Kiddipedia
Advice from Poolwerx – the Healthy Pool People
One in five parents admits to being distracted by their phone when supervising young swimmers around the pool, new research from Poolwerx[1] shows.
Drowning is the greatest cause of accidental death for children under five in Australia. Each week, on average, one child drowns, many in their own backyards.
Poolwerx is asking families and friends to nominate a Responsible Pool Person at every poolside event this summer to supervise the water fun with no distractions.
The healthy pool people invite Australians to pick up their free Responsible Pool Person hat from their local Poolwerx between 20 to 25 January. Whoever wears the hat pledges to ensure safety is the number one priority around the pool.
With the long summer days upon us, Former Olympic swim coach Laurie Lawrence has backed the water safety campaign, reminding Australians never to be complacent around the pool.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically impacted the number of swimming lessons young children have participated in this year, causing their confidence in and around the water to drop,” Mr Lawrence said.
“We know swimming is a favourite pastime for Aussies, but sadly, we also know toddlers are most at risk of drowning, particularly in backyards. It takes just a few seconds for something tragic to occur, but pool owners can take these simple steps to make sure our kids are safer by the water.”
See Poolwex’s top safety tips for backyard swimming this summer below.
- Nominate a Responsible Pool Person to supervise
Nominate one or multiple people to act as a Responsible Pool Person and oversee those in and around the pool. Aussies can pick up their free Responsible Pool Person hat from their local Poolwerx between 20 to 25 January. Whoever wears the hat pledges to ensure safety is the number one priority around the pool. - Check your pool fence
What safety standards does your pool need to meet? The fence must be at least 1.2m tall. Slatted fences cannot have gaps wider than 100mm. - Remove climbable objects near the pool fence
Items such as chairs, tables, pot plants, trees and more can act as a ladder for young kids. This goes for inside the pool area too, as kids can reach and pull items through to get a foothold on. - Check your pool gate
There are several safety requirements for your pool gate that you may not be aware of. Check your pool gate to ensure it is:
– Self-closing and self-latching
– Not propped open, even when you’re in the pool area
– Regularly maintained - Remove toys from the pool when you’re not using it
Pool toys floating in the water may entice kids to try and enter the pool area. Keep toys stored away and out of reach from kids. - Leave distractions indoors
Don’t get distracted by your phone when children are in the pool area. Keep all distractions indoors and stay focused on those in the water. - CPR Chart
Do you have a CPR chart on your fence? These instructions could help save a life in an emergency. Head into your local Poolwerx to pick up your poster today.
For more information on how to stay safe by the water this summer or to find your local Poolwerx to pick up your bucket hat, visit www.Poolwerx.com.au/Responsible.
[1] Source: Poolwerx independent survey 2020 – 275 participants
