PLBH
Available 7 Days A Week

(800) 435-7542

Blog

Summer is just around the corner, which makes it all the more important to brush up on pool safety tips — especially if you have your own pool.

Pool Time Is Here: Learn How You Can Stay SafeSpring is officially here, and with warmer temperatures upon us, many friends, relatives and neighbors are opening up their pools. You might even be opening up your own pool, and enjoying a dip or two. While pools are a great way to relax, beat the heat and get in some exercise, they also present a substantial danger — particularly to kids.

Each year in the United States, approximately 350 children under the age of five drown in backyard swimming pools. Still another 2,600 kids are treated in hospital emergency rooms for near-drowning incidents. These scary statistics shouldn’t prevent you from having fun in the pool or allowing your kids to enjoy the water — but they should make you take pool safety very, very seriously.

Under California law, homeowners have a duty of care to make sure that their property is safe for people who are legally on it, such as invited guests. But homeowners must also make sure that their pools are safe from children who might accidentally wander onto their property or otherwise come onto it illegally. Pools are considered an “attractive nuisance” when it comes to children, because children will be attracted to it and may be tempted to go onto someone’s property to go for a swim — so homeowners must take steps to prevent that from happening. In fact, a California law, the Swimming Pool Safety Act, requires all access gates in residential swimming pool enclosures be at least 60 inches (5 feet) tall, have self-closing gates and a self-latching device placed no lower than 60 inches above the ground.

If you do have a swimming pool at your home, you should take steps to make sure that you are protected from liability by making sure that it was installed in accordance with all pool safety laws, as well as any additional laws that may be in place in your city or county. Install a fence with a gate that is at least 8 feet high. When the pool is not in use, cover it, and make sure the cover is secured. You could also purchase and install a pool alarm that will alert you if the surface of the pool is disturbed. When children are visiting your house, only allow them to go into your pool if they are accompanied by a responsible adult. Never leave toys in the pool that could tempt a child to go into the pool, and consider not having a diving board, slide or other fun extras that could attract children. Don’t allow guests who are intoxicated to use your pool. Make sure that everyone who lives in your house knows how to swim, and knows basic first aid and lifesaving techniques. Finally, to protect yourself, purchase and maintain a homeowner’s insurance policy that covers swimming pool injuries.

Whether you are swimming at your house or another person’s home, you should never swim alone, and always make sure to closely supervise any children who are swimming. Never swim when you have been drinking or using drugs, and don’t be distracted by phones or other devices. Watch for drains, particularly ones whose covers may be disturbed, and always walk on pool decks and other surfaces that may be slippery.

If you have been injured in a swimming pool accident, the personal injury attorneys of PLBH can help. Our experienced lawyers will fight for your right to compensation, and will work hard to get you the money that you need to recover for your injuries. Contact us today at (800) 435-7542 or info@plblaw.com to schedule a free initial consultation and learn how we can help you.