Safe Pools Can Prevent Spinal Cord Injuries

y: Linda L Lindsey, MEd and Barbara Key, MA
UAB Dept. of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Did you know that more than 850 spinal cord injuries (SCI) result from diving accidents each year? Of those, nearly 300 occur at home, either in above– or below- ground pools.
Did you know that the consequences of spinal cord injury are devastating and costly?

The majority of diving spinal injuries result in the paralysis of all four limbs (quadriplegia/tetraplegia).
The lifetime medical costs for one spinal cord injury exceed $1 million (in 1997 dollars).
SCI diving accidents typically occur in young men between the ages of 15-25 years.
Lifetime lost wages and benefits for a 25-year-old with tetraplegia typically exceed $1.5 million.
Many spinal cord injuries that occur in pools can be prevented! Be a responsible pool owner. Make sure your pool is safe!
Survey your pool area using this checklist:
Are there depth indicators clearly visible around the entire pool?
Is the pool and surrounding area well lighted during use?
Do you serve or allow alcohol to be consumed by pool guests?
Do you enforce set hours for pool use?
Is your pool secured with fencing to keep people out during inappropriate hours?
Does your pool have a designated diving area?
Do you have a lifeguard, or someone trained in water safety, present when guests are at your pool, especially during parties?
Check your answers with those below. Do you agree?
Follow these recommendations to make your pool area safe.
Yes : Clearly mark the depth of your pool. You can purchase stick-on depth indicators from your pool supply store.
Fact: Depth indicators were not present in 75% of the accidents that resulted in SCI.*
Yes : Install & use adequate lighting! Set a timer for automated lighting .
Fact: 84% of SCIs occurred in pools with inadequate or no lighting.*
No : Do not serve or allow alcohol use by pool guests.
Fact: 49% of SCIs occurred when consuming alcohol while swimming & diving.*
Yes : Set hours for use. Do not permit unsupervised swimming.
Fact: 44% of SCIs occur during a person’s first visit to pool.*
Yes : Install secure fencing to control usage.
Fact: 93% of SCIs occur to pool guests – not the owners!*
Yes : Educate guests about pool depth & safe diving area. Mark diving well clearly.
Fact: 95% of SCI occur when diving into less than 8 feet of water.*
Yes : Do not swim alone. Have a trained water-safety person present at parties. Instruct guests in proper diving techniques.
Fact: Almost 50% of SCI occur during a party. No lifeguard is on duty in 94% of accidents that resulted in SCI.*
* Facts taken from: A study by Dr. Michael J. DeVivo of UAB Dept. of PM&R for the National Swimming Pool Foundation. DeVivo, MJ and Sekar, P. Prevention of spinal cord injuries that occur in swimming pools. Spinal Cord 1997; 35:509-515.
Project funded by a grant from the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) and the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundaton (OREF). Opinions expressed in this document are not necessarily those of the granting agency.
Published by the UAB Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
1717 6th Ave South, Birmingham, AL 35233-7330
(205) 934-3283 (205)934-4642 [TDD only]
c 1999. Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama
The University of Alabama at Birmingham provides equal opportunity in education and employment.

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Swimming Pool Diving Boards Myth Busters

MYTH: Most swimming pool diving accidents occur while using a diving board.
FACT: According to the Spinal Cord Injury Information Network and the University of
Alabama at Birmingham, less than 10% of all swimming pool diving injuries involve a
diving board. Properly installed diving boards provide a visual reference, showing
where the proper diving environment is located. In addition, a diving board can help
clear you from the edge of the pool to ensure you will have plenty of room to dive into
the deepest part of the water.

MYTH: It is unsafe to dive into a swimming pool.
FACT: According to “Review of Spinal Cord Injury Statistics Related to Diving and Diving
Board Use” from the American Institutes for Research, the risk of a pool-related
quadriplegic or paraplegic injury is actually less than the risk of dying by being struck
by lightning.1 When safety precautions are kept in mind, diving can be a safe pastime.

MYTH: It is safe to dive into an above ground pool.
FACT: Above Ground Pools are never safe for diving because they are too shallow and not
intended for diving. The water depth in above-ground pools is usually 42 inches,
much to shallow for safe diving. “No Diving” signs should be clearly posted on all
above ground pools.

MYTH: It is safe to dive after consuming alcohol as long as it was only a small
amount.
FACT: It is never safe to dive after drinking any amount of alcohol. More than half of all
diving accidents involve the use of alcohol. Alcohol impairs your judgment and
reaction time, which makes any physical activity, including diving, extremely
dangerous.

MYTH: Running off of the diving board is safe as long as the board clears the
pool’s edge.
FACT: Never run on or around a swimming pool or diving board. When on the diving board,
walk to the edge before diving in. When running, it is difficult to adjust for mistakes,
which can lead to missteps and potential injury.

MYTH: Diving boards can be used interchangeably in all swimming pools.
FACT: Diving boards come in various shapes, sizes and flexible materials. You should have
your diving board properly installed by professionals. Professional installation of your
diving board ensures the board is properly fit to your pool’s size and shape. Diving
boards should never be removed and used in another pool without proper consultation
with a professional.

