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With the start of the summer season, my Rhode Island personal injury law firm is looking into the tragic number of child deaths resulting from homeowner pool safety negligence.
According to one U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission report, an average of 390 children drown in pools each year in the United States.
The two main causes of these drownings are failure to provide safety barriers, and failure to comply with annual safety inspections. Barriers, such as fencing, prevent young neighboring children from gaining access to pool areas without homeowner supervision. As stated by the Rhode Island Department of Health, all entrances leading to a swimming pool, hot tub, or spa, “shall be secured with a locking device whenever the pool, hot tub, or spa is closed to bathers” (RI Department of Health Rules and Regulations). Also, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, it is very common for young swimmers to be caught in the drain at the bottom of a pool. By failing to abide by Rhode Island laws requiring annual safety inspections for pools held for profit, R.I. Gen. Laws. § 23-22-3, faulty drains may be overlooked, creating an unnecessary danger for children in pools.
Not having a locked fence enclosing the pool, or failing to house an inspection can result in personal injuries and wrongful deaths. An experienced North Kingstown premises liability lawyer can work to hold pool owners liable for accidents occurring in another’s pool, that is not suitably enclosed or inspected.