Understanding Pool Barriers

People love to take some time off and take a swim in their pool,  especially around the Christmas holidays. It is an enjoyable activity indeed, however, unforeseen dangers are always present no matter how cautious you are, especially without pool barriers.

Even if you aren’t using the pool, the threat of swimming pool accidents remains. This is the reason why pool owners have to make pool security a priority.

The best way to prevent pool mishaps is to have a swimming pool barrier installed. The barrier serves as a layer of protection around a swimming pool.

What Are Pool Barriers?

A barrier is also known as a pool fence. It is an obstacle that encircles a pool so that access to the pool is limited to adults.  The main point of having a barrier is to keep children from entering the pool thus preventing pool tragedy.

Why Is Pool Fencing Important?

Swimming pool barriers are vital to the safety of the pool. They protect people from a number of pool accidents such as drowning. Drowning is a common cause of accidental deaths worldwide.

Why Should Swimming Pool Barriers Be Inspected and Repaired?

Your pool barrier may not be safe enough and you may be unaware of it. Keep in mind that there are requirements for swimming pool fences and owners are expected to follow these.  Inspectors will check if the pool owners are abiding by the laws regarding barriers. This is a mandatory activity and owners of the pools are obliged to comply, otherwise, they will have to face penalties costing them large sums of money.

What Are The Common Pool Barrier Issues?

Pool gate hinges– The gates are the most used part of the pool fencing. They often need to be adjusted or replaced from time to time.

Pool fence locks and latches– This is a common problem since the gate latch loses quality over time. Using it frequently can cause havoc but fixing this problem is easy.

CPR chart– CPR charts are an important reference for saving a life. These charts deteriorate due to external factors such as the weather and often do not last more than 3-5 years.

Barrier Gaps – As time passes, the level of soil or garden beds can change in height as they are unstable, unlike cement. This situation can cause the gaps of the fences to be larger than allowed, so it must be fixed.

Is It Easy For Pool Owners To Comply?

Qualified swimming pool certifiers can certify and repair the pool fences as long as the costs of such activity will not exceed $1000. This makes it easier for owners to be compliant. The people who will repair the fencing should have NSW builders’ license. This means that they are reliable and will meet the standards. With this, you have a qualified tradesman who can assure you quality work.

With $1000, worth of repairs, a lot of work can be done from changing CPR charts to tree trimmings. Each swimming pool is unique and not all repairs will be the same. Some may cost less while some may cost more.

You may also want to read: The Ultimate Guidebook To VIC Pool Barrier Compliance

Why Is There a $1000 Limit For Fencing Fixes?

This amount is imposed to ensure that ONLY repairs are done by the certifiers without having to build a new fence.

What Can Be Done Now To Assure Pool Barrier Compliance?

Now that certain information has been given, one should contact a certified and reliable pool safety inspection company to ensure that the one’s pool barriers are at in line with the law.

Even if you think your pool is safe enough, it is still a good idea to contact certified inspectors to check on your barriers. You will never know when fixes are needed.
Having your swimming pool fences checked is a wise move. Doing this will give you peace of mind that your pool is safe and at the same time compliant with the law.