MYTH: All diving boards have the same “springiness.”
FACT: Each diving board is different; make sure to test the springiness of each board before
diving or jumping in. It is important to keep your balance and discover how much
spring the diving board has before taking your first dive.

MYTH: If you know the depth of the water, is it always safe to dive.
FACT: Before diving head first, always jump into the water feet first. This allows you to
gauge the board and the environment, including the water’s depth and the
configuration of the pool bottom. If your preconceptions of the pool and board were
wrong, your feet and legs will be the first to feel the impact rather than your head or
neck.
1 Solomon KA 1993. Swimming Pool Risks: How Do They Compare to Other Accidental Risks, National Swimming Pool
Foundation, San Antonio, TX.
MYTH: It can be safe to dive alone.
FACT: It is important to always dive and swim with a partner. If there is an accident while
participating in water activities, it is essential that someone is there to assist with the
situation.

MYTH: Diving into the shallow end of a swimming pool is safe as long as you dive
shallow.
FACT: 57.2% of all swimming pool diving accidents occur in water four feet deep or
shallower, while only 4.8% of swimming pool diving accidents occur in water eight feet
or deeper, according to “Review of Spinal Cord Injury Statistics Related to Diving and
Diving Board Use” from the American Institutes for Research. Always dive in the deep
end of a swimming pool because the shallow end does not give you enough water
depth to steer up. Never dive from the sides of the pool.

MYTH: It is just as safe to dive off the side of the pool as to dive from a diving board.
FACT: It is not safe to dive off the side of the swimming pool. A diving board clears you from
the edge of the pool and ensures that you do not come close to making contact with
the side’s edge. When you dive from the side of the pool you may not clear the edge
and it is possible to injure yourself.

MYTH: As long as the water is deep enough it is as safe to jump off other equipment,
as it is to dive off of a diving board.
FACT: External equipment, including rooftops, lifeguard stands, slides and ladders are
extremely unsafe to dive from. This equipment was not designed for diving and it is
not appropriate to dive off anything other than a diving board because serious injury
can occur.

MYTH: Diving off any side of the diving board is safe.
FACT: Injury is more likely to occur if someone dives off the side of the board. The design of
a diving board is specifically for divers to exit the board straightforward, rather than to
the left or right.

MYTH: Trick dives can be safe if done from a properly installed diving board.
FACT: Trick dives are hazardous and should not be attempted in a residential pool.
According to the American Institutes for Research, 16.8% of all diving accidents
occurred from attempting an unusual dive. Someone attempting a trick dive might
not clear the diving board or they may not be able to steer themselves up properly
from that dive. Keep your dives simple to be safe.

MYTH: Most diving accidents occur in or around residential pools.
FACT: According to the American Institutes for Research, 57.1% of all aquatic related
accidents occur in natural bodies of water such as lakes or rivers, while only 30.8%
occurred in swimming pools and the remaining 12.1% were reported as unknown.
Make sure to take extra precautions in circumstances involving natural bodies of water
by testing the water’s depth and always remember that natural occurrences can affect
the water’s depth.

MYTH: Diving down deep into the water can be safe if the water is deep enough.
FACT: Make sure to immediately steer up as soon as you submerge yourself in the pool. If
you dive deep into the pool, it is always possible to hit the bottom, so dive shallow
and steer up.
For more Information about Diving Boards log on to http://www.amerimerc.com/diving-boards-and-stands.htm or Call 877.891.7665
Refrence and Courtesy of Divingboardsafety.net

Nitrification How Green is Green?

A very green pool laden with algae and sludge in the spring has probably undergone “nitrification” a micro-biological process that releases large amounts of nitrogen into the water. Poorly winterized pool water allows naturally occurring Nitrosomonas bacteria to decompose proteins from any plant life (leaves, etc.) and animal life (bugs etc.) that may have entered the water during the winter and spring. Ammonia and related nitrogen compounds are formed that further convert into nitrites and nitrates in an ongoing process called the “Nitrogen Cycle.” The bacteria feed on the newly created nitrates along with carbon dioxide in the water to grow and accelerate the cycle. As the water starts to warm in the spring, algae feeding on the same combination of nitrate and carbon dioxide grow rapidly. The result can be very dark green or black looking water.

From Years of experience with nitrification, a 5-10x normal shock treatment is required to satisfy the chlorine demand of the water and establish chlorine residual. These springtime episodes underscore a big problem associated with using EPA governed chlorinating shock treatments. Directions for use on shock treatment labels provide a minimum shock treatment dose between 5-10 ppm. That’s just enough chlorine to handle a light algae condition at best. Nuclo Hit Hard and other Nuclo shock treatments are EPA registered to provide about 10 ppm of available chlorine, the high end of the scale. Double or triple shock treatment doses, although not specifically listed on the label, have been used for many years to successfully handle medium to heavy algae conditions.

Our industry would benefit greatly if the EPA would establish a minimum shock treatment dose and require all registrants and packagers to abide by that dose. Since this has not yet happened, pool operators and home owners are left to sort out a wise range of product strengths and a wide range of doses too. Conclusion: If significant algae are present, use a 2x dose of a Nuclo chlorinated shock treatment per application.

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