If you are a NSW homeowner and are thinking of building a swimming pool in your garden, there are safety aspects one must consider. Like all Australian states, NSW has clear guidelines regarding pool safety, and with that in mind, here are the details.
Compulsory Registration
NSW State government amended the 1992 Swimming Pool Act in 2013, meaning all swimming pools and spas must be registered. Furthermore, in 2016, it became law that a property with a swimming pool must have a valid compliance or non-compliance pool certificate if it is sold, and if you are going to build a pool, you will need to search online for the relevant NSW website and complete the registration process.
Pool Safety
As you would expect, a pool certificate is given when a set of guidelines are followed, and if you are looking for NSW swimming pool compliance, Google is your best friend. Once you have found the website of a local approved pool certification company, you can have your pool inspected.
Here are some of the guidelines:
- Minimum height of pool fencing is 1200mm.
- Maximum gap under pool fencing is 100mm.
- The interior area must be free of garden furniture, BBQ or any other item.
- Vertical gap in pool fencing cannot exceed 100mm.
- There must be a legible pool safety sign that can be viewed from any location within the pool area.
Furthermore, there must not be any object near the pool fencing that could be used by a child to climb over the fence. This includes trees, shrubs, furniture, or indeed, any object that could aid climbing, and you should walk around the pool, checking that nothing is within 1.5m of the fencing. The gate must be of the self-closing type, with a latch that locks the door in place.
The Pool Inspection
Once you think your pool is ready for the inspection, make a booking online with a local pool certifier and they would be happy to come at an agreed time and carry out the inspection. In the event the inspector is satisfied, you would be issued with a pool compliance certificate that is valid for 3 years, but should the pool not comply, the inspector would issue you with a non-compliance certificate.
Prior to booking a pool inspection, make sure that your pool complies with the guidelines above, then book an inspection on the provider’s website.
