Litigation

Pool Safety Tips

By Michael Kaplen

Pool accidents are a leading cause of traumatic brain injury. It's easy to prevent drowning and other injuries around the pool with proper care.

Whether you are a pool owner or guest, go to the lake or beach, safety is a priority. Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation has offered these  Top 10 Water Safety Tips:

• If you are a pool owner, be sure to have clearly marked depth indicators around the entire pool. Post ?No Diving? signs - and enforce that rule!
• Watch your guests. More than 90% of injuries occur to visitors, rather than owners.
• Never dive into an above-ground pool and be careful around ladders and other equipment.
• Never drink and dive. ?Drinking impairs an individual?s judgment and slows reactions,? explains Kirshblum. ?Nearly half of all diving accidents resulting in a serious injury involve alcohol consumption.?
• Don?t swim alone. Ideally, a lifeguard or someone trained in water safety should always be present.
• Always check the depth of water before going in. Levels may be deceptive, especially where drought conditions existed. Be sure that there are no rocks or debris below the surface.
  Enter the water at lakes and ponds feet first to avoid injury.
• Never dive into the ocean. It?s difficult to see what?s under the surf, particularly sand bars. And tides constantly cause the ocean sands to shift.
• Even if areas are marked as being safe for diving, do not dive if your trajectory will place you in less than nine feet of water. When diving from a board, the water should be deeper than 12 feet.
• Educate children. Safe water behaviors should be taught at an early age so children can make smart decisions when involved in water activities.

Full post as published by Brain Injury News and Information on June 25, 2009 (boomark / email).