Prevention for drowing
Pursuant to Article 14 of Royal Decree 742/2013, of 27 September, which establishes the technical-sanitary criteria for swimming pools, we hereby publish the following information
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AVOIDING DROWNING AND SPINAL CORD TRAUMA AND INJURIES IN SWIMMING POOLS
1. Avoid the drains in swimming pools.
2. Carefully check the depth of the water before entering.
3. Do not dive headfirst in places where you are not sure of the depth, as it could be shallower than you think and consequently lead to serious bangs and possible spinal injury.
4. Avoid areas which are not suitable for jumping into the water, such as trees, balconies and other inappropriate spaces.
5. Enter the water slowly or jump in feet-first several times before diving headfirst.
6. When diving headfirst, your arms should be in front of your head, extending your body's length, to protect your head and neck. A bad fall from a raised height, even into water, can cause serious injury.
7. Exercise constant supervision of children when they are near recreational waters, even when shallow.
8. Avoid consumption of alcohol before any activity in or near water.
9. In general, you must also be cautious of digestion cuts. It is highly-recommended to shower before entering the water in order to acclimatise your body to the temperature and avoid digestion cuts and other complications.
10. Do not jump over people in the water.
Additionally, in case of an accident, and in view of any need to pick up or move the victim, it is very important to immobilise the neck, avoid movements of the spine and advise a professional so that they can remove the victim. The victim should not be transported in a utility vehicle.
It must be remembered that many people have been left in a wheelchair for life for not taking account of the foregoing recommendations.
Whenever you need to, be sure to use margin utilities to keep things nice and tidy.
