Don

Can anyone give me a good link to Aus swimming pool statutary fence regs? The ones that stop next door's toddler toddling into your pool.

We have just acquired the dacha in the middle of our 'U' shaped bit of land, ie filling in the 'U' ; and it's got a pool, more of a plunge pool, really - about 3 metres by 2 m but nice and deep. (A dacha is the Central European version of a but 'n ben/ crib, ie a very modest dwelling in a patch of land where you get away from city life for the weekend or a holiday in summer. Our exising one would best be described as a wooden heap of junk but set in beautiful garden and glorious surroundings, national park and views over nice old village and wooded hills.)

Having two toddlers aged 3.5 and 1.5 plus one who is -0.5, I obviously need to get a proper fence put up around it.

Might stop me falling in when I've had too many beers as well.

Thanks.

Phoenixuk2oz

Ayup Don.......can't help with Aus stats re regs & pools I'm afraid....

Re falling in when had a few beers; Drink a few more......and the beer belly will stop ya from drowning m8

PS. Glad yr back ....now where's Bix...

walla

Don

You can try this:

http://www.standards.com.au/catalogu...AS084610439892


Walla

Don

Cheers Walla but any chance of a cut & paste? ( Would save me having to register.)

Don

Hiya PUK, tried to get my eldest swimming this summer and he did really well, not at all frightened of water but just a shade short of doggie paddling.

How are things your end?

walla

Sorry Don not registered myself but have found what you need I think:


http://notes.nt.gov.au/dcm/legislat/...3?OpenDocument

Walla

Phoenixuk2oz

Hiya Don

It's good to get the littleuns swimming from a very young age. They seem to pick it up real quick don't they....

Things for us are REAllY good here; we're loving it thanks

walla

Don did you send those 8 karma points this morning to me or Bob?

Walla

Don

Cheers Walla, I think this is the main bit we need to brief the fence/ gate guys:



2. Swimming pool barrier

(1) The swimming pool barrier should be a permanent structure.

(2) The swimming pool barrier should have the effect of isolating the swimming pool from the main entrance to the premises at which the swimming pool is situated and from any other means of access to the premises.

(3) Driveway gates should not be used as part of the swimming pool barrier.

(4) The swimming pool barrier must be high enough to prevent a child from gaining unsupervised access to the swimming pool (unless

subclause (5) applies – approximately 1.2 m at all points measured vertically from the outside of the barrier).

(5) If the swimming pool barrier is made of chainmesh, the height of the swimming pool barrier should be approximately 1.7 m at all points measured vertically from the outside of the swimming pool barrier.

(6) All horizontal rails should be a suitable distance apart (a minimum of approximately 900 mm) or have some means of preventing a child from gaining unsupervised access to the swimming pool.

(7) Apertures in the swimming pool barrier should not be greater than approximately 100 mm.

3. Use of part of perimeter boundary as swimming pool barrier

Although section 11(2) of the Act precludes the whole of a perimeter boundary from being used as a swimming pool barrier, it does not prevent any part of the perimeter boundary that forms a dividing barrier from being used as a swimming pool barrier.

4. Gates in swimming pool barriers

(1) Any gate that forms part of the swimming pool barrier should open away from the swimming pool and should automatically self-close and self-latch (including when at rest on the latching mechanism).

(2) The latching release mechanism should be a minimum of approximately 1.5 m from the ground, and a minimum of approximately 1.4 m from the highest point of the lower horizontal part of the swimming pool barrier, measured vertically on the outside of the swimming pool barrier.

(3) Double gates are not suitable to form part of the swimming pool barrier.

(4) At no time should any gate forming part of the swimming pool barrier be propped open.



****Just need a few pictures now...

Don

Was too busy reading the newspapers to check...just tried for you Walla and I have to spread it around, will write you an IOU

Don

Anyone got some pictures of their pool fence?

Wol

Call me cynical if you will, but the .pdf document shows the way things have gone: there are pages and pages of regulations concerning the paperwork, licencing, permits etc - and the last bit, almost as an afterthought, giving details of the actual hardware required!

Another example of the nanny state: everyone has to make a complete pigs breakfast of their pool area in order to - theoretically - prevent how many? kids falling in the water.

By spending a country's entire GNP you might get close to perfect safety in all fields, but I for one would not think it a viable thing to do.

queenie

Have a look at this info

http://www.poolfencing.qld.gov.au/pu...nes.pdf#page=6

Depending on the area of Australia, pool fencing may or may not be compulsory, or if it is compulsory you can get an exemption if no children live in the house and no children under 5 visit more than 4 times a year etc.

I guess you are just wanting to best fence your pool to be safe. The guidlines are very strict. Gates can only open outwards, be self-closing, the child lock must be so high, the fence posts must be so close together. Only certain companies products are allowable, new companies must apply to be authorised etc.

My 3 year old can still get in though. He is tall enough to reach the child lock, so we padlocked the gate. Now he just somehow shimmies over. The whole backgarden is now out of bounds and all doors are locked to prevent escape. I have seen laminated resusitation guides that you hang over the fence for emergencies, so I may get one of those too. He does take swimming lessons but I think the cold of the pool would stop his heart at the moment. Last week he nearly drowned in his lesson too 'cause the teacher wasn't watching, although she was 1 metre away. Drowning is very silent.

You are very wise to do everything you can to fence the pool properly.

Queenie

Queenie

fattyandgyps

Hi Don
may I suggest you contact your local council and they will give you the regulations for pool fences in your shire, afterall, they will be the one's inspecting the fence when it is finished. Although it is a pain in the arse sometimes to build these fences around backyard pools, just watch the news over the next few months and you'll see it wont be long before another toddler dies in someones backyard pool

Siren & Brian

CYNICAL....

Unfortunately another toddlers drowning today .....