Fencing was present in 27% of drowning cases, absent in 27% and faulty in 35% of cases * 

Children most commonly gained access to the pool through a faulty fence or gate (38%), lack of a fence (31%)  or a gate which was propped open (18%)*

*Royal Life Saving National Drowning Report 2016

Although pool drownings can occur at any time of the year, Spring is a timely reminder to ensure that pools are compliant with the relevant legislation to reduce the risk of such occurrences.

A building permit must be obtained before you install a new pool or spa, start construction on a new pool, spa or barrier or make alterations to a pool, spa or barrier (if not maintenance related).

When is a safety fence required for a pool or spa?

In Victoria, swimming pools and spas with a water depth of more than 300mm require a compliant fence to be installed. This includes inflatable pools.

Non compliance can lead to prosecution by the VBA or local councils. Accordingly it is the responsibility of the home owner to ensure they understand compliance requirements and regularly maintain safety barriers.

Below compliance items are a guide to safety fence compliance. For further compliance requirements, contact your Registered Building Surveyor.

Compliance Requirements

  • Minimum fence height must be 1.2m.
  • The height of an opening between the bottom of the barrier and ground level should not exceed 100mm.
  • Gaps in a safety fence should not exceed 100mm.
  • Barriers should be made from durable material such as timber, steel or glass
  • Whilst not a compliance requirement, due diligence should be taken with respect to items which could be used to facilitate climbing, such as pot plants, bbqs, chairs.

Gates

  • Applicable gates must open outward away from the pool area and have a minimum height of 1.2m.
  • Gates must return to the closed position and engage the latch automatically from any position and not re-open without using the manual release mechanism.
  • The latch must be a minimum of 1.5m above the ground level.
  • Gates should never be propped open

pool_barrier_gates

Walls / Boundary Fences

  • External Walls of a building can be used as a  swimming pool barrier as long as there are no doors opening into the pool area and the windows are treated with the acceptable window fixings.
  • Existing boundary fences can be used as a safety barrier provided they are well maintained, have a minimum height of 1800mm, and have a non climbable zone of 900mm radius.

climbable_objects_and_pool_barriers

Doors

  • Doors from a dwelling or garage are not permitted to open into a swimming pool area

Windows

  • Must be fitted with child resistant metal screens or bars that are fixed to the building or the window.
  • Must not open more than 125mm.

 

Further information can be found on the VBA website

Swimming pools, spas and their safety barriers | VBA