Home | News | Safety | Best Pool Safety Equipment – Our Top Picks
Pool safety equipment such as physical barriers and alarm systems can help prevent unsupervised access to the swimming pool. Adding safety equipment to your pool is also a smart way to protect your family and loved ones. If you own a swimming pool, learning about the best pool safety equipment is probably a good idea. We’re happy to educate you and recommend which pool safety equipment you should always keep around your pool in case a leisurely swim session turns into an emergency.
Recommended pool safety products by category:
Your swimming pool can be a beautiful location for relaxation and enjoyment, but you must also think about the safety of your family members. A pool safety fence, for example, is a wonderful way to secure your pool and a smart pool safety features you can add.
Choosing the best pool fence for your swimming pool area necessitates serious thought. We’ve highlighted and recommended a variety of pool safety fences to help you select the correct pool barrier.
GLI Pool Products are the trusted name in pool safety equipment. The PROTECT-A-POOL fencing system is the easiest way to make your inground pool safe from unwanted intrusion of children, pets, or stray animals.
Fence installs in minutes with an ordinary hammer drill. Sections latch and unlatch in seconds for easy pool access, or use the optional self-closing gate. Fencing comes in 10′ pre-assembled sections to fit any area. Also comes with a 5 year warranty.
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WaterWarden consistently leads the industry in product quality, reliability, ease-of-use, and service.
Using a WaterWarden Pool Fence is a great way to protect against unauthorized access to your pool area, keeping your loved ones safe from accidents. While sturdy and extremely safe while in use, it’s easy to remove for any occasion.
UL-Certified and made of super-strong, UV protected Meshylene fabric with reinforced edging to prevent fraying.
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Each section of fence measures 5’ high and 12’ long. The spring-loaded safety latch system quickly and easily joins fence sections together, and you can buy as many sections as you need to safely surround your pool.
Installs very quickly. A drilling template, instructions, hardware, hooks, and insert caps to cover holes are all included.
The Giantex pool fence frame is made of a high grade aluminum that is lightweight but still very sturdy. The fences are connected with a hook and eye. The hooks themselves are very stable and quickly connect the fence system tightly together. This is a sturdy DIY pool fencing system that can stand up to windy weather.
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This fence is 4 feet high, which is perfect for keeping children, pets, and family’s security.
A quality safety fence made of premium mesh fabric material. What we like is that it is also extremely durable which means it will not crack easily and can be used for a long time. The assembly is a snap and when not in use, the fence can be rolled up for easy storage until the next pool season.
Vingli’s inground pool fence is made of premium mesh fabric and high-quality aluminum which is strong enough to still stand thunderstorms. It is also extremely durable which will not crack easily and can be used for a long time. When not in use, the fence can be rolled up for easy storage and preservation.
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Setup is a snap and this pool fence is designed to safeguard your pool area from an accidental drowning. Vingli’s safety fence is a great choice to keep out pets or kids out of the pool and gives your peace of mind that your family will be safe.
Vingli’s pool fence child barrier is a great value alternative that can easily be removed and reinstalled quickly by a single person. Vingli is definitely a strong low-cost option.
VGB-approved pool drain covers replace current pool drain covers to keep swimmers from becoming entangled in the suction of the drain. A pool safety drain cover’s design allows more water to flow through the cover, reducing the chance of a swimmer becoming trapped by severe suction. The VGB pool and spa safety act requires the use of safety drain covers on all pool and spa installations. Here are our list of recommended products.
Hayward Square Drain Covers are suitable for residential and commercial concrete pools and are available in a range of sizes and flow designs to satisfy any installation requirement.
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Designed for an extensive 7-year life span. All Hayward WG Series suction outlets and replacement covers are VGB compliant and are tested to ASME A112 19.8b-2009 and ANSI/APSP-16 standards as well as meeting CPSC requirements.
This hi-flow cover and inner frame safely covers with variety and style. New safety suction outlets meet all federal requirements.
For decades Paramount has been a leader in pool drain covers and is a trusted manufacturer in the pool & spa trade.
VGB/ANSI certified sump-less suction outlet cover protects against all types of entrapment. Designed to fit existing suction outlets up to 10-Inches in diameter
Protects against entrapment from hair, limb, body suction, evisceration, and mechanical
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A reliable manufacturer of pool safety drain covers, Aquastar is one of the leading firms in the industry.
VGB compliant – All components (cover, sump, screws) meet or exceed ANSI/APSP 16-2011 and NSF/ANSI 50-2009 a national standards and ASTM G154 UV testing exposure.
