Accidents such as injuries and drowning can happen to anyone in the swimming pool. More often, kids below 5 years old are highly at risk with drowning. A child can even drown silently in the pool within a few seconds. Hence, pool safety is very important.
For pool owners, it is necessary to ensure that your pool is safe for kids. But how to ensure that the pool is safe for your children? To prevent pool-related mishaps, it is vital to have enough knowledge about pool safety. Here are the 8 things you need to know about pool safety.
1. Why do you need a fence around the pool?
Drowning is considered as one of the leading causes of death among children from ages 5 and below. Aside from adult supervision, a child-resistant pool barrier is required in NSW. This is needed to restrict the child’s access to the pool and avoid pool-related accidents.
A pool fence is needed for compliance. Different states in Australia have their own list of compliance regulations.
2. Do you need a pool fence around an above-ground pool?
According to the Swimming Pools Regulations 2008, an effective child-resistant barrier is required for above ground pools. Moreover, it should follow the relevant pool compliance regulations in NSW.
3. Do inflatable pools also need fence?
If an inflatable pool can be filled with 300mm or more water, then it should follow relevant pool compliance regulations. A pool fence with a height of at least 1200mm should be installed around an inflatable pool. Aside from that, it should be registered in the NSW Pool Register.
4. What is pool fencing laws?
Here are some of the basic pool fencing laws in NSW:
Pool fence should be at least 1200mm (1.2m) all the way around
There should be a gap of no more than 100mm from the bottom of the fence to the ground.
Swimming pool fences should always be in good condition. It should have no breaks, holes, gaps or other damages.
Objects such as pots, barbecues, trees, plants, furniture, etc. should not be placed within the Non-Climbable Zone (NCZ) of the pool. The NCZ is within 900mm.
The pool gates must open outwards. It should also be self-closing.
There should be a resuscitation sign displayed within the pool area.
If a boundary fence is used as part of pool fence, it should have a height of at least 1800mm. Moreover, it should have no footholds that will allow children to access the pool.
5. What depth of pool requires a fence?
The standard requirements for pool fence apply if the pool (inflatable or portable) has a depth of greater than 300mm. This means that all the pool compliance regulations are also strictly implemented for this depth.
6. What does the law say about boundary fence?
If the boundary fence forms as a part of the pool fence, then it should measure at least 1200mm from the outside of the fence. This is applicable for pools that are installed before 1st September 2008. On the other hand, if the pool is installed in or after 1st September 2008, the boundary fence should be at least 1800mm high from the inside of the fence.
7. How much is a pool safety certificate?
A pool certificate is issued if the pool fence is compliant with the law. In order to obtain a pool certificate, a comprehensive pool inspection is needed.
If inspections were made by a local council, a fee of up to $150 will be charged. However, the lead time of the services that are given by local council usually take longer than private certifiers.
For private inspectors, the initial inspection may cost you up to $300. Additional costs for a follow-up inspection may charge up to $150. But different private certifiers have different pices. Basically you get what you pay for.
8. How long is a pool safety certificate valid?
From the date of issue, a pool certificate of compliance is valid for 3 years. A valid certificate of compliance is required if the pool owner is going to sell or lease a property with a pool.
Conclusion
Although pools are known to be places for fun activities and family bonding, pool safety is often overlooked. As a pool owner, pool safety should be your number one priority above anything else.
One of the ways to make sure pool safety is to have your pools inspected. You can ask a professional to do this. An accredited private certifier can provide quality services such as comprehensive pool inspection and pool repair which can make your life a lot easier.