Swimming Pool Safety Tips for Those Hot Texas Summers

In 2011, the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission released a Snapshot of 2011 Summer Swimming Season, revealing that Texas pool accidents were a focal point. According to the report, in Texas there had been fifteen drowning accidents, eight of which were fatal and seven were near-misses.

The number of drowning incidents was the highest of anywhere else in the country. If one of your loved ones has been injured or drowned in a swimming pool contact a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer today to find out what your legal options are.

With this in mind, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission offered numerous safety tips to prevent drowning accidents. The following tips apply to any pools you or your family may be using.

• Ensure pools comply with all local ordinances.
• A ladder and/or steps that are at least three inches wide should be installed. The ladders should have handrails that are small enough for a child to hold.
• Pools featuring diving boards or slides must be deep enough for swimmers to avoid injury.
• Pools should be fenced in with a fence that is at least six feet high all around. Access to pool areas should be controlled with locking gates or latches.
• Water should always be noticeably marked.
• Children should be taught to swim and float on their back as soon as possible.
• No one should roughhouse or play recklessly around the swimming pool.
• Children should never swim unsupervised and adults should never swim alone.
• Electrical appliances should always be kept away from the swimming pool area.
• No one should ever swim after consuming alcohol or drugs.

Our Fort Worth drowning accident attorneys understand how devastating drowning accidents and near-misses can be. This summer, as many people enjoy their local or home pools, it is important to keep in mind these tips and realize that the risk of drowning is a very real danger.

Property owners especially need to ensure that they have taken the responsibility to secure the swimming pools on their property as they may be held legally liable if a drowning accident occurs in their pool.