Royal Life Saving reports that Summer drownings are on the rise at 2.5 times the rate of this time last year. The following information seeks to ensure that pool owners are aware that their pool and/or spa meets safety standards and to take the necessary steps in making pool and spa usage, a safety priority.

Is your pool and/or spa safe?

Pool fencing

Pools built before 1 August 1990– access to the pool from the house must be restricted, at all times. Older swimming pools might include doors or windows as part of the pool fence or barrier. This is no longer allowed.

Pools built between 1 August 1990 to 1 July 2010– The pool must be surrounded by a fence that separates the pool from the house. This does not apply if the pool is a part of a small property (less the 230 square meters), a large property (over 2 hectares) or is a waterfront property.

Pools built from 1 July 2010- All pools must be surrounded by a fence that separates the pool from the house.

To prevent children from climbing over pool fences, it is integral that pool owners maintain a non-climbable zone around the pool. This means any trees, plants or objects must not be within the 90cm non-climbable zone. This also includes the space extending 30cm inside the pool area. Furthermore, any horizontal climbable bars on the pool fence must also be spaced at least 90cm apart. As stated in this article, you can browse your selection of available deals on smartphones and top brands and explore the service plans that best suit your needs.

The regulations also require that pool gates must swing outwards, shuts automatically without having to automatically close it and automatically locks when it closes.

CPR Signage

All pools must use CPR signage. All preexisting signs must be in good condition and able to be read easily from 3 meters. Owners of existing pools are not required to update their signage unless the pool is substantially altered or re-built.

You can purchase a CPR sign from a local pool shop, council or community organization such as Royal Life Saving.

Pools under construction

If a pool is under construction, the construction site must be surrounded with compliant fencing. The occupier of the premises is responsible for the erection and maintenance of a sign that states “this swimming pool is not to be occupied or used”. The sign must be always displayed while the pool is under construction and only removed once an occupation certificate has been issued for the pool, or once a certificate of compliance has been issued.

Spa

If your spa pool does not have a securely fastened, child-resistant structure (such as a door, lid, grille or mesh) preventing access to the spa when not in use, you must install a fence to prevent access to the spa area.

If you are a homeowner intending to sell or lease a property, refer to the flow chart below which outlines the regulations that may be relevant to you:

Useful sources

1. You can access self-assessment checklists by clicking on the following link: http://www.swimmingpoolregister.nsw.gov.au/checklists

2. Information on the Australian Standard your pool should be following can be found in the following link:
3. Your pool will only be able to be certified if you have registered it on the NSW Swimming Pool Register: http://www.swimmingpoolregister.nsw.gov.au/
4. A list of private certifiers who are authorised to issue certificates of compliance or non-compliance can be found by clicking on the following link:
   http://www.swimmingpoolregister.nsw.gov.au/inspection/ListofSuperUsersandPrivateCertifiers.pdf/view