An unmonitored body of water presents a safety hazard around the home. Installing a pool alarm is a smart way to protect your loved ones. There are a variety of different pool alarms on the market that provide distress detection, active monitoring and alerts. Knowing which is the best pool alarm system to purchase can make all the difference.
Advanced artificial intelligence pool monitor capable of detecting distress in real-time. CamerEye’s smart hub can be configured with multiple cameras to have full detection capability for larger-sized pools.
Voted “Best Pool Alarm” of the year by Pool Magazine, the CamerEye device is a state-of-the-art pool monitoring system for your pool and backyard.
Designed to provide an extra layer of protection for your family, the Pool Patrol alarm meets the criteria of ASTM Protection Specification F 2208 and adds an extra layer of safety, giving parents, guardians, homeowners, facility managers, life guards, and all pool or spa owners peace of mind.
A transmitter and receiver are included in this model. It’s designed to notify you at the pool if there’s been an incursion, and it’ll send a signal to a receiver nearby.
Be prepared and armed with the PoolEye Immersion Pool Alarm. With its underwater motion sensor, PoolEye provides an extra layer of protection when it comes to pool safety.
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The new Poolwatch pool alarm system is compatible with both above-ground and in-ground pools, giving you a cost-effective and hassle-free pool security option. The Poolwatch is packed with proprietary features to make your swimming environment safer for your family, guests, and pets.
NSF Certified, Meets ASTM F2208 requirements for pool alarms.
Lifebuoy alarms are equipped with motion detector sensors which trigger the alarm when a child or pet falls into the water. It can easily detect motion in the pool.
Lifebuoy pool alarm system comes with a smart Bluetooth app which is used to setup and control the pool alarm. Top notch pool safety for all types of pools: a pool alarm for above ground pools, inground pools, spa.
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Pool safety covers prevent unwanted entry into the pool and help prevent accidental drownings. This is in addition to their role of protecting the pool from debris and the elements. There are a variety of safety covers on the market and we’ll take a look at some of the best ones available.
The cover so strong it can withstand an elephant. Loop-Loc has been one of the first names in pool safety covers for decades. Highly rated for their line of durable high-strength covers, Loop Loc continues to set the bar in pool safety equipment.
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Loop-Loc manufactures the strongest most reliable safety pool covers. The covers are designed to keep your pool clean and maintenance-free between pool closing as well as provide security for your inground swimming pool when not in use.
Available in a variety of sizes, Loop-Loc is one of the first covers you should consider if in the market for a safety cover.
This swimming pool cover features 2-ply strapping that’s triple-stitched throughout for maximum strength. All straps have non-corrosive aluminum tips and large X-tacking manually sewn on. Break-strength of over 4,000 lbs. Abrasion-resistant pads protect the cover from wear at its contact points with your pool decking.
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In addition to a pool safety cover and a pool alarm, there are a wide variety of safety accessories to ensure that your swimming pool remains a safety area for family and guests. When evaluating which pool safety equipment to purchase for your backyard, you have your pick of products to choose from. Identifying which pool safety accessories can help save a life in an emergency is vital.
Every backyard with a swimming pool needs a reliable life ring in case of emergencies. Swimline makes some of the best value life rings on the market.
The Vevor pool handrails are designed to help you easily and securely get in and out of the swimming pool. The pool handrail features a users-friendly curve design, which conforms to the principle of fluid dynamics.
A cost-efficient pool safety equipment choice for swimming pools, and spas.
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High-Quality Safety Hook. These safety hooks are a great way to provide an immediate response to any emergency situation in your pool. These are high-quality hooks that are strong and lightweight.
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Critter saving escape ramp for Frogs Toads Salamanders Bees Chipmunks Ducklings Lizards Snakes Small Turtles Small Rabbits Squirrels Mice Birds and more. Allows animals to easily escape to safety when accidentally landing in your pool or spa. Simple design makes for an easy set-up, assembly, and placement process.
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Pool safety signs help keep guest aware of the rules and safety conditions. Displaying a pool safety sign prominently ensures that everyone is aware of acceptable behavior and best practices around the swimming pool. Here’s a recommendation of some signs to display around your own pool to ensure better safety practices in your backyard.
Anything that can be used to prevent or aid in the case of drowning is considered pool safety equipment. This might range from the very basic to the really necessary.
Pool safety equipment is an important part of pool ownership and assists in the prevention of drowning. An unprotected body of water presents an immediate danger which is why safeguarding the pool remains such a top priority. Statistics in the U.S. show that each year nearly 900 children and adolescents die from unintentional drowning.
Having the right pool safety equipment available is an absolutely essential function of pool ownership. Accessories such as life rings, pool safety fences, pool covers and a variety of other water safety equipment can make all the difference when a swimmer is in distress.
