimmers

If swimming in a public pool:

• Familiarise yourself with the pool environment and read the safety notices
• Make sure you know which is the deep and shallow end and whether diving is permitted in the pool
• Do not swim if you have drunk alcohol, taken illicit drugs or eaten a meal; allow at least an hour for food to digest before swimming
• If taking prescription or over-the-counter medication, check whether it affects physical exercise or if it will cause drowsiness
• If you are feeling at all unwell do not start swimming or stop swimming
• Swim within your limits, don't overdo it
• Maintain good hygiene, shower before going into the pool
• Ensure you know where to summon help

The above considerations apply to private pools (hotels, gyms, holiday parks) and home pools as well, but as these pools are often not supervised by a lifeguard, the requirement for constant supervision is even more important.

Home pools:

• Home pools should be fenced with self-closing, self-latching gates that cannot (or cannot easily) be opened by a child. Fences should be at least 1.1 metres and comprise vertical rails, making them more difficult to climb.
• Be alert to gaps that a small child could squeeze through.
• Safety covers and alarms are other safety devices but cannot be relied on alone. A combination of barriers and safety features can prevent or detect access by young children to the pool, but they cannot replace supervision.
• Always ensure that at least one responsible person is supervising children at all times and acting as a lifeguard in the pool
• Make sure you know what to do should an emergency arise
• Ensure you know where to summon help
• Consider taking a basic first aid course to learn resuscitation techniques
• Keep a phone by a home pool