The answer is yes!

A Pool Cover Specialists® automatic swimming pool cover is certified to meet or exceed the following Safety Certifications & Codes:

  1. ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) pool cover safety standard ASTM F1346-91 (2010)
  2. ICC (International Code Council) Safety Code ISPSC 305.1 (International Swimming Pool & Spa Code)
  3. IAPMO (International Association of Plumbing & Mechanical Officials) Safety Code IAPMO 415.1.3
  4. ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers), ANSI (American National Standards Institute) Safety Code ANSI/ASHRAE/IES 90.1
  5. CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) Approved Safety Barrier

What makes a Pool Cover Specialists® automatic swimming pool cover so safe?

Besides meeting all the safety certifications and being code compliant, automatic swimming pool covers are an “Isolation” Barrier, which unlike other barriers such as fences…an automatic swimming pool cover actually isolates the pool water from the pool deck and its surroundings. This “Isolation” of the water removes all the temptation for children who, with other safety devices can still see and be enticed by the pool water. Also, ASTM certified automatic swimming pool covers are sealed on all 4 sides of the pool making it almost impossible for a young child to climb over or under the cover to get to the water.

Stand Alone Barriers

Several States, and many more local, municipal, and county governments now recognize ASTM compliant “Automatic” or “Powered” swimming pool covers as “Stand Alone Barriers” due to their ability to be an isolation barrier…not to mention…pool covers also save energy and water. Safety and Savings all in one barrier…a Pool Cover Specialists® automatic swimming pool cover provides unparalleled safety, savings and convenience!

As per the CPSC: Barriers are not childproof, and nothing takes the place of adult supervision…but certain types of barriers provide layers of protection for a child who strays from supervision. Barriers give parents additional time to locate a child before the unexpected becomes a reality. Automatic Swimming Pool Covers actually seal the pool, not just add a deterrent to go around, they “isolate” the water from the pool deck.

The CPSC and Pool Cover Specialists® both recommend multiple layers of protection for your pool, with an automatic swimming pool cover being at the top of our list as one of the best safety Barriers. We feel that it is very important for you to know that all safety devices are not equal! So, if you are considering one or more of the CPSC’s recommended safety options, here are some facts you should know:

Automatic Pool Covers Provide the Best Level of Protection

ALL Pool Cover Specialists® automatic swimming pool covers, sometimes referred to as “Isolation barriers” provide the best level of protection in that they:

  1. isolate the water itself,
  2. support the weight of several people
  3. can be closed or opened in less than a minute (when running into the house for a moment or before moving to another part of the yard for continued festivities.
  4. In addition, unlike a partially-closed gate, from a considerable distance, it is possible to observe whether or not an automatic cover has been fully extended over a pool. And since an automatic cover isolates (hides) the water from view, the natural attraction that water poses to most children is eliminated.
Latham Automatic Safety Covers St. Thomas | Crystite Classic Sapphire Blue inground pool

How effective is an automatic swimming pool cover in helping to prevent children from drowning?

To our knowledge, although hundreds of thousands of ASTM certified automatic swimming pool covers have been installed worldwide over the past 60 years…there have only been a handful of accidents, drowning’s or near drowning’s recorded with an automatic swimming pool cover that is closed and functional. Compare that to ALL other safety devices and you will find there is simply NO comparison!

Fences provide a degree of protection in that they, at least, slow down an inquisitive child who has made up their mind to access the pool by stacking furniture, using a device to “flip” a gate latch, or finding some other creative way to get to a pool. The main issue associated with pool fences is that a fence isolates the “Pool Deck” not the “Pool Water” itself and, from a distance, it may be impossible to tell whether a partially closed gate is actually latched.

In addition, if your house is the fourth side of your pool fence, the fence may not help at all. There have been several studies on Fences and their effectiveness in helping to prevent drowning, in all the studies we found, they show that fences are a good deterrent but if the gate is open, latch is broken, or the child simply climbed over…fences provided little help. Here is a study on the subject: Drowning Interventions, Pool Fencing … Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics show fences may only give a 19% better rate of protection than not having a fence.

Door alarms for the house and a sophisticated pool-alarm system. Sophisticated Pool Alarms that utilize infra-red technology and sound a warning when an object disturbs the surface of the water, certainly help, but false alarms are common and drowning statistics reveal a couple of frightening facts:

  1. it only takes seconds for a child to drown and
  2. in the majority of instances, the time in which drowning victims five years of age and under were away from adult supervision was less than five minutes.

Based on all of the above…automatic swimming pool covers are one of the safest items you can add to your swimming pool.

Call Pool Cover Specialists® today at (800) 369-5152, Find A Pool Cover Specialists® Dealer near you, or request a Pool Cover Specialists® brochure.