It must be every child’s dream to have a pool in their backyard, so if you have one, how do you keep it safe? There are a range of factors to help keep you, your family and friends safe. Let’s take a look at the key elements to make sure your pool is safe and ready for you to enjoy all year round.
Be fence compliant
Your pool fence and gate must be safe and secure, standing at least 1.2m tall. The pool gate must have a latch and self-closing and self-latching function, with the latch secured 1.5m above the ground.
There are a range of fencing styles available, from traditional powder to wood, to glass and even mesh options. All of these options are entirely pool safety compliant, so they will be able to keep you and your family safe.
All pool fences in Victoria are required to be registered with your local council. For registration, your pool fence must pass a compliance inspection. During this inspection, your inspector will check the safety and security of your gate, fence and surrounding areas.
Your pool cannot be registered without a safety inspector issuing a compliance certificate, and unregistered pools attract large fines. Don’t risk the fine, and get a pool inspector from the Pool Barrier Services team to check your fence today.
Teach kids pool safety
The most crucial part of pool safety to teach children is to stay away from the swimming pool unless they have an adult to supervise. When a child is in the pool area, it is imperative that they are within arms reach of an adult at all times, especially when they are in the water. Teach your children to be responsible in and around the water.
Children that are confident in the water are less likely to have fatal accidents. Teaching your child to swim or at least float and not panic in the water can be the difference between life and death. Check with your local government about swimming lessons and pool safety sessions for children.
Important information about toys
Toys for the pool are great fun, but remember, most of them are not designed to be floatation devices. Check your toys carefully and invest in proper floatation devices such as blow-up rings, loungers and pool noodles. Items that float, such as balls and other toys, are not designed to be used safely as floatation devices and therefore should be used with caution.
If you choose to have toys in and around your pool, check their quality often. Being exposed to the sun and pool chemicals can cause the integrity of the pool toys to decrease. When toys or floatation devices start to fade or break, it is time to replace them.
To help prolong the life of your pool toys, rinse them off and let them dry completely before packing them away. Keep them in a cool dark place as warm places may cause plastics to crack.
Maintain your fence and gate
Just as you would perform regular maintenance on your car, your pool fence needs regular checks and maintenance. Your fence is exposed to the elements and is subjected to harsh sunlight, heat, cold and rain.
Being exposed to the elements can leave parts rusted, corroded and falling apart. Keeping a regular check on your fence means addressing small maintenance issues before they become large maintenance issues.
Maintenance issues can cause a fence to be non-compliant, and a non-compliant fence cannot be registered with your local council. Keeping your fence compliant and safe shouldn’t take much time if done regularly.
- Take a walk around your fence to inspect it
- Ensure the panels are sturdy and bolted on correctly
- If you have a powder-coated fence, ensure there are no nicks or chips in the paint as the metal underneath easily rusts and becomes unsafe
Leave play for outside the pool area
If you are designing your pool area, remember to keep your fence close to around your pool and avoid including large areas that are tempting to play in. Keep your outdoor table setting outside the pool area, and limit the activities you do inside the pool enclosure.
Let us keep your family safe by guiding you through all of the best safety tips for you and your family. Remember to keep your pool fence well maintained and in good condition, and repair or replace when necessary. Don’t leave it too late to fix any issues, no matter how small they may seem.
Take away a little bit of the stress of keeping your kids safe around the pool by teaching them to swim and teaching them to be confident in the water. If you are playing in the pool, keep within arms reach of your children and help them be safe.
If you have any questions regarding your pool fence or keeping your pool safe for the little ones, contact the team at Pool Barrier Services, and we will be happy to answer all your questions.