Media release

12 December 2014

Pool owners – be watersafe

While backyard swimming pools can be a great source of holiday fun for young children they can also potentially be a deathly trap.

Adequate fencing and gates and ensuring there are no items for children to climb into a pool or over a fence are key elements to ensuring pool safety for young children.

The pool safety legislation introduced in 1987 has helped to reduce the number of young children drowning in home pools from more than 100 in the 10 years to 1982 down to 30 in the 10 years to 2012

“Clearly, the fencing of swimming pools and ensuring gates are closed has made a significant difference,” says Councillor Denise Krum, deputy chair of Auckland Council’s Regulatory and Bylaws Committee.

“By ensuring pools are properly fenced and gates automatically close and latch, owners can be more confident their pool will be safer.”

She says simple precautions can make all the difference, such as appropriate fencing, self-closing gates, making sure there are no toys or plant pots next to the fence for little ones to use as a leg up, and active supervision of children at all times. It is also important for pool owners to register their pool with the council.

Auckland Council’s Building Control general manager, Ian McCormick, says there are legal fencing requirements to prevent unsupervised children accessing the pool.

“We encourage owners to carry out regular maintenance of pool fencing and gates to ensure they are still safe between three-yearly inspections,” says Mr McCormick.

“Most problems can be avoided with simple checks and fixes, especially around the gate. It’s also important for people to register their pool with council so that we have a record of it.”

The responsibilities are the same whether the pool is a traditional permanent fixture in the ground, or one of the number of inflatable or frame pools which range from simple paddling pools to large 7m long structures. The full details of pool owners’ responsibilities are available on the Auckland Council website, search for ‘pools and spas’.

“Often pool owners want to know when they need a fence and what the restrictions are. On our website we have guidelines and an informative video to help keep kids safe,” says Mr McCormick.

Because of wear and tear or ground movement, gates around pools can shift and sometimes stop closing, and fences are also subject to damage, so by law councils have to inspect pools to ensure the safety measures are in place.

Jonny Gritt, CEO, WaterSafe Auckland (WAI) reinforces the point that these regulations are here to help and to protect children and not to interfere with our enjoyment of the water.

“The bottom line,” he says,”is that there is no substitute for close, active adult supervision to keep our tamariki safer in, on and around home pools.”

Auckland Council initial inspections are free, with re-tests requiring a fee, so it pays to make the simple checks. Council pool safety inspectors are able to provide free advice to make sure pools are safe, and are able to make advisory visits on Saturdays by appointment.

People can register their pool or check if an existing pool is already registered by calling Auckland Council on (09) 301 0101.

Ends

Notes for editors

With regards to the inflatable and frame pools, the key things to note are;

• When the water level is kept below 40cm, the pool will not need consent or a fence – as long as the water level remains below 40cm. However it is worth remembering any pool is still a hazard, so you may want to empty the pool when not supervised or place a heavy cover over it to prevent a small child falling in

• If the depth of water is over 40cm, then the fencing rules will apply and the pool needs building consent.

• For the fence, or barrier, to be considered effective, it must be at least 1.2m high, no gap of more than 10cm between the ground and the bottom of the fence, and a minimum distance of 90cm between any climb points or footholds, such as lateral supports, straps, or pipes, and the top of the fence.

• Gates must automatically close and latch

© Scoop Media