Summer Safety

When Having Fun in the Sun, Don't Forget Safety

Whether it's at the community swimming pool, barbequing in your backyard, or playing a leisurely game of tennis, summer activities bring a lot of fun, however they may also bring news levels of potential safety hazards. Many of us worry about our kids' safety, especially during the summer months, when reports say that nearly half (40 percent) of all unintentional injury-related deaths occur.

Given my role at UL, safety is something that is always at the top of my mind. This summer, to help keep your family out of the emergency room and outside enjoying the warm weather, I'd like to share some of UL's summer safety suggestions.

At the pool

It's not summer without a little swimming. However, statistics say that each year more than 250 children under the age of five drown, most frequently in home swimming pools and an additional 2,300 are treated at emergency rooms for non-fatal, near-drowning incidents. Before heading to the pool, UL suggests the following safety guidelines:

• Recognize that inflatable swimming aids are not safety devices. They are toys and can easily puncture and deflate.
• Remove all toys when you leave the pool. Toys may attract children to the unattended pool.
• Learn infant and child CPR and make sure your children take swimming lessons.
• Keep rescue devices such as life preservers at poolside. Also keep UL-LISTED life jackets nearby.
• Always drain wading pools after children are done playing. Infants can drown in just a few inches of water.
• Have a telephone nearby and appropriate emergency numbers posted.

If you have a pool at home make sure to:

• Install a fence at least four-foot high with a self-closing, self-latching gate that has a locking mechanism beyond a child's reach. The fence should completely separate the pool from the house and play area in your backyard.
• Cut overhanging tree limbs and remove chairs or ladders from the area to prevent children from climbing over the fence surrounding the pool. For above-ground pools, remove ladders and portable steps.
• Install a power safety cover for an in-ground pool.
• Install a motion sensor and gate alarm with piercing sounds to alert you to anyone approaching or jumping into the pool.

Backyard BBQ

As soon as the weather starts to get nice one of the first things you might do is haul out the grill from the garage and light it up for a big family feast.  Following UL's simple precautions around the barbecue grill will not only protect the hamburgers and hot dogs, but the chef and their family, too.

• Use the grill at least 10 feet away from your house or any building.
• Never leave the grill unattended, especially when young children or pets are nearby.
• Never use gasoline or kerosene to light a charcoal fire.
• Never attempt to restart a flame by adding additional lighting fluid to an already-lit grill, as this can cause a flare-up.
• Dispose of charcoal away from kids and pets, and cool it down with a hose. Coals get HOT -- up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit! When grilling use insulated, flame-retardant mitts or long-handled barbecue tongs and utensils.