Accidents can and do happen in and around pools, but this shouldn’t put you off building that pool of your dreams. There are many ways in which you can ensure that your pool is perfectly safe, and no harm will come to anyone. A pool is a wonderful place to spend time as a family. It’s ideal for keeping fit and it’s also a whole lot of fun. So, make sure your pool is a safe area and have peace of mind that your family is protected.

Choose the right pool area flooring and keep it well maintained

When you’re choosing your pool and making the decisions this involves, pay close attention to the type of flooring you want. Be sure to pick a flooring that is highly non-slip and one that doesn’t turn slippery when wet. This is important for anyone, but if you have anyone elderly in your family, perhaps a little unsteady on their feet or youngsters who are prone to run around then this is vital. Slipping on tiles could cause a serious injury, or a fall into the pool. Make sure you continually monitor your flooring too and ensure there are no tripping hazards being caused by a loose tile lifting or a cracked decking board.

Fence your pool off

A fence all around your pool area can be very helpful to ensure no one wanders into this area when they shouldn’t be there. A pool is very tempting, it’s a fun place, a place to play and little ones can easily take it upon themselves to go off and enjoy the pool unsupervised. A fence will stop them gaining access. Make sure the gate is firmly latched shut and ensure there are no chairs or other items that a small child could use to climb over the fence.

Fit an alarm

Kids can be wily, and they often don’t see the dangers. So, when you’ve said that pool time is over, there’s always that chance that they will disobey and go to the pool anyway. To make totally sure this doesn’t happen you should fit an alarm on your pool fence that will alert you if anyone attempts to enter the pool area. There have even been occasions where a pool alarm has alerted a family to a sleepwalker heading towards the pool so this could be beneficial for everyone, not just the kids!

Invest in a good cover

A good quality pool cover should be heavy enough that children can’t lift them off and strong enough to support the weight of an adult should they fall in, without dipping down and submerging them in water, or breaking. A cover that can be locked when the pool is not in use gives you an extra level of safety.

Teach everyone pool safety

Anyone can get into trouble in the water, so make sure everyone in your family knows the rules of the pool and what to do if anyone is in danger. Make sure your children know not to run around the pool and if anyone is struggling in the water, to find an adult as soon as possible. A lifebelt or float to hand can be easily thrown into the water if someone is in trouble and practising doing this safely is a good idea. If anyone in your family can’t swim, learning as soon as possible is important, but of course with your own pool this is going to be a main priority. Taking a pool rescue and first aid course is also a great idea for the older children and adults in the family. Knowing how to safely get someone out of the pool and what to do will make sure that in the unlikely event of an emergency, everyone can react quickly and correctly.

Have fun!

Now you know just how to make your pool a safe haven for family times, you can have so much fun without having to worry. Just be sure to keep an eye out for each other, especially the younger ones and you can get on with making some magical family memories together.