Swimming Pool Safety

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Swimming pools occupy many back yards and are incorporated in many new home designs around Tasmania.

From the blow up frameless temporary type, right through to the concrete formed and fibreglass/acrylic pre-formed pools, there are many shapes and sizes.

eb pool 02Did you know that ANY pool deeper than 300mm requires, by law, to be securely fenced or barricaded?

Even your department store special requires ‘pool fencing’ if it’s deeper than 300mm.

The minimum council requirement is a certificate of likely compliance from your building surveyor and council building approval, to ensure the fence or barricade complies with the Building Code of Australia and the pool is safe.

More ‘structural’ type pools require engineering design as well.

Some more substantial pools may also require a planning application. This would apply if retaining walls and/or decks are incorporated, and/or it encroaches on a property boundary.

Plumbing is required when the pool has a back-wash system and must either connect to council services or have an appropriate disposal system on un-serviced sites.

If you’re in doubt as to what you need to do consult with your local council and explain exactly what you want to achieve. Alternatively have your designer do it for you.eb pool 01

Your local swimming pool supplier can also advise you on the regulations and many have the relevant contacts to get your council documentation in order.

If you choose not to securely fence your pool, even if it’s temporary, you run the risk of an unwanted accident as well as the unwanted grief for not complying with the regulations which of course are law.

Comments

  1. Just installed a pool for a client . Sand was unstable and required $30k worth of chemical soil injection. ..just to stabalize the rear property …..lost funds , but cheaper than building your neighbours home again

  2. I didn’t know that any pool deeper than 300mm requires a fence or barricade. We just have a store bought above ground pool but it looks like we’ll have to look at what we need to get some sort of fence up. I’m glad there are safety requirements like this in place.

  3. All properties with pools in Brisbane require Pool safety certificates issued by a licensed pool safety inspector. They are required anytime you are selling, buying or leasing any time of property with a inground or above ground pool. The certificates are only valid for 2 years so you need to get one when ever you are looking to sell your house with a pool
    Great post really informative.

Leave a Comment

*