Aquatics: Drowning Prevention

Developing a risk-management program to prevent accidents in aquatic facilitiesBy Gerry DworkinDrowning is a significant health concern within the U.S., and is one of the leading causes of unintentional-injury deaths for people of all ages. Drowning is the third-leading cause of unintentional-injury death for children ages 14 and under, and the second-leading cause of death from all causes for children under 4 years old. According to the National Swimming Pool Foundation, “Water is a foreign environment, and immersion into this environment is potentially dangerous for humans.” Therefore, it is critical that anyone responsible for any type of aquatic venue must establish, implement, and maintain appropriate drowning- and aquatic injury-prevention strategies as part of a risk-management program.According to the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, managers and operators must:Recognize the risks associated with water-related activities and/or venuesImplement strategies to reduce and manage the risksResponsibly maintain those strategies.To provide a safe environment for swimming and other aquatic activities, a person must know the safety practices and standards. All too often, a manager or operator relies solely on state health codes to determine the operational protocols necessary to safeguard the swimming public. However, health codes are only minimum standards. When it comes to safety, the minimum is only one small step above inadequate.