The Framework highlights the most common water bodies where drowning occurs and the populations most at risk in the Western Cape. While the Framework targets the prevention of risk factors specific to these priority groups and settings, it also emphasises the promotion of supportive institutional factors. The Strategic Framework focuses on the prevention of fatal and non-fatal drowning as well as the promotion of water safety. The Framework requires the formation of strong collaborations between provincial departments and other external stakeholders. It provides a framework for partners in the water safety and drowning prevention sector to collaborate on common service delivery activities to achieve the areas for action listed in the Framework. The following objectives have been identified:

1) Establish provincial information strategies and systems based on existing platforms,

2) Strengthen advocacy and enforcement of priority policy measures,

3) Promote multi-sectoral partnerships and water safety collaborations,

4) Strengthen institutional prevention capacity,

5) Strengthen public and specialised education and community awareness,

6) Develop priority barrier interventions, and

7) Develop priority infrastructural interventions.

This Strategic Framework offers a platform from which Departments can implement priority drowning prevention and water safety promotion programmes. The Framework specifies strategic objectives, each with recommended strategies. Specific injury prevention implementation plans will be developed separately by departments or partner agencies, and integrated into existing plans. Some of these interventions are already in place across various departments and have therefore been incorporated as part of this integrated strategy.

Learn more about the Western Cape Strategic Framework for Drowning Prevention

The SA Bureau of Standards (SABS) has been through a public participation process to agree the Standards around what constitutes Safety around Private Swimming Pools (SANS 10134). This Standard is also referred to in the National Building Act, SANS 10400D where it addresses public access to pools.

There is no real safety champion in the industry and this is a role which PowerPlastics Pool Covers finds itself increasingly adopting. Tragedies offer no benefit of hindsight as it is too late!! Pool Shops, Pool Maintenance businesses as well as Swim Schools, can be fantastic ambassadors for safety around pools if they embraced the idea sufficiently.

Modern safety covers are easy to use without hooks and eyelets – a fact which must be communicated to pool owners who have an impression that such covers use hooks and eyelets and are extremely difficult to operate.

In the current environment, the pool owner is safety proofing his own pool by directly contacting the few companies who produce the correct safety covers. This does not say much for the industry’s commitment to safety.

Pool safety does not mean unsightly fences, difficult to use covers and nets that require time and effort to use. Safety can be provided through an elegant cover which enhances the entertainment area and can be manufactured in the customers choice of colour. Safety covers offer other benefits too – reduced evaporation, cleaner pools, less chemical usage and do not accumulate rain water!

South Africa lags behind most of the world in pool safety. Let’s get involved, apply the Standard and make South Africa’s pools safe. Don’t wait until it is too late to save a little life. Don’t wait for legislation to force us to make a dangerous household item safe. Don’t wait for someone else to do something or for someone else’s tragedy to make you act.

By Carolyn Idas, PowerPlastics Pool Covers

When I started this campaign the death toll for water related incidents within the city was around 60 for the period September to December of 2006.  The fact that children had access to unprotected swimming pools was my concern and the fact that home owners were apathetic when it came to children drowning in their pools (often the domestic worker’s child).

Pools that were neglected during the winter months and pools in a state of disrepair also pose a risk to the inquisitive / adventurous child, so the idea of using safety nets was put forward to Council with the consideration of pool SAFETY covers being a rational design, which is part of the ‘deem to satisfy’ rule of SABS 0400. Unfortunately this legislation has met with a lot of negative opposition from various sectors. However, the legislation will most certainly go ahead.

WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN AND KEEP THEM FROM HARM!

By Malcolm Midgley, Divisional Chief, Fire & Hazmat, Gauteng