What are the rules for pools and spas in Australia?

Drowning is the most common cause of preventable death of children aged 0–5 years. Over the past five years, 16 toddlers have drowned in Western Australia. For every drowning death, it is estimated that 10 children are admitted to hospital following a near-drowning incident (160 children over the past five years).

In WA, domestic swimming pools are the most common site in which drowning for children aged 0–5 years occurs, with 94 per cent of drowning incidents at locations in and around the home. Of that 94 per cent, 31 per cent occurred at a relative or neighbour’s home.

These tragic incidents can be significantly reduced if we are all aware of the potential hazards of water in our everyday life, use simple prevention methods and learn the life saving skill of resuscitation.

There are specific laws in WA that mandate the installation of a safety barrier to enclose private swimming and spa pools.

The laws are intended to protect the safety of young children by restricting their access to the area containing the swimming or spa pool.

What are the rules for pools and spas in Victoria?

All swimming pools and spas with a depth of water more than 300 mm (referred to as “pool” throughout this document) associated with Class 1, 2 and 3 buildings and a Class 4 part of a building, or a children’s service, must have safety barriers to restrict access by children under five years of age to the pool area.

What are the rules for pools and spas in Queensland?

For more specific information about pool safety requirements, contact your local council or a private building certifier.

To have your swimming pool fence inspected contact your local council.

Copies of Queensland building legislation can be obtained by visiting www.legislation.qld.gov.au

These guidelines are not intended to be, and should not be relied upon as, the ultimate and complete source of information on swimming pool fencing.

Department of Infrastructure and Planning
Building Codes Queensland
PO Box 15009 City East Qld 4002 Australia
tel +61 7 3227 8548 free-call fax +61 7 3237 1248
buildingcodes@dip.qld.gov.au
www.dip.qld.gov.au/poolfencing

What are the rules for pools and spas in the Northern Territory?

New pools and spas:

(installed after 1 January 2003) must be certified as complying with the Modified Australian Standard or the Non-Standard Safety Provision. The Australian Standards that are called up by the Swimming Pool Safety Regulations are AS 1926.1-1993 “Swimming Pool Safety Part 1: Fencing for swimming pools” and AS 1926.2-1995 “Swimming Pool Safety Part 2: Location of fencing for private swimming pools”.

Can polymer products be re-keyed or replacement keys provided for existing locks?

The gate locks can be rekeyed, but not the top pull latch. We only have replacement keys for the top pull latch.

What are the rules for pools and spas in Tasmania?

In Tasmania building permits are required and obtained from your local council for the installation of all swimming pools above and below ground where the maximum water surface area is greater than 9 metres and maximum water depth is greater than 300 millimetres. Swimming pools must provide child resistant safety fencing.

All access doors or gates are to be fitted with child-resistant self-closing and latching devices and where incorporating an external wall of a building, any doors and openable windows to the pool area should be fitted with self-closing and latching devices that are child-resistant.

Options for the location of pool safety fencing include isolating the swimming pool from all parts of the allotment, buildings and neighbouring allotments using an enclosure of safety fencing. Alternatively the pool can be isolated from other parts of the allotment, buildings and neighbouring allotments utilizing the existing boundary fencing and walls of buildings on the allotment provided there is no climbing points for access on the boundary fencing or access from the building to the pool area. If access is provided from the building to the pool area any access door and window opening to the pool area must be protected with child-resistant doorsets and child-resistant openable portions of window.

Swimming pool safety fencing should be designed and constructed so as to be non-climbable by young children having regard to the height of the fence, any horizontal climbable members, openings and footholds in the fence and the operation of self-closing and latching gates.

Additional requirements for swimming pools, which will effect design considerations and include provisions for drainage of swimming pools, water recirculation and inlet and outlet openings and skimmer boxes.

What are the rules for pools and spas in South Australia?

From 1 January 2014 amendments to the Development Regulations 2008 will require councils to inspect all new pools for compliance. Building Advisory Notice Council inspections of new swimming pools provides information explaining the new requirements.

Please contact the South Australian government for more information about the laws and regulations regarding pools.

What are the rules for pools and spas in ACT?

Fencing and other safety barriers for a swimming pool or spa that requires building approval and that is associated with a residential building must comply with the Building Code of Australia (BCA).

An outdoor pool area must not be accessible through a door, a pool gate is required, and a hinged door accessing an indoor pool area must swing away from the pool area.

ACT Government Environment and Sustainable Development Factsheet pools www.actpla.act.gov.au

What are the rules for pools and spas in NSW?

The Swimming Pools Act 1992 and its regulations work together with Australian Standard 1926 (AS1926) to establish the safety standards for ‘backyard’ swimming pools. These documents have been updated a number of times and, as a result, apply differently at different points in time.

The legislation can be found:

• Swimming Pools Act 1992

• Swimming Pools Regulation 2008

The Australian Standard (AS1926) is a document protected by copyright and cannot be reproduced here. Your local council should have a copy of the Standard available for viewing. The relevant versions of the Australian Standard are dated 1986, 2007 and 2012.

According to the Swimming Pools Act 1992, swimming pools must be surrounded by a Child- Resistant Barrier. It is the pool owner’s responsibility to ensure your swimming pool barrier is in good repair and good working condition.