Beach Safety Rules (Everything You Need To Know)

The beach might bring relaxation and calm in a busy world but can also be dangerous. Unfortunately, there is no controlling the ocean. We must follow beach rules and precautions if visitors want to enjoy the waves and the sand.

Beach safety rules include where and when to swim in the ocean and following lifeguard protocols. In addition, the beach has its regulations regarding how to treat fellow beachgoers, where to play activities, and how to keep one safe from the sun. Then there are critical rules about litter on the beach.

The area most people spend their time is on the beach. You can follow a few rules and guidelines to make it a pleasant experience for all. Some of these beach rules will be on a board when you get to a public beach; others are “unwritten rules” that will make the beach safer and more enjoyable for everyone.

Beach Rule #1: Wear Sunscreen
The sun is potent and is getting warmer each year. Therefore, it is crucial to wear sunscreen to protect your skin from premature aging and possible skin cancer. The lotion SPF should always be at least 15SPF, but factor 30 and higher is best. Apply a new layer of sunscreen every 2 hours or more frequently if you are in and out of the water or sweating a lot.

For the beach, you can benefit from waterproof sunscreen. Ensure it covers UVA and UVB rays. Wear a hat to protect your scalp from the sun, and pay special attention to your lips when applying SPF. When you are out on the beach, near the ocean breeze, you tend not to feel hot, but the sun burns harder next to the water. Thus, sunburn is imminent if you don’t pay attention.

Dehydration can happen while being in the sun and burning calories with all the exciting activities. So try to drink more water than usual while on the beach.

Beach Rule #2: Choose Your Spot Wisely
The place to be is near the lifeguards’ station and close to the designated swim area. To ensure you get a prime spot, arrive early to the beach and set up shade like umbrellas or gazebos. Never sit too close to the water, as the tide might come in and catch you and all your beach accessories off guard.

When you are having a beach day with the kids, sit near the swimming flags so you can have eyes on them. Always give people their space. This might not be a rule, but we do it to enjoy the beach together.

Beach Rule #3: Activities On The Beach
If you are all about beach activities, you might have a bag full of sports to play on the sand. Please choose a spot away from the hustle and bustle of sunbathing bodies. You don’t want to run into someone or over a child building a sand castle or throw a ball into someone’s umbrella.

Try to exchange hard balls for soft ones and sharp objects for rounded ones. Of course, there is always a chance of an accident, but at least it won’t be too brutal.

Another way to be responsible is not to drink alcohol on the beach. When sober, you can watch out for those around you and be more vigilant in the ocean.

The danger of the beach is usually the unknown territory you step into when you enter the water for a swim. Nobody should be afraid to swim in the sea. You only need to be cautious about what can happen and know what to do if something unpredictable happens.

How many people die from drowning in the United States every year?

How many people die from drowning in the United States every year?

Every year, people drown for various reasons. There is a great risk of drowning in open water play. According to incomplete statistics, an average of 3,536 people die from drowning in the United States each year, ten people a day; in addition to swimming in the sea drowned, 1,332 people. The number of deaths continues to rise each year. Therefore, it is important to raise awareness of swimming safety.

One reader asked, “Find out how many people die from drowning yearly in the United States?” According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an average of 3,536 people die from drowning each year. Children and teens account for 56 percent of all drowning deaths, and an average of 8 children die from drowning each day.

The ocean is vast and inviting, and you might want to walk in at any spot to take a dip. However, this is not a good idea. It is always best to go to a beach under lifeguard supervision with a flag system for swimming. Please take note that only red and yellow mixed flags are for swimming. Other flags you might encounter on a beach have different meanings.

⦁ Red only flags – no entry and no swimming allowed
⦁ Black and white checkered flags – keep surfers and swimmers from invading each other’s ocean space.
⦁ Yellow flags – slight hazard, be careful when entering the water
⦁ Purple flags – sealife that can pose a danger

Always ask the lifeguards how the tide affects the swim area on the specific day you want to swim. Then, enter at the center of the swimming flags, and check that you stay between the flags while swimming. Also, avoid people surfing or bodyboarding because collisions can cause trouble and injuries.

