| WASHINGTON, D.C. - With Memorial Day weekend approaching and pools across the country opening, a new report (PDF) released today by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) provides updated figures on child drowning deaths and injuries in pools and spas. CPSC's latest data reveals that nearly 300 children younger than 5 drown in pools and spas each year, and about 3,000 suffer pool or spa-related injuries requiring attention at hospital emergency rooms.
About two-thirds of the pool and spa-related deaths and injuries involve children ages 1-2, with about 80% of the drowning fatalities occurring in residential settings, such as the victim's home, a family or friend's house or at a neighbor's residence.
New data (PDF) from CPSC also shows that from 1999 through 2008, there were 83 reports of pool and spa entrapments, including 11 deaths and 69 injuries. Since 1999, 14% of the reported suction/entrapment incidents at pools or spas were fatal.
At a press conference today on Capitol Hill, CPSC Acting Chairman Nancy Nord joined Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Safe Kids USA, and Scott Taylor (the father of Abigail Taylor, who suffered fatal injuries from an evisceration incident in a wading pool), to encourage parents, caregivers, and pool owners to make safety a top priority as the summer swim season officially opens.
"Preventing child drownings is a key part of CPSC's mission. I call upon all parents, caregivers and pool and spa operators to ensure that fencing and other layers of protection are in place; that there is constant supervision of children in and around the water; and that new, safer drain covers that prevent entrapment incidents are installed," said Acting Chairman Nord.
"I want to thank the Congress for providing CPSC with funds this year to implement the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act. This is an important child safety law and CPSC will use the new funds to increase compliance with the law, educate on pool and spa safety measures, implement the state grant program, partner with state and local government on enforcement, and make pools and spas even safer," added Nord.
The Pool and Spa Safety Act (P&SSAct) went into effect on December 19, 2008 and requires all public pools and spas to have anti-entrapment drain covers, and in certain circumstances, an additional anti-entrapment system. CPSC has prioritized public wading pools, kiddie pools and in-ground spas as the key areas of focus for enforcement and has called upon state departments of health to assist the agency in enforcing the law.
CPSC is also announcing the launch of a new Web site - www.PoolSafety.gov - which serves as a valuable source for information about the P&SSAct and drowning prevention. The new site provides information for the general public, the swimming pool and spa community, state and local officials, and the media.
Drowning occurs more commonly when children get access to the pool during a short lapse in adult supervision. To reduce the risk of drowning, pool owners should adopt several layers of protection, including physical barriers, such as a fence completely surrounding the pool with self-closing, self-latching gates to prevent unsupervised access by young children. If the house forms a side of the barrier, use alarms on doors leading to the pool area and/or a power safety cover over the pool. In addition, reports of children exiting the house via a pet door have been on the rise.
To supplement the data provided in the above May 21, 2009 press release, consider the following safety check-list:
Swimming Pool/Spa/Exercise Room/Sauna:
1. Are pool and spa drain covers in place, secure and in good condition? (Are they cone rather than flat surfaced?)
2. Are childproof locks in place on pool gates /doors and exercise room doors?
3. Are buoy ropes separating shallow and deep portions of the pool in place?
4. Are depth makings clearly visible in at least 3 inch high print around pool coping and on pool deck? Have you indicated meters as well as feet for foreign visitors?
5. Are international no-diving signs in place around pool coping and on the pool deck?
6. Are life safety devices (i.e. Shepherds hook, life rings, etc.) in place, highly visible, easily accessible and in good repair?
7. Are life ring throw ropes at least + inch in diameter and of the proper length? (I and ¢ times the width of the pool or 50 feet)
8. Are pool/spa chemical quality assurance checks made daily and documented? (more frequently if indicated through heavy usage).
9. Are ladders and handrails in place, secure and in good repair?
10. Is an emergency phone in place. Clearly marked and in working order?
11. Is spa equipped with emergency shut-off switch, timer (15 minute maximum) and temperature controls?
12. Editorial addition: Since there have been drownings resulting from entanglement with a drain since development of the original checklist, I am adding: Have two remote drains been installed? Is there an accessible and clearly visible pool-side stop switch for turning off the pump in an emergency?
13. Is health and safety signage in place and clearly visible at pool, spa and exercise room? :
14. Are life guards or Certified Pool Operators (CPO) qualified and their training documented?
15. Is there a visual contrast between the spa floor and stairs?
16. Is the flow of the spa textured in order to prevent slips?
17. Are exercise equipment instructions posted and maintained in legible condition in exercise rooms?
18. Are pool, spa and exercise areas free from trip hazards?
19. Are self-closing mechanisms in place and in working order on all pool gates?
20. Is pool pump room kept neat and clean and is personal protective equipment available and in good repair?
21. Is sauna clean, neat and in good repair?
22. Is exercise equipment in good repair? Is it on a regular maintenance schedule?
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CPSC Announces New Report on Child Drownings and Near-drownings in Pools and Spas; Federal Pool and Spa Safety Act Aims to Make Pools and Spas Safer