As a pool owner, chances are you have thought a lot about safety around your pool. You’ve probably considered how to prevent somebody slipping, hurting themselves or even drowning. However, that is not the only danger that looms around the pool. One of the biggest, and sometimes unforeseeable dangers, is someone getting electrocuted in or around your pool.
Pools are connected to various electrical equipment such as heaters, pumps, lighting, and so on. If the power lines come in contact with water at any given point, the threat of getting shocked becomes real. The good news is that electrical hazards around the pool are preventable. Keep reading to find out how.
Below are 5 ways you can prevent electrical accidents occuring around your pool.
An electrical shock injury occurs when an electric current flows through your body to complete a circuit. What does this mean? It means that you can swim in a pool safely while the water is electrified. The danger occurs when you grab onto something metallic like a ladder. Grounding and bonding can help eliminate this hazard.
Grounding is the act of using a conductor such as a metal rod to discharge excess voltage safely during an electrical surge.
Bonding is the practice of connecting all conductors within a pool. The objective is to ensure that a swimmer will at no point touch two objects with different electrical potentials. As such, someone will never get electrocuted for grabbing two conductors within the pool area.
Electrical installations such as pool lighting are a necessity. There is always some wiring behind these fittings. Pool professionals have the expertise and experience of doing it right. Improper electrical wiring increases the risk of electrocution around your pool. Working with pool experts helps seal all the loopholes that could lead to an electrical shock inside or around your pool.
The Wiring Rules guide electricians on electrical designs and installations in a building. Failure to adhere to these directives around the pool could be a tragedy. It is paramount to hire qualified and licensed electrical technicians to handle illumination and voltage issues within your pool area.
Some experts specialise in pool electrical work. You should hire them when repairing or maintaining electrical fixtures around your pool. Aside from that, it is important to get rid of any outdated or hazardous installations within your pool area.
Installations such as pool lighting make your pool more aesthetically pleasing. They also allow you and your loved ones to enjoy a refreshing late-night swim. However, these fittings are subject to wear and tear. For example, pool lighting may crack or break. When this happens, the water body in your pools gets exposed to dangerous electric currents.
Regular inspections of electric installations inside and around your pool area can help prevent electrical hazards. During these checks, electricians lookout for possible wiring defects. This exercise allows them to intercept the danger of electrocution before it turns out to be fatal.
When having pool parties, it is easy to forget and place electrical equipment near the pool. The problem is that most of this equipment is not designed for use around water. For example, radios, TV’s and disk jockey units can fall into the pool and electrify the water. Once an opposite electric potential is in the pool, swimmers can get electrocuted.
While drowning is the most common hazard in the pool, an electrical shock could inflict unimaginable injuries or even kill swimmers. At Astley Electrical, we have a professional team that can help you with maintenance, repair, and rewiring of your pool area. Safety is always our number one priority. Contact us today, and we will be happy to offer our professional services to you.