Overview
Above ground pools provide outdoor recreation to families who wish to import a bit of resort experience into their backyards. Above ground pools encourage children and families to engage in physical activity outdoors and hence serve to enhance health and fitness. Unfortunately, hundreds of children drown each year in residential swimming pools. Despite media attention and improvement in pool and pool product safety regulations, pools continue to contribute to mortality and injury statistics.
Statistics
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that 350 children under 5 years of age drown in swimming pools every year, and another 2,000 children under the age of 5 need emergency room treatment for submersion injuries every year. The drowning rate for in-ground pools is five times that for above ground pools, according to Injury Prevention. Nonetheless, above ground pools still present a significant risk, accounting for about 16 percent of pool drownings.
Consequences
For every child who dies from a drowning, four others require emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries, according to the CDC. Nonfatal drowning causes loss of oxygen to the brain, which can cause brain damage. Children who require CPR at the time they arrive at the hospital have poor prognoses, and at least half suffer significant neurological impairment, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Long-term disabilities may include learning disabilities, memory problems and permanent vegetative state.
Risks
Above ground pools pose different risks than in-ground pools. Although both kinds of pools provide opportunities for drowning, above ground pools present the added risks of injury from falling off the side of the pool to the ground or collapsing the pool by sitting on the edge railing. Further, above ground pools have a wall that can rise above eye level, obstructing the view of the water and of swimmers who are under water.
Physical Safety Measures
Install a fence to enclose the pool. The pool should be isolated from your home, play areas and neighboring homes. All gates should be self-closing and self-latching. Consider installing either an approved swimming pool cover or net. Additionally, above ground pool safety fences can be installed along the pool railing to discourage children from climbing over the side of the pool. Install at least one alarm system. Underwater pool alarms reportedly perform better than floating models, according to the CPSC.
Adult Supervision
Always have a responsible adult provide direct supervision when kids are using the pool. Establish and enforce pool rules. Children should never dive into an above ground pool. Swimmers should not climb or sit on the railing of the pool. There should be no running, horseplay or roughhousing around the pool’s entry ladder or deck. Children who do not know how to swim should wear appropriate flotation vests, unless an adult is in the pool providing direct, hands-on supervision.
Legal Liability
Property owners who have above ground pools are legally responsible to provide a safe swimming environment. The property owner can be held liable for any injuries that occur in a swimming pool if the accident is deemed to be due to owner negligence.
About this Author
Ed Donner is a clinical psychologist and freelance writer. He has performed, presented and published research on a variety of psychological and physical health issues. He has a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Ohio State University, and a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Chicago.
