HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA: Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death in children aged 1 – 4 years and the majority of the children that drown in swimming pools most commonly gain access to the pool area when there is no fence or through a faulty fence or gate.
Combined with constant child supervision and other layers of protection, a possible solution to this issue is physically checking your pool gate and maintaining your pool gate regularly to ensure it self-closes and self-latches at all times. You should not be able to open a gate at all without activating the release mechanism which should be out of the reach of toddlers.
D&D Technologies®, the inventor and manufacturer of the MagnaLatch® Pool Safety Gate Latch and the world leader in high-performance gate hardware, has partnered with the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) to establish a Check Your Pool Gate Month campaign kicking-off Memorial Day Weekend and continuing through the month of June. The initiative was created to remind pool owners of the vital need to ensure pool fences, gates, latches and hinges are secure and in top working order. Every pool owner should be confident they have a safe swimming zone.
“Our aim with Check Your Pool Gate Month is to educate pool owners about pool safety and to encourage them to check their pool surroundings not once a year, but regularly,” says Jim Paterson, D&D’s VP of Sales and Marketing.
A few minutes is all it takes for pool owners to check that their pool fences and gates, including latches and hinges, are in good working order. If you can’t fix it call your local contractor to service your gate and ensure the gate is secured while waiting. This simple routine done regularly could help save the life of a child.
Safety checklist for pool gates
- Should open outwards, away from the pool
- Height of latch release mechanism is least 54” from the bottom of the gate (check local codes)
- Must be self-closing and self-latching
- Hinges should be rust-free and bind-free
- Hinges should be reliable and tension-adjustable for closing speed
- Latch must be adjustable horizontally and vertically to accommodate gate movement
- Gate will latch when latch is in the locked or unlocked position
- Latch cannot be disengaged using implements (e.g. garden or pool tools)
- Latch cannot be shaken or jolted open
- Gate will shut and latch securely from any open angle or force
- Complies with all applicable standards, codes and legislation for pool safety
For more information on pool safety and compliance visit: www.us.ddtech.com/pages/pool-safety-compliance and www.ndpa.org
It’s critical to check your local pool codes for compliance, as local codes may vary.
D&D Technologies gate hardware can be purchased on Amazon or at Home Depot or Lowes.
About D&D Technologies
D&D Technologies is the recognized leader in safety and high-performance gate hardware, providing the broadest range of gate hardware for every application. D&D Technologies produces over 300 gate hardware products and has 30 years of experience in the gate hardware industry. Products include MagnaLatch® magnetic pool and safety gate latches, TruClose® adjustable, self-closing safety gate hinges, LokkLatch® gate latches, SureClose® and Shut It industrial hinges. D&D’s diversity of products continually set new standards in design, performance, craftsmanship and innovation–tied together by a top level of quality and service. D&D products are rust free and consistently exceed all relevant safety barrier codes around the world for the residential, commercial and industrial markets.