It’s a fact that over 87% of drowning fatalities happen in swimming pools or hot tubs for children younger than 5. Most instances of drownings happen in swimming pools that are owned the homeowner or a neighbor. Children 5 to 17 years old are the most likely percentage to drowin in a swimming pool, pond, or lake. Making sure those pieces of safety equipment are available in case of an emergency can help save a life.
We hope that by now you have a better idea of what pool safety equipment is, why it’s necessary, and what some of the best options available are.
5 Smart Pool Safety Features That Add Value To An Inground Pool
Pool News coverage brought to you by Pool Magazine's own Marcus Packer. Marcus Packer is a 20 year pool industry veteran pool builder and pool service technician. In addition to being a swimming pool professional, Marcus has been a writer and long time contributor for Newsweek Magazine's home improvement section and more recently for Florida Travel + Life. Have a story idea or tip you'd like to share with Pool Magazine? Email mpacker@poolmagazine.com your story idea.
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Unquestionably, there are certain safety features that add value to any inground pool. For pool buyers who are considering which features to add to their list when shopping for a pool, we’re happy to help get you started. In 2022, there will be a big emphasis on incorporating new technology.
There are more than a few smart safety features that will make your pool and spa a thoroughly more enjoyable experience while at the same time giving you peace of mind. Today, we’re going to discuss the 5 smartest pool safety features you can add to your pool that really add a lot of value.
Adding a fence around your pool can help you feel more secure. Installing a pool fence in your backyard might help keep your pool area private from neighbors. People who are self-conscious in their swimsuits or who simply don’t enjoy the idea of their neighbors being able to see them when they are in the water may find this helpful.
If you install a safety fence around your pool, you can have the added reassurance that the pool area in your backyard will be inaccessible without your permission. These added precautions are especially crucial if you have small children or pets that could easily fall into the swimming pool. Aside from being a useful safety feature, it is becoming mandatory throughout most regions of the country to install a pool safety fence.
According to your insurance policy, you may be eligible for a discount if you install a pool fence and may actually be required by your insurance company in some cases. Typically, a bolted gate is required for a pool fence to qualify.
Homeowners can choose from a wide range of fencing alternatives, including wrought iron bars, wood or vinyl panels, and mesh pool fences that are both durable, tough to climb, and semi-transparent, allowing you to have an unobstructed view of your pool while protecting your family.
Another added level of safety and security is adding a smart pool alarm. Today’s pool monitoring systems are technologically sophisticated and act as a virtual water watcher that continuously scan the pool area for unauthorized entry as well as detect distress in early stages.
One of the best methods of securing the pool area these days incorporates the usage of smart IoT and AI. Folks are becoming increasingly used to using technology like Alexa and Siri, and forward-thinking homeowners are looking for similar devices that will keep their pool & spa secure.
Sai Reddy, Founder/CEO of CamerEye, one of the leading smart pool alarm monitoring systems based on Artificial Intelligence (AI); says “The need for a smarter pool fence is obvious. Quite often, homeowners have no idea when small children or pets are in the pool area.”
This statement holds true with the findings of a recent study conducted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) which analyzed drownings in Arizona, California, and Florida among children under the age of four. Nearly 70 percent of the children were located in the pool despite the fact that they were not expected to be there. Of the incidents analyzed, 46 percent had last been seen inside the home.
“The ability to draw an invisible boundary line around the pool area, and have instant notification when a loved one is in distress is a water safety game-changer that will help mitigate these types of tragedies from occurring,” said Reddy.
Inground pool safety covers can be fixed to the deck so that they can be put on and removed with ease. Rainwater may safely drain through the cover’s dense mesh fabric, while leaves and other debris are kept dry and simply blown away. In addition, they look great around the pool, and can easily last for over a decade. The value proposition of adding a safety cover pays for itself the very first year.
Drowning is the second most common cause of death in children 1 to 4 years old, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Residential swimming pools account for the vast majority of these instances. A lack of installing a barrier to prevent unsupervised entry to the pool is one of the major contributing factors. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “most small children who drowned in pools were last seen in the home, had been out of sight less than five minutes, and were in the care of one or both parents at home.”
When there is no adult supervision, a pool safety cover is an effective tool for keeping children out of the water. Safety covers are composed of a heavy-duty mesh or vinyl and cover the entire pool. Some covers can support the weight of a small SUV.
Pool safety ledges are popular in homes with young children or inexperienced swimmers. A safety ledge is typically an 8-inch-wide region which extends from the shallow end all the way around to the deep end.
A conventional swimming pools deep end typically has only one ladder. If someone is swimming on the opposite side of the deep end and and gets tired or is in distress, a pool safety ledge provides them a place to stand while safely catching their breath. If they need to, they can use the ledge to shimmy back to the shallow end.
