Promote Customer Safety

Pool and spa owners and operators play an important role in alerting your customers to the safety behaviors that could reduce pool and spa accidents. Learn more about these behaviors.

Simple Steps Save Lives imageRecreational time at public swimming pools and spas is a favorite activity for children and adults around the country. Whether enjoying pool time with family or friends, exercising, playing water sports or learning to swim, everyone needs to be mindful of the potential for drownings, submersion injuries and entrapments.

Since many families spend time at public pools and spas, these visits serve as a prime opportunity for owners and operators to join with the CPSC in reminding families how to stay safe in and around the water.

By encouraging families to take extra safety steps like those outlined below, you can help reduce the number of drownings and submersion injuries that occur every year in the United States.

Staying Close, Being Alert and Watching Children in and Around the Pool

Never leave a child unattended in a pool or spa and always watch your child when they are in or near water

  • Teach children basic water safety tips
  • Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid entrapments
  • Have a portable telephone close by at all times when you or your family are using a pool or spa
  • If a child is missing, look for him or her in the pool or spa first
  • Share safety instructions with family, friends and neighbors

Learning and Practicing Water Safety Skills

  • Learn how to swim and teach your child how to swim
  • Learn to perform CPR on children and adults, and update those skills regularly
  • Understand the basics of life-saving so that you can assist in a pool emergency

Having the Appropriate Equipment for Your Pool or Spa

Install a four-foot or taller fence around the perimeter of the pool and spa and use self-closing and self-latching gates; ask your neighbors and community groups to do the same at all residential and public pools

  • If your house serves as a fourth side of a fence around a pool, install door and window alarms and always use them
  • Install pool and gate alarms to alert you when children go near the water
  • Ensure any pool and spa you use has compliant drain covers, and ask if you do not know
  • Maintain pool and spa covers in good working order
  • Consider using a surface wave or underwater alarm
  • Have life-saving equipment such as life rings and reaching poles available for use

A color PDF of the CPSC’s Pool Safely brochure “Guidance For Safety-The Pool and Spa Safety Act” is available for you to download and share with your clients or guests. Encourage them to take extra safety steps when visiting your pool or spa.

Who is Virginia Graeme Baker?

Seven-year-old Virginia Graeme Baker’s tragic death inspired her family to advocate for pool and spa safety and moved Congress to act to prevent entrapments.
Read more about her story.

The Pool and Spa Safety Act: Staff interpretation and updates

 

Find the most up to date requirements for the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act.