Swimming pools are a good place where children and parents can bond together. It is used for have fun, relax and workout. In addition, pools can also add aesthetics to your home.
As pool ownners, making sure that the pools are compliant to NSW regulations is importnat, but it is not the main purpose. The ulmitate goal of getting a certficate of compliance for your swimming pool is to have a safe pool for your children to use.
Anything can happen in the pool. Incidents such as drowning or falling may occur in a matter of seconds. To avoid these tragedies, pool owners should be given advices and tips on how to make their pools safer for their kids. Read more below.
Common tips for a compliant and safer pool
It would be difficult to prevent your kids who are energetic from playing near the pool area. They would jump around the pool and push each other. Thus, you should try to ensure that your children are well-protected by following some tips below.
- Vigilance
To make sure that your kids will have a safe and enjoyable swimming experience, adult supervision and vigilance is a must. Children should not be left alone while they are in the swimming pool. Moreover, kids should be within your arm’s reach to save them from any possible accidents.
- Teach your kids how to swim
Teaching your kids how to swim can minimise their chance of getting drown. It is also better to enrol them to some formal swimming lessons to gain the right skills.
- Learn CPR
Accidents like falling, drowning, and heart attacks may occur around swimming pools. Thus, it is important to be always prepared. CPR is a lifesaving technique used around pools because it is easy to manage. Even older children and adults can do CPR as long as they have undergone proper lessons and training.
- Additional layers of protection
To make your pools compliant and safer, it is important to know some of the safety pool equipment that you can use for your pool.
Pool covers
Pool covers can either be motorised or manual barrier. It is placed over the pool’s water surface. When pools are not in use, it is advised to keep your pool closed to avoid children, stray insects and dried leaves from getting inside your pool. Pool covers also keep your pool protected especially during off-season months.
Pool alarms
There are different types of pool alarms you can install for your swimming pool. Perimeter alarms are used around the pool that creates a laser field. Whenever a child penetrates the field, then the alarm will sound. Pressure sensitive alarms are installed on the edge of the pool and it sounds when someone falls into the pool.
Moreover, gate alarms are attached to your pool gates and will make sounds when the field is broken into. Lastly, wearable alarms are usually for children. These are alarms that are worn around a child’s wrist and sounds when it gets immersed in water.
Pool fences
Amongst all the safety equipment, pool barriers are considered as the most effective way to restrict child’s access to the pool. Hence, rules regarding pool fences should be strictly followed in NSW. There are specific pool fencing requirements that your swimming pool need to meet.
Are pool barriers enough?
Having a pool fence is not enough. Sometimes, pool barriers may have common faults and issues when not properly maintained and used. Below are some of them.
1. Gate performance
Pool owners must check their pool gates regularly. Hinges and latch mechanism requires proper maintenance. If you fail to look after these parts, it may not function well. It can also be left open and might lead to some tragic circumstances.
2. Climbable objects
Objects like trees, chairs, etc. that are placed within the pool area or near the pool fence can be a threat to your child’s safety. These objects can be used to climb or can assist your kids in climbing over the pool fence.
3. CPR (Resuscitation) sign
Some pool owners do not give too much attention when it comes to CPR signs. Posting obscure without having recent pool resuscitation signs are the common issues for pool owners.
In order to avoid these issues, you must conduct regular maintenance on your pool fences. Aside from that, a complete pool fence inspection is needed to make sure that your pool is safe and compliant with the law.
Have your pools inspected
As part of Swimming Pool Act 2012, all pools in NSW are required to be inspected. Inspections can be conducted by your local council or a private certifier. Private inspectors are more reliable since they can give you a better report after the pool inspection. If needed, they can also provide pool repairs to fix your pool compliant and safety issues.
Conclusion
Keeping your pool compliant and safe for your kids must be your top priority as a pool owner. As part of your responsibility, a compliant pool barrier must also be installed. To make sure that your pool fence meets the standard, you can ask assistance from an expert private pool fence certifier. They can provide you with a comprehensive pool inspection and necessary pool repairs you need.