Aside from being a wonderful way to extend your pool usage into the evening, pool lighting saves lives. One of the easiest ways to make your swimming pool safer is to make sure that you have effective lighting in your pool and spa. Lighting is sometimes overlooked when discussing safety-related products, yet it’s an important part of the mix.
Providing swimmers the ability to see where they’re going and how far they can swim or dive before they hit the walls and floor is essential. Being able to easily see into the pool to determine when a swimmer is in distress is an absolute must.
Although swimming pools are excellent sources of entertainment, these spectacular features require regular maintenance. Maintaining a pool helps you attain crystal clear pool water. Indisputably, commercial or public pools require more maintenance due to frequent usage. Thus, all public pool owners should ensure their pool is safe and clean for use. As a swimmer, you have to ensure that the pool is safe for use. You can do this by checking when last the pool got inspected.
Generally, local authorities close thousands of pools that don’t meet all safety and health regulations every year. Based on previous statistics, more than 75% of public pools violated one or two safety measures issued by the state. Therefore, it is essential to keep your pool in good shape. Request for frequent inspections by your local authorities before the situation gets out of hand.
Over the years, swimming pools have become a major cause of diseases. Swimming pools often contain a harmful parasite called cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidium can survive in swimming pools even in the presence of chlorine. Luckily, there are specific techniques you can incorporate to get rid of this harmful parasite in your pool.
One of the best ways to removing cryptosporidium is to foster maximum filtration. Nevertheless, note that you cannot get rid of these harmful parasites in one filtration. It would be best if you kept passing the pool water through the filter severally.
Also, as you do this, consider closing the pool until you filter all the water present in the pool. Ultraviolet pool sanitation systems are usually ideal in removing these harmful parasites. Conducting a pool shock also goes a long way in removing cryptosporidium.
Cryptosporidium is the pathogen responsible for causing cryptosporidiosis. This harmful parasite is the leading cause of diarrhea connected to swimming pools. Although you can get cryptosporidiosis in other settings like farms, swimming in infected pools is common.
As public pool owners, it is essential to inform swimmers to avoid swimming if they have diarrhea. Also, swimmers should avoid swimming if they had diarrhea in the last 48 hours. Failure to do this would only lead to an increase in cryptosporidium in your pool. Advise them to come back when their symptoms stop for the safety of everyone.
Note that cryptosporidium is more common in shallow pools. Thus, ensure you observe maximum hygiene if you have a shallow pool. You can also reduce the risk of contamination by making sure your pool contractor observes all pool construction guidelines.
Water companies report that at times, cryptosporidium may get into the water without their knowledge. Therefore, they advise boiling water before use or using an effective disinfectant agent to sanitize the water. If you are a pool owner, use the right sanitizing chemicals to kill all microorganisms in the pool water. Nevertheless, ensure you get advice from your water supplier on how to sanitize your pool water.
According to a previous survey done in 2013, the most cryptosporidium-contaminated swimming pools in Arizona, New York, and California were baby pools. The local authorities of the respective areas ordered the closure of these swimming pools. The most common problems were inaccurate water chemistry, less safety equipment, and low chlorine levels when inspecting these swimming pools. Note that low chlorine levels and high pH are usually connected. So, your pool might be having low chlorine levels due to high pH. A good percentage of pools violated pool safety regulations. Even worse, some of these violations were not minor.
Associate Director for Healthy Water, Michael Beach, says that these results are incredibly concerning. He says that all pool professionals should do their best to protect the public. On the flip side, swimmers should ensure the pool receives regular pool inspections from time to time.
It is sad to know that many public pools are not passing health inspections. As a result, most public pools are not safe for swimmers. All pool owners should ensure their pools undergo a frequent pool inspection. This way, they’ll keep their pool in good condition. Swimmers, on the other hand, should confirm whether the public pool is free from contaminants. Additionally, they should practice maximum hygiene while swimming in the pool.
September 30th is your last chance to submit a presentation for the 2022 National Water Safety Conference
The 2022 National Water Safety Conference will take place April 11-14, 2022 in-person at the Worthington Renaissance Hotel in Fort Worth, TX and online at watersafetyconference.com.
This is your opportunity to view incredible speakers, live sessions, trainings, seminars, town hall meetings, and interactive Q&A sessions with actual professionals.
You’ll have the chance to connect with water safety suppliers, vendors, and Families United to Prevent Drowning members through the Virtual Exhibit Hall. Participate in the fun for a chance to win prizes and contests.
Applications for conference speakers are due September 30, 2021. By October 15, 2021, the selected Speaker will be notified.
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