Is it safe to be a swinger?

I have always thought about the idea about being a swinger off and on and now the thought has been in my head even more now. I'm done having children...I have a 4yr old and a 1yr old and I do live with their father but we don't consider ourselves together. we just live together for the convience. I don't want to disrespect him and sleep with someone else so I have always asked him to think about the idea so we can go together so he doesn't think I am trying to disrespect him. If we both go then we can be with other people w/o the feelings that we are disrespecting the other person. He used to always say no right away but now he is at least thinking about it and he said he would consider it. I want us to be able to do something fun together and I think this is the best thing possible. I really want to do it...but I have to be careful mostly for my children. I want to be around for them for a long time and I don't want to catch anything. For those of you that have done this type of thing, is it safe?