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Pool season is right around the corner. For property owners and managers, this means it’s time to reassess pool safety, maintenance and good risk management. Especially during Memorial Day weekend, the pools in your communities are going to be bustling with adults and children alike. In this article, we’re going to explore how HOAs can prevent drowning in their neighborhoods to ensure a smooth summer season. Even more importantly, protect your operation and mitigate financial liability with a customized LA HOA Insurance program.
According to the CDC, more than 3,500 people – many of them children – drown each year in the U.S. and many more suffer serious, irreversible injury in near-drowning incidents. What’s more, for every fatal drowning incident involving a child 14 years old or younger, three children require emergency room treatment for submersion injuries and 40% of those require hospitalization.
What are the common dangers?
As an HOA, it’s important to create policies and regulations to prevent these dangers. From murky waters to not notifying residents of assuming their own risk while swimming, there are various ways that HOAs can absorb liability, and in turn, face hefty lawsuits. For example, Distinguished Programs states that in many incidents regarding children drowning in hotels, inspectors found the following:
- An inability to see the bottom of the pool due to cloudiness.
- Failure to maintain a log showing daily testing of the pool.
- No signs directing patrons to an emergency phone.
- No signs indicating that the pool had no lifeguard on duty.
Mitigating risk.
As a leader of your HOA, you can recognize the common risk factors in public pools, and work to rectify them before it’s too late. Ensure your HOA cannot be found negligent or fail to identify foreseeable hazards within your community pool. In addition, post the relative safety signs in clear view. Including:
- No running on the pool deck.
- No lifeguard on duty.
- Swim at your own risk.
- Emergency contact information.
We have also provided some additional resources for you to consider regarding pool safety.
- Risk bulletin on preventing drowning
- Federal Pool and Spa Safety Act
- Great American Swimming Pool Safety Program
About Scott Litman Insurance Agency
At Scott Litman Insurance Agency, we are dedicated to protecting HOAs like yours. We have a unique understanding of the industry and the common risk exposures that you face in your daily operations. In fact, we find that 90% of the policies we review are missing coverages that violate the Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&R), exposing the board, HOA and management to lawsuits – which is why our comprehensive policies are tailored to meet your specific needs at competitive prices. For more information about our products, contact our experts today at (818) 879-5980 ext. 201, or fill out our online form.
