Has a Child in Your Care Ever Fallen into a Pool?

Nannies and Au Pairs: Residential Pool and Spa Safety

For pool or spa owners, (and caregivers working in a home with a pool or spa), it is essential to adopt water safety steps to assure the safety of children in and around the water. By installing safety devices and observing proper water safety behaviors, parents and nannies can secure their pools and spas for use by their families, friends, and neighbors.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) favors multiple safety steps for swimming pools and spas, ranging from installing pool and spa fences, to ensuring children know how to swim. When combined, these safety strategies help ensure that both adults and children are amply protected in and around the water.

By asking and answering these critical questions, you can gauge the effectiveness of your water safety measures, and determine what steps need to be taken to protect children from drowning and submersion injuries:

1. Is there a fence around the perimeter of the home pool or spa?
2. Are there self-closing and self-latching gates?
3. Are there door, gate, or pool alarms in use?
4. Does the pool have anti-entrapment drain covers that are compliant with the P&SS Act?
5. Are all pool and spa covers in working order?
6. Has the public pool or spa you use been inspected to ensure it is compliant with federal, state and local laws?
7. Has someone in the family or the nanny received training in CPR, first aid, and emergency response?
8. Has everyone learned to swim?

Click here to learn about the Safety Turtle Child Immersion Wristband Alarm and Wireless Gate Alarm.

Tomorrow: Learn more about the young girl who inspired the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act.