Never swim alone, regardless of your age or level of swimming skills. When swimming in the ocean, you must be honest with yourself and others. Are you familiar with the waves and currents and strong enough to handle them? Don’t swim too deep if you are uncertain about your surroundings.

If you are trained in pool swimming, that does not mean you are a pro in ocean swimming. However, experience or ocean swim lessons will give you the upper hand when swimming in the sea. Then, you have the go-ahead to deeper waters to catch a wave.

Another way to keep safe in the ocean is to swim with a friend or find someone in the water you can label as your swim buddy. For example, suppose there is an accident, or you need help; you have a buddy that can call professional service or help you if it is less advanced.

Be Aware of Hazards & Weather
Being water competent in the ocean requires stronger and different skills than in a pool. Whenever you are at the beach, ocean or other open water environment, watch and prepare for:

⦁ Changing tides.
⦁ Fast-moving currents and waves, even in shallow water.
⦁ Drop-offs that unexpectedly change water depth.
⦁ Unexpected changes in air or water temperature.
⦁ Hazards, such as underwater obstacles, rocks and debris.
⦁ Vegetation, marine animals and fish.
⦁ Other people’s activities in the same waters, such as boating.
⦁ Thunder & Lightning.
⦁ Leave the water immediately, if swimming off shore.
⦁ If you’re out in a boat, head back to shore as quickly as possible.
⦁ If you’re unable to get to shore, lie down in the bottom of the boat or shelter in the cabin if available.

However, all need to follow the lifeguards’ instructions. Please obey if they blow the whistle for you to come to more shallow water. They are the leaders on the beach and trying to keep everyone safe.

Ocean Rule #4 Take These Water Safety Steps
Employ layers of protection including barriers to prevent access to water, life jackets, and close supervision of children to prevent drowning.
Ensure every member of your family learns to swim so they at least achieve skills of water competency: able to enter the water, get a breath, stay afloat, change position, swim a distance then get out of the water safely.
Do not enter the water from a height, such as a bridge or boat.
Be careful when standing to prevent being knocked over by currents or waves.
Swim sober. Don’t swim after drinking
Supervise others sober and without distractions, such as reading or talking on or using a cell phone.

Responsible for most rescues performed by lifeguards, rip currents can form in any large open water area (including the Great Lakes), such as low spots and breaks in sandbars, or near structures such as jetties and piers.

⦁ How to Avoid Rip Currents
Check conditions before entering the water: are any warning flags up? Ask a lifeguard about water conditions, beach conditions, and potential hazards.
While in the water, stay at least 100 feet away from piers and jetties. Permanent rip currents often exist near these structures.
⦁ How to Escape from a Rip Current
If you are caught in a rip current, stay calm and don’t fight it.
Swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the current. Then, turn and swim to shore.
Alternately, float or tread water until you are free of the rip current and then head to shore.
If you can’t make it to shore, draw attention to yourself by waving and calling for help.
⦁ If Someone Else Is Caught in a Rip Current
If someone is in trouble in the water, get help from a lifeguard.
If a lifeguard is not available, have someone call 9-1-1.
Throw the victim something that floats – such as a lifejacket, cooler or inflatable ball – and yell instructions on how to escape the current. Do not attempt a rescue yourself unless you are a trained beach lifeguard.

With the ocean being unpredictable and currents not always visible to the eye, it can often happen that someone is taken into a riptide. However, swimming between the designated flags will keep you away from the riptides as best possible, but the chance is always there. So what to do when you or someone else gets taken away by a riptide?

If it is someone else, evaluate the situation while you wave and shout for help. If it isn’t that bad and you can reach out and pull the person out, you may do it, but usually, it is best to call for help. Riptides can be underestimated, and trying to help someone else might also land you in the riptide, leaving no one to call for help.

The best thing would be to throw someone a floating object and pull them out. That is why calling lifeguards is best.

