Water Safety at Home : Garden Ponds
RoSPA publishes statistics on deaths by drowning each year and the table below shows the number of people who have drowned in garden ponds, over a five year period and shows the drowning deaths in ponds as a percentage of all drowning deaths.
| Year |
All Deaths by Drowning |
Garden Ponds |
% |
| 1998 |
568 |
9 |
2 |
| 1999 |
569 |
18 |
3 |
| 2000 |
448 |
8 |
2 |
| 2001 |
430 |
10 |
2 |
| 2002 |
427 |
13 |
3 |
| Average |
488 |
12 |
2 |
The figures show that only a small percentage of drowning deaths occur in garden ponds and thankfully, despite the increase in popularity of water features in gardens, the statistics are not showing an increase. However there is no room for complacency and it is important to take preventative measures to try and reduce the fatalities in garden ponds, one death is too many.
Children between 1 and 2 years are particularly at risk. Water holds a fascination for this age group and a young child will investigate any water present in the garden. Toddlers mobility increases at a tremendous rate once they start crawling and they can quickly escape parental supervision and get into difficulties. Whilst mobility is increasing quickly, stability and co-ordination remain poor. Therefore a toddler who falls into a garden pond, even a shallow one, will find it difficult to regain their balance and stand up. Also it is not until the age of 4 or 5 years that children begin to understand the concept of danger and can begin to heed the warnings given to them.
If you have young children the Forum advises you to take out garden ponds and water features until the children are older, consider converting the pond into a sandpit. Also, check the garden regularly to ensure that containers that may have filled with rainwater are emptied or sealed to prevent children gaining access. Make sure that children cannot gain access to water butts or similar tubs by sealing them, consider not having them in the garden whilst children are young. Empty paddling pools after use and turn them upside down or better still put them away, so that if your child does escape your supervision they are not at risk of drowning.
If parents wish to retain a pond then measures must be put in place to prevent unsupervised access by young children. Consider installing a rigid mesh or grille across the pond to create a secure cover. The grille needs to be able to support the weight of a child and should remain above the surface of the water at all times. If the grille is below the surface of the water, even a couple of centimetres, it is still possible for a child to fall face down into the surface water and drown. The grille or mesh must not sag and should be checked regularly, particularly after heavy rain when water levels may have changed.
If there is room, consider erecting a fence around the pond area and ensuring any gate has a child-proof latch or lock and is self-closing. Ensure that there are no gaps in the fence that a small child could squeeze through and avoid horizontal railings that make the fence easier to climb. A fence that is at least 1.1m in height with vertical railings not more than 100mm apart will present an obstacle that is difficult to climb to most toddlers.
