Summer Pool Safety Tips
If you love to go swimming during the summer, it’s important to know how to stay safe while at a pool. If you’ve been injured or become injured at a pool, you should know your rights.
Pool owners have a responsibility to maintain the safety of their pool, and they may be liable to cover the healthcare costs related to any accident or injury that occurs at their pool.
Read the swimming pool safety tips from Kaplan & Lukowski located below so you can stay safe this summer!
Swimming Pool Safety Tips
Check Pool Depth
When you’re diving into a pool, always make sure you are aware of the pool’s depth.
If pool depth is not marked properly, you could dive into a pool that is too shallow and hit your head on the bottom of the pool. This could result in head and neck injuries as well as unconsciousness.
If no one is paying attention or there are no strong swimmers, a diving injury may result in drowning, which can lead to brain damage or even death.
Injuries sustained because of improperly marked pool depth are the responsibility of the pool owner.
Look Out for Hidden Obstructions
Many pools have custom features such as fountains, which are placed in the middle of the pool. If a pool has one of these custom features and it has not been turned on and is not easily visible, then it becomes a hidden obstruction. Someone swimming in this environment could easily run into this obstruction, which could result in any number of injuries.
If the owner hasn’t sufficiently warned swimmers about these features, then they can be held liable for the injuries that occur.
Look for Pool Safety Equipment and Lifeguards
Public or hotel pools are especially responsible for 
providing pool safety equipment to ensure a minimum level of safety.
Pool safety equipment can include:
- Life preservers
- Throw ropes
- Rescue cans
- CPR masks
- First aid kits
Before swimming, look around and make sure the pool has one or more pieces of safety equipment.
For large pools with heavy traffic, check to see if there is a lifeguard on duty. Any pool large enough to allow a child to leave a parent’s sight should have a lifeguard on duty.
Pool owners that do not provide proper safety equipment or supervision may be liable for any accidents or injuries.
Check the State of the Pool’s Equipment
Before swimming in a pool, take a walk around and do a visual inspection of the following items:
- Pool ladders
- Diving boards
- Drains
Do the pool ladders look unable to support the weight of a child or adult? Does the diving board show wear, such as cracks? Are the pool’s drains clogged?
This pool is not being properly maintained, and it may not be safe to swim in.
If the pool owners do not warn swimmers about the state of equipment, then they could be responsible for any accidents or injuries.
Know Your Own Responsibility
How do you know if you have a personal injury case against a pool owner?
If a pool is private and you have not been invited to be there by the owner, then you could be considered a trespasser. In this case, your safety is your own responsibility, and the pool owner is not required to make you aware of any swimming pool safety concerns.
Additionally, if you experience an injury because of an obviously slippery surface or because you jumped into the pool from somewhere you clearly weren’t supposed to, then the pool owner may not be held liable.
Contact Kaplan & Lukowski
Have you been injured in a swimming or diving accident at a pool? Do you believe the owner did not maintain the pool’s safety or properly warn you about it?
Contact Kaplan & Lukowski to see how we can help you today.