Diving Board Injuries

Diving boards used to be a common feature of pools found in the United States. If a pool didn’t have a diving board, it might have had a diving rock or a board that had no spring in it. Unfortunately, over the years, these fun features have been taken out of pools that are both public and private. The reason for the removal stems mostly from fears of injuries by insurance companies.

While it is true that injuries on diving boards and from diving boards have occurred, the cause of the injury, oddly enough, typically is not the diving board. Some injuries are a result of the diver attempting a more difficult dive than he or she is truly capable of doing.

Another cause of diving board injuries and accidents is the difference between the standards for “safety” adopted by the pool builders association and those adopted by the American Red Cross. The standards adopted by the National pool Builder’s Association are significantly shallower than those of the Red Cross. The two biggest standard differences are in the depth required below the diving board and the distance from the edge of the pool to the point where the bottom can begin to slope upwards from the pool.

The depth underneath the diving board is very important because of the joy people get out of diving straight down. In an adequately deep pool, there is a lot of water between the diving board and the bottom. The National Pool Builders Association requires a depth of less than 10′ for diving boards in pools. The American Red Cross, on the other hand, requires a minimum of 10′ for safety. Most pools that still have diving boards are much deeper than 10′, particularly those with higher boards.

The upslope is important for people who dive out, rather than straight down. In shallow, small pools, the upslope can begin too early making it possible for a diver to hit his or her face, head, or knees. While scraped knees are uncomfortable, they are not nearly as much of a problem as facial or head injuries.

Contact a Philadelphia Diving Injury Attorney

If you have been injured in a diving board accident, contact a Philadelphia personal injury lawyer of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 215-238-1130.