Written by QBCC QLD Admin and published on https://www.qbcc.qld.gov.au/.
Swimming pools and spas are great places for family fun. It’s important to ensure everyone follows these simple safety steps to stay safer in and around the water.
Helpful tips on making your pool safer
Below are some simple and cost-effective ways to make your pool safer and help you comply with the pool safety standard laws.
Garden beds and ground levels
- remove surrounding garden beds from the fence
- reduce the height of surrounding ground levels and garden beds
- raise the barrier height to at least 1200 millimetres above the finished ground level (permanent stable surface).
Gates
- ensure that the gate doesn’t swing inwards towards the pool area
- install a striker or latch to make the gate self-latching
- ensure the gate is self-closing and self-latching from any position without the use of a manual force
- adjust the self-closing mechanism or replace the hinges to make the gate self-closing
- oil the hinges if the gate is not closing properly
- ensure the gate is regularly maintained
Climbable objects
shield any climbable objects with a non-climbable material such as flat polycarbonate sheeting, vertical palings or a ‘fillet’ that has an angle of 60 degrees or more- trim any branches within 900 millimetres of the pool barrier – if there are branches overhanging from an adjacent property, you may need to negotiate with your neighbour to remove them
- if vertical gaps are more than 10mm, fix a timber wedge fillet (minimum 60 degree angle) along the horizontal rails within the 900 millimetre non-climbable zone
- shield any lattice or other climbable material within the non-climbable zone with a non-climbable material such as flat polycarbonate sheeting or vertical palings
- trim any climbable vegetation away from the barrier
- remove all climbable objects within the 900 millimetres non-climbable zone
Windows that access the pool area
- a window can be part of the barrier if—
- there is a clear drop of at least 1800mm from the sill down to the pool area, or
- the window sill is 1200mm high on the inside with no climbable objects within 900mm
- otherwise, the window must be permanently fixed shut with security screens or with a permanent window chock so it can’t be opened wider than 100 mm. This ‘chock’ is not able to be removed by hand and can only be removed by way of using a tool e.g. an Allen Key.
- a permanent flyscreen can be used if the height on the inside is more than 900mm and less than 1200mm
- gaps between louvres must be no more than 100mm and louvres must be fixed in place so that they cannot be removed without the use of a tool. Glass louvres must pass strength and rigidity requirements, and thin glass may not meet standards.
- window locks cannot be used as they can be left unlocked.
Original post here https://www.qbcc.qld.gov.au/home-building-owners/pool-safety/helpful-tips-making-your-pool-safer.
