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Posted on 24/11/2016

Swimming pool safety at home

Swimming pool safety at home

We are finally getting some hot days and with summer kicking off next week, there is no doubt those of us with pools will be putting them to good use over the next few months.

As fun as swimming pools are, it is a sad fact of life that drowning is the most common cause of preventable death of children aged 0–5 years. According to the Department of Commerce, domestic swimming pools are the most common site in which drowning for children aged 0–5 years occurs in WA, with 94 per cent of drowning incidents at locations in and around the home. Of that 94 per cent, 31 per cent occurred at a relative or neighbour’s home.

Whether you have a below ground pool, above ground pool, spa or portable pool, it is vital to ensure that it is adequately fenced to meet the legal requirements set in place by the WA government.

A safe pool fence is at least 1.2m high; has a self-closing, self-latching, child-resistant gate with the latch located at more than 1.5m high; has vertical bars no more than 100mm apart; and has horizontal bars at least 900mm apart.

The Royal Life Saving Society – Australia has developed a fantastic home pool safety checklist that allows pool owners to conduct a self-assessment of their pool and its surrounds to ensure it is safe for everyone to enjoy and minimises the risk of young children drowning.

The checklist features eight sections: the Swimming Pool Gate, Swimming Pool Fence, Around the Swimming Pool Fence, Supervision, Pump, Grates and Suction, Emergency Preparation, Chemicals, Electricity. This checklist does not substitute for a pool inspection and has been produced for education purposes only. Pool owners should consider getting a professional assessment of their pool’s compliance.

To view the checklist, simply click here.

For more information or advice on your pool area, contact your local pool installer.