July 7, 2019
Summertime means fun in the sun, and likely time spent poolside with family and friends.
As drowning remains the number one unintentional cause of death for children in the U.S. ages 1 to 4, and the second leading cause among children ages 5 to 14, it is important to make pool safety a top priority this summer.
Cohen Milstein’s Complex Tort Litigation team has prepared a quick checklist on what to look for when evaluating the safety of public swimming pools:
- Are there adequate layers of security? According to major safety organizations, including the American Red Cross, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, public swimming pools should have adequate layers of protection. At a minimum, all swimming pools should have a child safety fence with self-locking doors and gates.
- Is the pool really closed? American National Standard for Public Swimming Pools (ANSPS) advocates that when a public pool is closed for use, a secondary lock system be put in place to prevent access.
- Are utility or service gates secure? The International Swimming Pool and Spa Code recommends that gates not intended for pedestrian use, such as utility or service gates, remain locked when not in use.
- What happens during bad weather? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advocates that swimming pool activity should be prohibited during inclement weather.
- Are there safety devices? ANSPS requires that public pools always have safety hooks and flotation devices mounted in easy to see places and that are readily available for use and that all pools with a slope transition have safety line anchors and a safety line in place.
- Who can perform CPR? ANSPS requires that a CPR-certified individual be on premises whenever a public pool is in use.
Cohen Milstein’s Complex Tort Litigation practice litigates Unsafe & Defective Products, and Wrongful Death & Catastrophic Injury claims related to swimming pool safety. If you’re interested in learning more about the firm’s Complex Tort Litigation practice, please email us, or call us at 561.515.1400.
We co-counsel nationwide.