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Girls Swimming Underwater

Swim Safety

Safety in the pool

Starfish Aquatics provides great training and opportunities that can sometimes be carried out and practiced at home in a backyard swimming pool. However, when it comes to swimming at home there are a few things to keep in mind that will make the experience much safer for everyone. 

Fencing

Unfortunately, evidence suggests that a large number of childhood drownings can be accounted to faulty or non-compliant pool fencing. 

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It is recommended that your swimming pool be surrounded with a fence that is at least 1200mm tall. Slatted fences should have no gaps wider than 100mm, so young children can't squeeze through. Installation of self-closing and self-latching gates with latches that are beyond a child’s reach are vital. Never prop open the gate with an object, i.e. a chair or rock. 

Image by Kyle Glenn

Supervision

Learning to Swim

Never take your eyes off children in, on or around water.
 

  • Supervision means constant visual contact, not the occasional glance. 

  • You should actively supervise children, even if they can swim.     

  • Avoid all distractions, including using a phone or answering the door. 

  • Do not leave older children (under the age of 16) to supervise younger siblings.

  • Children under five must be within arms’ reach, and children under 10 must be clearly and constantly visible and directly accessible.

Water Quality

Water Testing Kit

If not properly maintained, the water in your backyard swimming pool may contain a range of germs, including bacteria and viruses. Some germs can cause health problems, such as ear, nose and throat infections.

You should check your swimming pool regularly to make sure that the water is safe for swimming. A simple way to do this is to look into the pool each day and check:

  • Is the water clear?

  • Can you see to the bottom of the pool?

  • Does the water look any different to how it looked the day before?

Any changes, such as cloudiness, mean you should test the water and take steps to improve water quality before anyone goes swimming. Pool water should also be checked for unwanted friends like spiders and snakes before entering the pool. If there are leaves in the bottom of pool be aware that spiders love to hide under there.

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