Drowning detection systems for residential pools subject of new standard

Statistics cited by ASTM indicate most child swimming pool drownings in the U.S. occur despite the presence of an adult, suggesting other measures are necessary. Lifejacket by Zero Industries, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.

F3698 is the first ASTM pool safety standard of its kind.
 
W. Conshohocken, Pa., U.S.A. – ASTM International’s consumer products committee (F15) has developed the first standard, F3698, for computer-vision drowning detection systems for residential swimming pools.

The devices covered in F3698 offer a variety of drowning safeguards. Examples include indicating potential for drowning, flagging low visibility conditions, and signalling in response to drowning behaviour.

ASTM subcommittee lead Tamar Avraham states that this is a crucial specification for systems that can usefully complement other precautions, like physical barriers.

“According to NDPA (National Drowning Prevention Alliance), 88% of child drownings occur with at least one adult present, and 50% of children drown within 25 yards of a parent or other adult,” notes Avraham. “This shows the significant need for protection when the pool is active, and not just barriers to the pool. Moreover, F3698 is currently the only standard to specify a means of protection when the pool is active.”

 Avraham further asserts the importance of active monitoring, which can alert when users enter a pool or have been submerged in water for an extended period.

“Preventive measures like fences, supervision or alarms are widely available – but drowning incidents still occur, either because these measures fail to prevent unsupervised access to the pool, or because access to the pool was given but the measures were disabled,” says Avraham.

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About ASTM International: ASTM International, formerly known as American Society for Testing and Materials, is a standards organisation that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical international standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems and services.