Just as there is a responsibility of making sure the pool is safe for the family this summer, the perils of other maintained bodies of water, like spas and hot tubs, need attention.
If you go over to The Association of Pools & Spa Professionals (APSAP), you can find information about the benefits of ownership and responsible use of industry products, including maintenance and safety tips for pools, spas, and hot tubs. They have a link to a fun site for kids called Splash Zone USA featuring interactive games and activities designed to teach kids and families about spa safety. Some important spa & hot tub rules to remember are:
- Step into a hot tub — never jump. This makes sense, because most public pools don’t encourage kids to jump near or on the pool stairs. Spas and stairs are way too shallow for safe jumping.
- Have an adult with you. Because the spa is small doesn’t make it drown-proof, just as the Red Cross reminds us just because a child can swim doesn’t make him/her completely water safe.
- Everyone out after 15-minutes. Temperatures in the spa can cause small bodies (and even big ones) to feel faint after long exposures.
- Don’t go in completely until you’re four. Many parents find this one inconvenient to follow, but just so you know, the cases of heat exhaustion I witness typical happen to kids under four. Let them put their feet in and call it enough.
- Lock spa covers. All spas should have a cover or the area be locked in by four adjoining fences.
Do you have a spa or hot tub? How do you make it water safe? What are some other rules you enforce?
Tags: hot tub, spa, Water Safety
