Statewide Strategy

Recent Legislative Updates

California Pools Safety Law 2018

Explanation of the statewide changes since 2018

SB-442 Public health: pools: drownings

Text and reference to Senate Bill 442

Designing statewide strategies in 1990

Childhood drowning is.a major cause of injury mortality and disability in California. In 1988, drowning was the leading cause of death in children 1-4 years of age followed by pedestrian injuries and motor vehicle occupant injuries.(1)Fatalities, however, are only a small part of the picture. Medical technologies have converted a large number of yesterday's fatalities to survivors albeit severely damaged.(2)The "injury pyramid" for drowning can only be estimated. For every child who drowns, approximately 10 children are hospitalized, and of those hospitalized, 2-3 survive with severe brain damage.(3)A total population survey conducted in New Zealand, which has a pool prevalence similar to that of the United States, suggests that for every emergency department visit there are ten "near miss" immersion events in which a child escapes injury on ly because of timely rescue.(4)The life expectancy for near drowning survivors has also dramatically increased, taxing care systems well beyond their limits.  California incurs a debt of over $10 million annually to care for approximately 77 near drowning patients in Developmental Centers and home care costs can average $8,000 - $10,000 per month per child.(5,6)

Various epidemiologic studies on drowning and near drowning incidents have given us a profile of the typical incident. The child is age 1-3 and of average or above average intelligence. The incident occurs in the child's home pool or that of a relative or friend while the parents are in attendance. The child was last seen inside the home. Most pools are fenced on the property perimeter and the house is used as the fourth side of the enclosure. Doors leading from the house provide immediate access to the pool. Supervision is being provided by either one or both parents. Believing the child is within the safe and protected environment of the house, the parent is momentarily distracted to perform a routine household task. The event is silent. Of major significance for prevention efforts, a recent Consumer Product Safety Commission analysis showed that pools where drownings or near-drownings occurred were significantly less likely than matched control households to have fencing surrounding the pool itself, with access limited by self-closing gates.(7)