Swimming in the pool is one of the best bonding activities you and your family can enjoy. Swimming pools are fun places for the kids since they love to play and wander around the pool. Children are also very active and hyper when they are in the pool.
Therefore, parents and pool owners must not overlook the kids’ safety around the pool. A safety pool barrier must be installed to prevent possible injuries for your children.
However, is your pool safety fence really safe? See a piece of astonishing news below:
From the video (above) posted by Wendy Atkinson on her social media channel, her 2-year old son, Brodie effortlessly climbed their 1.5-metre gate in just 21 seconds. Mrs. Atkinson was planning to install a swimming pool in her backyard but suddenly changed the idea for the safety of her son.
This may be an impressive climbing skill for a toddler like Brodie, but it is also a warning sign to all the parents that they should have their pool fence inspected as soon as possible.
Since a noncompliant pool barrier contributes to quite a lot of children drowning cases, pool owners must try to make sure that their pool fence is safe and secured.
This article will provide some useful suggestions on how to have a safe pool fence for your kids.
How to ensure that your pool fence is truly safe?
Pool safety is very important especially when you have your children with you. To ensure that your pool barrier is safe, you must consider to take the following actions:
Conduct a regular maintenance check
A regular maintenance check for your pool is helpful to avoid unnecessary injuries and to prolong the lifespan of your pool barriers. Pool owners must ensure that the pool gates are functioning well all the time. The fence bolts and screws must also stay tight and in good condition without rust, holes or broken rails.
Conduct a self-assessment for your pool barrier
Below is a simple checklist to help you evaluate if your pool fence is safe. You can also check if you followed the safety pool fence regulations.
√ Pool gate self-closes.
√ Pool gate self-latches.
√ The latching device is at least 150cm off the ground.
√ The pool gate has a non-climbable zone of 90cm that is at least 120cm above the ground.
√ There are no trees, shrubs or any other objects such as chairs, ladders, barbeque stand or plant pots within the non-climbable zone.
√ The pool door opens outwards from the pool enclosure.
√ The pool gate does not have any pet doors.
√ Pool fence is at least 1.2m high from the ground level.
√ Pool fence does not leave a gap at the bottom bigger than 10cm from the finished ground level.
√ Pool barrier does not have gaps of more than 10cm between any vertical bars in the fence.
√ The horizontal climbable bars have space at least 90cm apart.
This checklist is just a guideline for the pool owners to have a secured pool and minimise the risk of damages. After conducting an assessment for your pool, you can ask your private certifier to conduct a safety pool inspection.
Have a safety pool fence inspection for your pool
Parents and pool owners must be responsible for complying safety pool barrier rules. Safety pool fence inspection is a must for all swimming pools. Here are the reasons why:
- To comply government rules
Pool fencing inspection is a legal requirement in NSW. It can be conducted by the local council or a private certifier. A penalty of up to $5,500 will be imposed for not complying the pool safety rules.
- For your child’s safety
Getting a pool inspected help you find out whether your pool is safe for your kids. Safety pool inspection is also an obligation every home owner should comply.
Conclusion
Installing a safety pool fence around your pool can help a lot to keep your child safe. You must also not forget to follow the safety pool fence regulations in NSW. Above all, the safety around your swimming pool must be your priority.
For inspection and other pool safety assistance, contact a reliable pool safety inspection company now. You can always ask for advices and recommendations from your swimming pool safety inspector.