You may be surprised to learn that drowning accidents are the main cause of death and serious injury in California for children five years old and younger. This is a terrifying statistics but there are steps that can be taken to lower this risk. If you own a pool then it is imperative that you follow these three tips from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. If your child was injured in a drowning accident, contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 to find out what your legal options are.
It is All About Preventing Access Over, Under, or Through
The CPSC says that the most important way to protect children from accidents in pools is to prevent access to pools or hot tub areas. This requires ensuring barriers are in place to do three things: Prevent access over, under, or through them.
- Barriers Need to Be At least 48 Inches High
- Barriers Need to be Solid
- Barriers Should Allow No More Than Four Inches of Access Under Them
To prevent children from getting over pool barriers, make sure they are at least four feet (48 inches) high. Measure from the side of the barrier that faces away from the pool. The barrier should be difficult or impossible to climb, so make sure there are no footholds or handholds on the side of the barrier that faces away from the pool.
Next, make sure that the barrier you build is solid so that children cannot simply climb through it. Any openings or slats can allow access, even if it just allows a child to push their arm through to open the door from the other side. If you are going to have openings or slats, make sure they are smaller than two inches in all directions. Locked gates or doors that cannot be open by children are an essential part of this barrier as well.
Barriers should not be more than four inches about grade at any point around the pool or hot top. If the barrier has been installed on the edge of the pool, then there should not be more than four inches of space between the top of the pool and the bottom of the barrier.
Have You Already Lost a Loved One in a Drowning Accident?
If you have already lost a loved one in a drowning accident, then you may have a personal injury claim. The easiest way to find out is to contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation. We can help you find the best possible way to move forward from a legal standpoint. You are not in this alone – we can help.
