Water safety: Prevention of drowning and waterborne illnesses.
Water safety is one aspect of safety that should be taken very seriously because water is a hazard that can pose significant risks to people. Even though water recreational activities bring joy, relaxation, and satisfaction, they can also have inherent risks. The two most significant risks in water activities are drowning and waterborne illnesses. And because of these two risks, good water safety is an important measure to prevent them.
Globally, drowning is a leading cause of fatality and harm to people, either from their work activities or from their leisure activities. These happen primarily from pools, lakes, rivers, and even ocean bodies.
Waterborne illnesses can also come from being exposed to contaminated water. Microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites can infect the water and cause infections. There are a lot of diseases that can be associated with water, such as giardiasis and norovirus.
How to prevent drowning incidents.
- Constant supervision is needed around water bodies. Children should be supervised whenever they swim in pools; most times, a responsible adult has to be employed as a watcher to care for children when they are around water bodies or during recreational activities around water bodies.
- Swimming lessons will go a long way to helping someone learn swimming skills. And these skills can help you survive in any emergency in the water. It is always good to start learning these life skills early in life. Continuous learning is also needed if you want to increase your proficiency in swimming.
- Floatation devices and life jackets should be provided before any swimming activities. The devices should be adequately deployed, and people must be trained to deploy them in an emergency. More so, people must be educated on the importance of wearing life jackets and using floatation devices.
- Create a barrier such as pool fencing and alarms close to pools. Pool fencing will prevent unauthorized entry to the pool, and the alarm system will further inform the responsible people of any unauthorized entry. Some pools can also be fitted in with self-enclosing gates to restrict access.
- Education on water safety will help prevent drowning. This can be done through community-based approach programs and by raising awareness within the community.
How to prevent waterborne illnesses
There are a lot of ways someone can prevent waterborne illnesses, and they include
- Pool and water facility hygiene. In this case, you must maintain proper water chlorination in the pool to eliminate harmful bacteria and regularly keep the water according to hygiene standards.
- Do not swallow the pool water whenever you are swimming; encourage individuals to stop swallowing pool water.
- Ensure you maintain regular water checks on recreational waters, and if the water quality needs improvement, do not hesitate to correct it immediately.
- Maintain proper hand hygiene, wash your hands, and instruct individuals having diarrhea to keep themselves away from water recreational facilities to prevent the spread of waterborne illnesses.
Emergency Preparedness and Response for Drowning.
We can do several things to prevent or prepare for the emergency from water. They include
1.CPR Training.
All individuals should be trained in CPR methods; this does not have to be about their age. Everyone who works on water or has any business with water should know how to do CPR. Knowing how to do CPR will significantly improve the chances of survival in drowning incidents.
2.Display of Emergency Response contacts.
First responders’ details and contact numbers should be displayed openly where people need to see them. The first responders should also have quick access in case of an emergency.
3.Timely rescue.
Timely rescue saves the life of anyone involved in an emergency. There should be an arrangement of lifeguards and necessary equipment to guarantee our rescue time.
4.Regular drills.
Conduct regular emergency response drills to enhance preparedness at all times.
Common questions associated with drowning and waterborne illnesses.
Who is primarily at risk of drowning incident?
Children and young people are primarily at risk of drowning incidents due to their age and inexperience with using water and water safety skills.
What are some of the waterborne illnesses in existence?
Waterborne illnesses include giardiasis, norovirus, swimmer ear, etc., and they can always be prevented by maintaining water safety measures, good personal hygiene, good pool hygiene, void swallowing pool water, regular water quality testing, etc.
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How can communities promote water safety programs?
The communities can achieve this by raising water safety awareness through traditional-based systems such as radio and TV and even organizing seminars to create awareness for community members. They can go a long way to share information and provide an avenue for partnerships with local community organizations.
What is CPR, and how can one master the use of CPR?
CPR helps to resuscitate an unconscious person before the arrival of trained medical personnel. You can become a professional in the CPR techniques by learning from those who know the basics. Learning through videos online can be a game changer for you, too. Registering for seminars on CPR will also help you to become a master in CPR.
Conclusion: Water Safety
Water safety is a responsibility for everyone to engage in to prevent people from fatality and other incidents that may emanate from water. Preventing drowning and waterborne illnesses is achievable and essential by promoting water safety education, encouraging more timely preventive measures, and promoting a safety culture at all times.
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Onyeka Emma is a QHSE Professional with more than 10 years of experience in occupational health and safety, which spans many industries such as construction, beverage, oil and gas, etc. He has many health and safety certifications, including NEBOSH IGC, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and ISO 45001:2018 Lead auditor certificate. A member of IOSH, ISPON, and Nigeria Red Cross Society. He is interested in business, entrepreneurship, Speaking, and motivating people to do better for themselves. He enjoys leisure with a good motivational book.
