Owning a swimming pool comes with great responsibility. It is not enough to just make it pleasing to your eyes. You should also make sure that it is safe to use especially for younger kids. Aside from that, the pool should comply with the necessary pool standards.
Unfortunately, mistakes can be inevitable for pool owners. These common mistakes can make the pool non-compliant result in paying expensive fines. To help you prevent these mishaps, here is a blog post about 6 mistakes that make pool non-compliant.
1. Incorrect pool fence height
Some pool owners are not aware that there are specific considerations when it comes to pool fence height. The pool fence should not have a gap at the bottom that is more than 10cm from the ground. Moreover, if a boundary fence is part of the pool barrier, then the fence should be 1.8m in height.
The Swimming Pool Act also suggests that the minimum height for the pool barrier should be at least 1200mm.
2. Objects are not removed from the NCZ
Pool fence is a barrier to restrict the young children to access to the pool. However, these barriers will not be effective if there are climbable objects that are close to the pool fence.
The common objects that can be found near the pool fence are tree branches, pot plants, chairs ladders and even toys and barbecue grill.
According to the Swimming Pools Act, a Non-Climbable Zone must be maintained around the pool fence. The NCZ should be 900mm around the entire pool fence. It should also extend both upwards and downwards.
3. Faulty pool gate and windows
The pool has a child-resistant barrier. However, children can still access to the pool area if its gate is faulty. Some issues regarding pool gate and windows include failing self-closing and defective release mechanism.
Pool gate and doors are important parts of your pool fence. There are certain safety requirements that pool gate and windows should meet. The pool gate should be self-closing from any position and should latch by itself.
4. CPR signs are not clear
Sometimes, CPR signs are not situated in an area wherein it is visible for parents and guardians. Some warning signs are also not readable. As a result, people may not be prepared during an emergent event.
It is important for pool users to know the proper execution of CPR techniques. Thus, a clear CPR and resuscitation signs must be placed in a prominent position. It should also be readable from a distance of 3 meters.
5. Failure to register the pool
Pool registration is one of the things that most pool owners frequently overlooked.
It is vital to register your pools so that the local council can effectively communicate and educate pool owners. Moreover, registering your pools will ensure that the pool barriers comply with the safety standards.
You can go to the NSW Pool Register website to register your pool. You can also let your local council do it on your behalf. You just have to pay a fee of $10.
From 29 October 2013, pool owners who fail to register their pool will be charged a fine of up to $220.
6. Pools are not inspected
Some pool owners may think that pool inspection is not necessary. Others may also say that pool inspection is a burden to pool owners as it imposes additional cost.
On the contrary, pool owners are required to have their pools inspected. It can be done by your local council or a private certifier.
Pool inspection is required to se if your pool follows all the pool fence requirements. Having your pools inspected can also save you from unexpected situations such as pool accidents and drowning.
Conclusion
Pool owner must make sure that they follow all the pool compliance regulations in order to avoid the mistakes above. Even if you make some of these mistakes, the important thing is to learn from them and take actions.
A non-compliant pool can result in not only accidents such as drowning but also getting penalities from local council. Thus, it is vital to have your pools inspected.
If you need a certified pool certifier to inspect your pool, a reliable pool inspection company in NSW can provide it for you. They can inspect swimming pools and provide pool repair services to eliminate the pool non-compliance.