General Water

Safety Tips

• Maintain constant supervision. Watch children

around any water environment (pool, stream,

lake, tub, hot tub, toilet, bucket of water), no

matter what skills your child has acquired and

no matter how shallow the water.

• Don’t rely on substitutes. The use of bath

seats, flotation devices and inflatable toys

cannot replace parental/caregiver supervision.

Such devices could suddenly shift position,

lose air or slip out from underneath a child,

creating a drowning hazard.

• Parents/caregivers should take an infant and

child CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)

course. Knowing these skills is important

around the water and will expand your

capabilities to provide care for your child...

it can be a lifesaver when seconds count. 

Message for the Parents

and Caregivers

While many of you are aware of the dangers 

a backyard pool poses to young children, 

not everyone knows about other drowning 

hazards around the home. The U.S. Consumer

Product Safety Commission offers the 

information in this brochure to help prevent 

a child from drowning.

When you buy a crib or other

new nursery products, check

for the safety certification seal

from the Juvenile Products

Manufacturers Association

(JPMA). This ensures that the product

meets national safety standards. See web

address above.

If you borrow or use older nursery products

or toys, make sure they have not been

recalled for safety hazards. Call

the U.S. Consumer Product

Safety Commission’s toll-free

hotline at 1-800-638-2772 or 

visit their web site (see above).

To learn more about Baby Safety, 

visit the following 

safety sources online:

www.jpma.org

www.cpsc.gov

Water Safety Tips 

Young children are irresistibly drawn

to water. These general water safety

tips can help you keep your child

safe in and around your home.

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Bath Safety

• Before you begin bathing your child, have all

supplies within arm’s reach and in front of you.

• DO NOT leave a baby unattended for even a

second. If you need to leave the bathroom,

take the baby with you. Do not rely on older

children to watch the baby for you.

• Baby bath seats and baby bathtubs are not

substitutes for supervision. They are only

bathing aids, not safety devices. All warnings

and manufacturer’s instructions should be

strictly followed when using a baby bath seat.

• If the bath seat moves or tips while your child

is in it, stop using it.

• Never leave a child unattended while filling 

the bathtub and always empty bath water

immediately after use. Babies can drown in 

as little as one inch of water.

• Test water temperature with your elbow or 

a thermometer. Temperature should be

between 90 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. 

• Consider placing a latch on the bathroom 

door to keep children out of the bathroom 

when unsupervised.

• Keep the toilet lid down to prevent access 

to the water, and consider using a toilet seat 

lock to stop children from opening the lid.

Safety Around the House

Never leave a container such as a bucket with even

a small amount of liquid unattended. When finished

using a container, empty it immediately. Do not

leave empty containers outside in the yard or

around the house where they may accumulate water

and attract young children.

Other items that contain liquids that may be

hazardous are sinks, coolers, fish tanks, and

landscape ponds.

For Water Safety at Home

The items below are samples of safety products to

consider for your home.

Enroll children in a water safety course or 

learn-to-swim program. 

If you choose to enroll a child under age 4 in a

water safety course or learn-to-swim program,

know that this is primarily a way for you and your

child to have fun together in the water. The

American Academy of Pediatrics does NOT

recommend swimming lessons for kids under age

4 because they are developmentally not yet ready.

It will not make your child “drown-proof,” but will

teach important behaviors about water safety,

such as not pushing, running, diving in shallow

water, or swimming alone. 

Never leave a child unobserved in a pool. Adult

supervision is essential. A parent’s/caregiver’s eyes

must be on the child at all times.

Install a phone by the pool or keep a cordless

phone nearby so you can call 9-1-1 in an

• Toilet seat lock

• Bath thermometer

• Cabinet locks

• Safety gates

• Door latch (not shown)

emergency. Better yet, put 9-1-1 in your speed dial.

Keep rescue equipment by the pool. 

Enclose the pool completely with a barrier. Fences

should be at least four feet high and have selflatching, self-closing gates. Layers of protection are

important, so also consider using door and pool

alarms and pool safety covers.

Be sure to lock or remove ladders from aboveground pools. Remove all toys from pools to avoid

children being tempted to retrieve them.

Hot tubs pose a drowning risk to children and

overheating risks to very young children.

Always secure safety covers and barriers to prevent

children from gaining access to spas or hot tubs

when not in use. 

If a child is missing, always look in the pool or spa

first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.

Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Safety

toilet seat lock bath thermometer cabinet locks safety gates