When you find yourself stuck on a riptide, the first thing to do is take a breath and stay calm. If you start panicking, getting out will be much more challenging. So instead, swim parallel to the coastline until you can feel the riptide weakening, then turn and swim towards the shore. Taking waves will help you get out faster.

If the tide is too strong, you can try and signal for help and float the rest of the way. Panicking and wasting energy trying to get out from somewhere impossible can decrease your breath and reduce the time you can float and wait out any help.

Something there are strict rules about is trash on a beach. Trash is a sore view to the eye and very harmful to sea life and nature. Some beaches have banned any litter-worthy product from being taken onto the beach. This could be problematic as you need to hydrate and want to eat some snacks on the beach.

Thus, if you get to a beach, either provide your own trash bag you can take home and throw away correctly or follow the guidelines and rules of the coast by throwing all trash in the provided bins. People think they can camouflage their litter under the sand, which is inhumane, even if it doesn’t look like it at that moment.

Besides destroying sea life and nature because of trash, people on the beach can also be harmed. Glass can cut people walking barefoot or kids playing in the sand. In addition, babies could put things in their mouths that could be dangerous.

Humans are entering the ocean, the home of many sea creatures. Doing this, you must be vigilant about sea life and dangerous ones that might linger in the swimming waves. If you choose to swim at a safe beach as you should, there will usually be warning signs and purple flags if there are dangers in the water.

When you see a shell that still lives or any small creature on the beach, let it be. Those creatures are meant to live in the ocean or the sand and not in a bucket in your backyard.

Don’t go near a jellyfish or stingray. If you see these in the water, get out as soon as possible and don’t attempt to touch them. Suppose one does succeed in stinging you, you should follow the next steps:

⦁ Remove all leftover tentacles from the skin.
⦁ Add hot water to the area.
⦁ Rub a mixture of baking soda and seawater on the wound.
⦁ If any allergic reactions pop up, call 911 immediately.

As a parent, grandparent, or aunt and uncle, you have a great responsibility when going to the beach with little kids. Being on a vast beach with hundreds of people can be overwhelming to the little ones, and you need to set out rules to ensure they enjoy their time at the shore safely.

First, inform the children of the etiquette they must follow on the beach. This might not be a general rule, but considering those around you is one of the reasons we can all have a pleasant time on the beach together. These include:

⦁ Don’t shout or make loud noises.
⦁ Don’t run between the umbrellas; you can kick sand onto other people.
⦁ Behave and don’t aggravate your sibling.
⦁ Do it away from others when you want to play a sport or shake out a towel.
⦁ Ensure they know the rules for swimming, playing, and not littering.

Other rules you can implement to make it easier for the family to stay together and the kids to feel safer on the beach are:

⦁ Let them wear bright swimwear. This way, you can easily spot them between all the people on the beach.
⦁ Invest in a unique umbrella or any shade provider. Then, they will never get lost when they can spot it from wherever they might be playing.
⦁ Sit near a landmark they can trace back to you or your sitting area, for example, next to the restrooms or directly behind the swim flag.

When taking your kids to the water, never let them swim alone. Always have a grip on them, and never go too deep where you don’t feel in control anymore. In shallow water, never let your child out of sight and never further than arm’s length away from you.

Suppose you and your family are regular beach visitors. In that case, you can invest in specific lessons for ocean swimming techniques for the entire family. This will give you the skills to survive better in the ocean and the peace of mind that your child can escape an unpredictable situation.

Conclusion

The beach can bring many dangers. This is not a way to scare people or kids off but to get attention to beach safety rules, guidelines, and everything you need to know to enjoy a safe time at the beach.

Going to the beach is fun, but it can be memorable and safe if you stick to these rules and guidelines about the ocean, the beach, and how to conduct yourself. Stick to the rules and keep the beaches clean. This way, the beach will be accessible for many years to come.

Resources

https://www.un.org/zh/observances/drowning-prevention-day

https://www.un.org/zh/observances/drowning-prevention-day