Avoid These Public Pool Swimming Hazards

Public pools are great places to have fun, relax, and stay fit. However, if the pool or surrounding area is not maintained correctly, this may present unsafe hazards for you and your children. However, by paying attention to your surroundings and following the rules set forth by the public swimming pool, you and your children may be able to avoid getting injured by these hazards.

When a fun day at the public pool turns into pain and suffering from an injury, a personal injury lawyer will advise you on whether you may get compensation for your injuries and how to do it. In addition, if negligence causes your injuries, they will devise a legal strategy for you to get the right compensation for your damages.

What Public Pool Swimming Hazards Should You Avoid?

You want the day at the public pool to be fun, but ignoring the hazards that may harm you or your family might turn a fun day into a day of tragedy. If the public pool you select does not maintain even the basic safety standards to protect your family’s life and health, this will increase your chances of encountering hazards such as these:

1. Drowning or near-drowning accidents
2. Pool drain accidents
3. Pool chemical injuries
4. Slip-and-fall hazards
5. Tripping hazards
6. Swimming diseases

According to the CDC, injuries and deaths from drowning cost the United States $53 billion in 2020. Drownings are fatal, but near-drownings may deprive the brain of oxygen, causing long-term effects like memory loss, learning disabilities, and loss of motor functioning. Near-drownings have also contributed to traumatic brain injuries, specifically anoxic brain damage. A lack of trained lifeguards or other hazards on the list may cause this type of accident.

Pool drain accidents occur when the pool drain cover is missing or broken, causing drownings or near-drownings. Hair, bathing suits, or jewelry may get tangled on a broken drain cover, while limbs may get lodged into suction drains with missing covers. Tripping hazards around the area outside the pool may also contribute to drowning accidents by falling unexpectedly into the pool.

Slip-and-fall accidents and tripping hazards outside the pool may cause physical injuries to your body, while improperly maintained pool chemicals may cause bodily injuries while swimming in the pool. In addition to those hazards, parasites and bacteria may cause acute respiratory illnesses, skin rashes, and ear infections.

The Best Ways to Avoid Injury at Public Pools

Avoid hazards by checking the reputation of the public pool. Verify they have sufficient and trained lifeguards present at all times. Take a tour of the pool area and inspect it to make sure the pool looks adequately maintained and the area around the outside of the pool is debris-free and clean.

Next, ask how often pool personnel check for uncleanliness and chemical imbalances during the day. Often, public pools will have a regular schedule during the day to check the pH balances of chemicals and look for contaminants that may contribute to illness.

You may also avoid injury at the public pool by teaching your children to listen to the lifeguards when corrected or ordered out of the pool. Also, follow and teach the rules set forth by the public pool, such as:

• Walk, don’t run
• No roughhousing
• No diving in the shallow end
• Supervise children

Avoid distractions when your children are in the pool. Keep an eye on them by not reading or texting while they are swimming. Lifeguards might be available, but it helps if you keep an eye on them too. 

What to Do if You Are Injured at a Public Swimming Pool

If you can, document everything that happened from when the injury occurred. Take pictures of the pool and surrounding areas and collect information from witnesses who saw what happened and anyone involved in the incident. 

Notify whoever is in charge of the pool that day that an injury has occurred. They may have you fill out an incident report. Do not share your thoughts on what may have happened with any of the staff.

Seek medical treatment even if it may seem the injury is not that bad. Visiting the doctor will document the presence of an injury and any treatment provided in your medical records. You may also want to make an appointment with an attorney to see what legal strategy may help compensate you for your losses.

Consult North Eastern Texas Personal Injury Attorney Dale R. Rose if You’ve Suffered an Injury at a Public Pool

If someone else’s negligence at the public pool has caused an injury, Dale R. Rose can help. He recognizes the financial losses you are experiencing because of your injuries and the pain and suffering you must endure.

Clients compensated for their personal injuries knew they could count on Dale Rose, and you should rely on him too. To learn more about compensation for a personal injury resulting from negligence, take advantage of a free consultation from Dale Rose by calling (972) 634-ROSE (7673) or completing our contact form today.