3-year-old drowns in swimming pool at baby sitter’s home

[etherealtruth]

63. Of course it is .... it also ignores local ordinances related to zoning and building

My local municipality governs what kind of pool I may have .... it also may forbid the construction of a pool altogether through various zoning and building ordinances


If I am able to obtain a permit, I am required to build/ follow specific codes designed to increase safety:

Barriers provided for outdoor residential swimming pools must satisfy the following requirements:
• The barrier must completely surround the swimming pool and must obstruct access to the
swimming pool.
• The barrier must be at least 4 feet (48 inches) high.
• The space between the bottom of the barrier and the ground cannot exceed 2 inches.
• In the case of an above-ground pool, the barrier may be at ground level or mounted on
top of the pool structure; however, if the barrier is mounted on top of the pool structure,
the space between the top of the pool structure and the bottom of the barrier cannot
exceed 4 inches. See Figure 3109.4.1 on Page 3.
• Any opening in the barrier must be small enough to prevent the passage of a 4-inch diameter sphere through the opening. See Figure 3109.4.1.1 on Page 3.
• A barrier that does not have openings, such as a masonry or stone wall, cannot contain
indentations or protrusions (except for normal construction tolerances and tooled
masonry joints).
• Where the barrier is composed of horizontal and vertical members and the distance
between the tops of the horizontal members is less than 45 inches:
o the horizontal members must be located on the swimming pool side of the fence;
o the spacing between vertical members cannot exceed 1.75 inches; and
o the spacing within any decorative cutouts in vertical members cannot exceed 1.75
inches. See Figure 3109.4.1.3 below.
• Where the barrier is composed of horizontal and vertical members and the distance
between the tops of the horizontal members is 45 inches or more:
o the spacing between vertical members cannot exceed 4 inches; and
o the spacing within any decorative cutouts in vertical members cannot exceed 1.75 ....
This goes on for several more pages http://www.dos.ny.gov/dcea/pdf/PoolsumUC0708.pdf


I know we are talking about pools but if we were trying to make the comparison to "guns" I would have no problem with local and state governments governing them and codifying safety requirements.