Urgent pool safety advice

[MalT]

We live on a complex in corralejo , roughly 24 apTments with a pool i between two apartment blocks. Last year they were issued with a notice from the local authority requiring works to be completed to pool, including shower, addition step access and toilet, the latter two remain outstanding.

The apartments are mostly older people ( and mainland Europeans) and we have lived there a year on and , we are here now with 3 grandchildren (8-10)( one with special need) and things have got a bit fraught. Basically, the president of our community is banning anyone jumping in the pool( all three children have English swimming Certs) and we have someone poolside supervising them

They are quoting a rule that people cannot jump into a pool( pool approx 25 meters, depth from 1.5 to 3 meters) there is no child end, but we don't need it.

There are other rules about inflatables, the discussion this afternoon reduced to the fact I was reading a book poolside and therefore not supervising, I of course gave my opinion on the issue of people using their common sense


Anyway,AGM is next week, so could use some advice, is there a Spanish rule about children jumping in a pool? The president said if we didn't comply the authorities would make the pool unusable ?

Any advice appreciated

[bedouin]

If you want a quiet life, you do what they say.  If they say kids don't jump into the pool, they don't.  You wouldn't want to be the one who got the pool closed, would you?

[spitfire58]

If you want a quiet life, you do what they say.  If they say kids don't jump into the pool, they don't.  You wouldn't want to be the one who got the pool closed, would you?

That may well be bedouin but never being one to lie down without a fight, I would be asking for written evidence of these rules. I have stayed in numerous places with pools & while there is a general acceptance that people shouldn't run around the pool or jump/dive in, these are (as far as I know) general safety rules of the pool owners to prevent accidents/law suits. I would be surprised if they were legal council/government laws & like I said in another post. The president is there to administer the rules of the community, not act as a dictator. IMHO

[calculator]

Jumping in a pool is generally not allowed. Go to any public pool supervised by lifeguards, that's the rule they will enforce. I suspect it's a safety issue.

Additionally, it's probably annoying to other users.

There is a system of "autocontrol" defined by the government whereby the practices for a particular pool can be defined locally. So, I would say that a community can define what happens with their pool, even down to the age groups allowed to use it!!
If they say "no diving", that means no diving. If they say no people between ages of 47 and 49, that means no people between ages of 47 and 49, etc.

[MalT]

I would like a quiet life, but also feel that people need to be treated fairly and that rules are sensible and applied consistently, if we were to comply with all the requirements, would it then just be a case of rules being applied by community and not complying with some higher authority? Never been to a pool yet where kids don't jump in .

[woe10]

Jumping into the pool is very annoying to some people trying to relax.
These rules have been made over a long course of time, due to the fact that some people leave their common sense (brains) behind at the airport of departure.

At a friend of mine's complex where no pool use is allowed after 9.00pm, a group of 8 - 10 year olds were screaming and jumping in the pool at about 11.00pm. When asked to stop, they just gave the finger and shouted "F" off.

[MalT]

Sure,and we have a siesta between 2-5, which we comply with ( not builders thought)!and kids don't go o after 7. We have bent over backwards and still they are not happy !

[MalT]

I suppose what annoys me is whether this is a local ( community) issue or something being directed from a local authority level? If it is the former, then it's up for sensible discussion.

[Archer]

I'm with Bedouin on this one. If you move to a Community you live by their rules and don't rock the boat. Many Community rules have been developed over years to ensure that (most) people manage to live together with little conflict.

If you don't like rules buy a single family home and do what you want!

In addition, I have stayed in a lot of hotels and complexes over the years and never seen a swimming pool rule board that suggests jumping in the pool is acceptable. Probably, as Woe said, annoying to other guests AND possibly an insurance company stipulation. Your Community will also have Public Liabilty insurance.

Sorry, it's not what you wanted to hear!

[Ivemovedon]

Not sure who's right and who's wrong here but what I do know is I'm damned glad I grew up when I did and not now. We bombed, we somersaulted, we dived and we played silly buggers in the water.. And do you know what I don't remember a single adult complaint. In fact we were encouraged to enjoy ourselves. I don't ever remember an accident or a problem of any kind although it probably did happen. But ain't that what being young is all about?.

I know all about 'elf and safety, rules and regulations nowadays.. but yeah they were good days to be a kid.

[Ivemovedon]

And MaIT politics aside I hope you get something sorted to your ( and your grandkids ) satisfaction.

[KWC]

The problem nowadays is, and its been touched upon earlier in the thread is that of the Insurance Company's.

They effectively rule the roost, especially when on holiday. If its not your failure to divulge the last time you went to the doctors for a head ache or failed to advise them your went into the water above your knees, they pretty much put the hammers on any form of enjoyment (well not all behind closed doors etc) but you get my drift.

Being in engineering/manufacturing, you cant brush the floor without a procedure or Risk Assessment.  While safety is of course paramount, they have taken the sensibility factor right out the equation due to fear of a big claim that the insurance company's wont pay out unless all these bits of paper are in place and kept for ten years etc.

I have spent tens of thousands a year on training, HS products, more refresher course etc etc.

One guy tripped over his own air hose by walking backwards without looking (his words not mine) and has put in a claim. Of which our Insurance company will no doubt pay him a handsome sum to settle quickly.

The worlds going mad.

As for the rules around the pool, then spare a thought to the fear of the pool management in seeing a claim or two coming in for injury by diving or bombing into the pool.  Its what it is nowadays and just think how bad it is over in the USA!

[malabu]

We live on a complex in corralejo , roughly 24 apTments with a pool i between two apartment blocks. Last year they were issued with a notice from the local authority requiring works to be completed to pool, including shower, addition step access and toilet, the latter two remain outstanding.

The apartments are mostly older people ( and mainland Europeans) and we have lived there a year on and , we are here now with 3 grandchildren (8-10)( one with special need) and things have got a bit fraught. Basically, the president of our community is banning anyone jumping in the pool( all three children have English swimming Certs) and we have someone poolside supervising them

They are quoting a rule that people cannot jump into a pool( pool approx 25 meters, depth from 1.5 to 3 meters) there is no child end, but we don't need it.

There are other rules about inflatables, the discussion this afternoon reduced to the fact I was reading a book poolside and therefore not supervising, I of course gave my opinion on the issue of people using their common sense


Anyway,AGM is next week, so could use some advice, is there a Spanish rule about children jumping in a pool? The president said if we didn't comply the authorities would make the pool unusable ?

Any advice appreciated

Its the law full stop, sure you can still enjoy yourselves with out the necessity to jump in or use inflatables etc, just ask yourself are we allowed to do this in the public baths in the UK NO ,and just think about other children using the pool and your children jump in right on top of someone, and yes local Authority will close the pool, you should be looking at what you have and not at what you cannot do, these items are required by law, step access and toilet.

[cockney]

MalT I know the complex that you live on as I also have an apartment there. I am sorry to hear that you are having a problem with the new president. The previous president did not enforce any pool rules and when the authority carried out a safety inspection of the pool they came down on us like a ton of bricks. The result was a considerable amount of work including child proof fencing, shower, lifebelt, aditional steps, toilet and a new repositioned pump room and equipment. Whilst this work is being carried out we are still recieving visits to see that we are complying with these requirements and the president is doing her best to ensure thst they do not have any reason for further complaint. Apart from pool safety we have in the past been told that jumping into the pool causes disturbance of the filtration and possible damage. Your grandchildren are living within yards of the sea where they can jump and spash as much as they like. Is it really too much to ask that they obey quite basic rules when using the pool?

I will be out again in October so would be quite happy to have a chat about what is going on and past history.