A safety cover differs in that it can support a great deal of weight, though mine hit its failure point when the ice and snow melted and re-froze to the ice in the pool. The cover itself didn't tear or fail, but it tore down several copings that hold the liner, stretched many clips that hook to the retaining pegs, and even broke a couple. Still, if someone had fallen in, the cover almost certainly would have supported them, and, I'll be able to repair it for next season's closing by replacing clips.