Swimming pool gates come in a variety of styles for different types of pools. Effective pool safety gates offer an additional layer of safety by placing the gate lock high up, out of a child’s reach, and limiting access to when a grownup is present. A safety feature on other types of gates will sound an alarm if the gate perimeter is breached.
Swimming in a backyard pool can be one of the most delightful experiences children can have as they form family memories, yet it is also one of the most dangerous if safety precautions are not in place. Among the most important safety features are swimming pool gates. Pool safety gates prevent children from accidentally slipping into the water when a pool is unattended.
Some swimming pool fences can be removed easily in sections for ease of cleaning the pool or deck. It is not recommended that any part of the fence be taken down ever while young children are present. Even if there is adult supervision, children have a way of slipping past quickly. Swimming pool gates are highly effective if they are equipped with mechanisms that self-lock. One of the major risk factors in the drowning deaths of children between 1 and 4 years old was the lack of a barrier, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and most of those deaths occurred in family swimming pools.
A pool owner who is raising young children, or who has young children as guests, should seriously consider a swimming pool fence with latching gates. Accidental drowning is a leading cause of death among young children. It often happens at the family’s pool while parents think their children are indoors. Another common scenario finds that children often drown while they are being supervised. It only takes a few seconds for tragedy to strike, and the installation of a fence and swimming pool gates can help prevent terrible accidents whose outcomes are often deadly.
The Mayo Clinic encourages the use of swimming pool fences and pool safety gates, with latches placed out of a child’s grasp. According to the Mayo Clinic, swimming pool fences should be at least 4 feet (1.2 meters) high. If the fence is a slatted type, gaps between the slats should be narrow enough to prevent a child from wiggling through them. The Mayo Clinic also discourages chain link fences because of the ease with which children can scale them.