Bill could make pools and spas safer

Last month, a 3-year-old boy from Long Island, NY drowned in his neighbor’s swimming pool. The child snuck out of his house and climbed the neighbor’s 4-foot fence to get into the pool. Like most drownings, his death was silent.

Every year, about 260 children under five drown in swimming pools. An additional 2,725 children are treated annually in emergency rooms for pool submersion injuries. Drowning is second only to motor vehicle accidents as the leading cause of accidental death of children under 14.  

Child drowning is tragic, yet preventable. That's why Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, testified in early June at a Congressional hearing in support of the Pool and Spa Safety Act - H.R. 1721. The House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection heard testimony on four pending safety bills.  

The Pool and Spa Safety Act would provide a $5 million annual grant over the next five years to the CPSC for administering drowning prevention campaigns and encouraging states to enhance pool and spa safety laws. The measure would also require safer drain systems on pools and spas to prevent the powerful suction of drains from entrapping people under water. 

Our testimony applauded the goals of bill but raised concerns that it doesn’t adequately address many of the safety issues involving inflatable pools, which are a growing hazard. We also supported the need for layers of protection to keep pools safe, including non-climbable fences with self-closing and self-latching gates, safety covers for in-ground pools, alarms for doors leading from the house to the pool area, and pool alarms.  

There was no pool alarm in the Long Island pool; if there had been, the 3-year-old boy may have been saved. Although New York State passed a law that went into effect at the end of last year requiring pool alarms for all new swimming pools, it doesn't require retrofitting existing pools (Suffolk County, where last month's accident occurred, is considering a bill that would require alarms on all pools). That's a critical — and possibly life-saving — step that all pool owners should take.

See Also:

• H.R. 1721, Pool and Spa Safety Act
• Consumers Union's testimony (PDF)
• CPSC Public Service Announcement: Toddler Drownings Happen Quickly and Silently
  Text | Audio (MP3) | Video (requires Windows Media Player) 
• Make sure your pool is child-safe this summer
• Keep kids safe around water year-round
• Inflatable pool hazards
• Three pool alarms Not Acceptable
• CPSC Publications (PDFs):
  Swimming Pool Safety Alert
  Safety Barrier Guidelines for Pools
  How to Plan for the Unexpected
  Guidelines for Entrapment Hazards: Making Pools and Spas Safer

This is the third blog entry in a series concerning a Congressional hearing on pending product safety legislation.

Previous entries in this series:

• Product registration cards can save lives
• Gas can safety gets a hearing

Comments

[Kevin Karch]

As a childless pool/home owner living in Long Island, on a street with many toddlers, I have to voice my opinion. First, my heart goes out to anyone who has lost a child, parents shouldnt outlive their kids, and I dont want to see any child hurt. I am a responsible homeowner, my yard is secured with a 6ft fence and locked gates. I installed the pool alarm that came with the pool and have come to the conclusion, its useless. Yesterday was a nice sunny day, my neighbors on both sides had bbqs as several kids played in the street in front of my house. I went as far as to modify the alarm to make it louder after testing it last year and not hearing it with the doors closed. I triggered it yesterday and it screamed for almost an hour. Not one person checked it out, they heard it and brushed it off. The "supermom" next door told me this morning my burglar alarm was going off yesterday afternoon, that I should check to make sure nothing is missing. So the alarm will be in the garage for the summmer. The county is NOT allowed on my property without my permission to check it, and thanks to an electronic "doggie door" my Rotweillers have immediate access to the yard 24/7 so the odds of anyone making it into the pool are slim to none(unless they shoot the dogs).

I see people blaming the pool owner,the fence company, even the pool company if a child wanders away from his home and drowns in a neighbors pool. Truth be told, the only one at fault is the Parent of the child. The responsibility of raising your child is YOURS, not mine. Instead of alarms on pools or anything else involving child safety, the alarms should be required on doors and windows of the childs home. Maybe its time for strict parental legislation. If people with children arent expected to keep an eye on their property 24/7, why the hell am I expected to.

[Steve C]

I have also been looking for independent reviews of pool fences. I am surprised that I haven't been able to find any. It would be nice if some study was done on these products since so many people have this important decision to make.

[Laura F]

We have a one year old and we are moving into a house with a pool and no fence other than one around the house. We have estimates from 3 pool fence companies but are having a hard time deciding which would be best. There are no good reviews of leading fence manufacturers. The fences we are considering are Pool Guard, Life Saver and Protect A Child. There are some differences like fiberglass versus aluminum, different stiching on the mesh, and different locking mechanisms. We wanted an independent review of these companies. Do any exhist?