In the United States, drowning is the second major cause of death from injury for children under the age of 15. The sad reality is that 67 percent of all these drownings occur in backyard pools, spas, and bathtubs. For most moms, this is a sobering reality.

To help reduce the chances of a child drowning, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has particular specifications that the manufacturers of safety pool covers must follow. There are ASTM standards for safety mesh pool covers and solid vinyl pool covers to protect toddlers and children from pool accidents.

ASTM certification is expensive, and it takes time for a manufacturer to acquire it. Anyone who purchases a safety pool cover must make sure that it has ASTM certification. ASTM is a federal rating and testing system. Many states and counties also have regulations that dictate standards for safety pool covers used by homeowners in their jurisdiction.

ASTM defines what type of material is safe for manufacturers to use. The manufacturer must certify that, “the mesh panels used to construct the [safety pool] cover are manufactured from [the fabric of] polypropylene.” The certificate of authentic manufacture must include the following statement, “The primary components of the [safety] pool cover system are polypropylene mesh, brass anchors, and stainless steel springs.”

The General Requirements for Safety Covers has to have this statement on the certificate that goes with the safety pool cover: “Unless installed by a responsible party, detailed instructions for installation shall be given in the packaging or a label, or both, attached to the cover.”

The ASTM requires that safety pool covers come with the following information: the date the cover was manufactured or installed, the manufacturer’s name, and instructions to consumers to inspect the cover for deterioration. The anchors, ties, and the attachment points or the controls for automatic covers must include combination locks and keys.