Prevent Pool Electrocution
Summer time isn't restricted to concerns about the West
Nile virus. The
increased use of swimming pools not only means a greater risk of drowning but
the risks of other types of pool-related accidents as well.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the American
Red Cross together are recommending electrical inspections for all public and private pools,
especially older pools. Hopefully, inspections and repairs will protect swimmers
from being electrocuted by faulty underwater or poolside wiring.
Our Comment: Don't forget the importance of other pool safety measures
(including a good fence around all four sides of the pool, etc.).
For additional information please visit the following MedicineNet.com areas:
Barbara K. Hecht,
Ph.D.
Frederick Hecht, M.D.
Medical Editors, MedicineNet.com
Don't Swim With Shocks - CPSC, American Red Cross Warn of Electrocutions
in Swimming Pools, Hot Tubs and Spas
WASHINGTON, D.C. - As the weather warms up, swimmers across the country are
heading out to backyard, community and public pools, hot tubs and spas. When it
comes to pool safety, drowning is the first concern that comes to mind; but
today, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the American Red
Cross are warning of another hidden danger to swimmers: electrocution. There
have been 60 deaths and nearly 50 serious shocks reported over the past 13 years
involving electrical hazards in and around swimming pools.
The CPSC is most concerned about faulty underwater
lighting; aging electrical wiring that hasn't been inspected in years; the use
of sump pumps, power washers, and vacuums that are not grounded; and electrical
appliances (such as radios and TVs) and extension cords falling or being pulled into the water. All
of these hazards present an even greater risk if the lighting, circuits, and
nearby receptacles are not protected by Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupters (GFCIs)
- the best safety device to prevent electrocution.
"The best protection for families is inspection, detection, and correction
of electrical hazards in and around swimming pools, hot tubs and spas," says
CPSC Chairman Hal Stratton. "CPSC strongly encourages residential and
commercial pool owners and operators to upgrade protection of the lights,
receptacles, and switches with GFCIs. Older pools are the biggest concern, as
underwater lighting fixtures may have degraded with age and may not be protected
by GFCIs."
The CPSC and the American Red Cross are also warning swimmers that electrical
hazards around a pool, hot tub or spa can lead to multiple deaths or injuries.
This occurs when an individual becomes incapacitated by stray current in the
water and one or more persons jump in or reach out to save the victim, resulting
in multiple electrocutions or serious shocks.
In May 2002, a 14-year-old girl from Arlington, Texas, was electrocuted when
wiring problems in an apartment swimming pool's underwater lights charged the
water with electricity. A 16-year-old boy was seriously shocked when he jumped
in the pool to try to save the young girl. Another teenager used a fiberglass
shepherd's hook (a non-conductive device) to pull both victims from the water.
Parents and pool owners should have an emergency plan,
posted in the pool area, to safely help someone who is suffering an electrical
shock. This action
is necessary to prevent the victim from drowning and to protect others from the
harm of electrical energy in or around the pool.
In an emergency, the American Red Cross recommends turning off all power;
using a fiberglass hook to carefully remove the victim(s) from the water;
administering CPR; and calling 911.
For more information about electrical safety around pools, hot tubs or spas,
consumers should contact CPSC at (800) 638-2772 or www.cpsc.gov. Consumers also
can view our publications, "Don't Swim With Shocks - Electrical Safety In
and Around Pools, Hot Tubs and Spas," (pdf) and "Install Ground-Fault
Circuit Interrupter Protection for Pools, Spas and Hot Tubs".
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