You are here » Home » 

Environmental Health - Pool Safety

Page Updated: November 16, 2011

Don't Take the Risk

Don't Take the Risk - have your pool safety fence professionally checked! Receive a free CPR sign when you apply for a Warringah Council professional pool safety fence inspection for only $70. Book a Pool Safety Fence Inspection (PDF, 170KB).

Request a Service - Private Swimming Pool

In Australia, drowning is the single most common cause of death due to injury for children under five years of age. About half of these deaths occur in residential swimming pools or spas.

According to the Children’s Hospital at Westmead, children who drown in swimming pools often do so because of faulty pool fencing.

To help prevent drowning, the NSW Swimming Pools laws require correct child-safe barriers to be installed around private swimming pools, including inflatable pools that are capable of being filled with 30cm or more of water. Although inflatable and portable pools often hold less water than permanent swimming pools, they present the same drowning hazard.

Home drowning deaths occur all year round and it is your responsibility as a pool owner to ensure that your pool is safe. In addition to safe pool fencing, adults need to supervise children around the pool at all times.

Following are some requirements under the Swimming Pools Act 1992 to prevent home drowning deaths.

Pool Safety Requirements include:

  • A resuscitation chart must be provided within the pool area
  • Pool gates must open outwards from the pool area and are required to be self-closing and self-latching. The pool latch mechanism must be 1.5 metres above ground level or have a shield if the mechanism is lower.
  • Pool fencing must be a minimum height of 1.2 metres above ground level. Boundary fences which form part of the pool safety fence constructed or modified after September 2008 must be 1.8 metres
  • Gaps under and within fence/gates must not be greater than 100mm
  • There should be no obstructions around the pool fence which could be used as a foothold for a child to climb the pool fence
  • Swimming pools and safety fencing should not be installed without prior consent from Council
  • Fences and gates require ongoing maintenance to ensure that they remain effective barriers
  • Gates should never be left open or propped open
  • Items that can be potentially climbable must be kept clear at least 900mm of fences and gates

For more information on pool safety, please view Council’s Swimming Pool Safety Fencing Fact Sheet which includes the new requirements made in December 2009.

Council carry out random inspections of backyard swimming pools to ensure compliance with the Swimming Pools Act 1992, Swimming Pools Regulation 2008 and Australian Standard 1926. View the Standard.  

For copyright reasons Council cannot provide copies of Australian Standards. A copy of Australian Standard 1926 is available to be reviewed at Council's Customer Service at Civic Centre, Dee Why.

Should a swimming pool not comply with the NSW swimming pool laws a notice will be issued directing works to be carried out. Failure to comply with the provision of the notice will result in the instigation of legal proceedings in the local Court (maximum penalty $5,500) or by way of an on the spot Penalty Infringement Notice ($550).

In the interest of safety for your family and those visiting your home, please ensure you comply with the swimming pool fencing requirements at all times.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation  (CPR)

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation posterCardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a combination of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions that delivers oxygen and artificial blood circulation to a person who is in cardiac arrest. It can be life-saving first aid.

It is a requirement that the correct CPR sign be prominently displayed within the pool enclosure.

Knowing how to administer CPR is an essential skill for anyone who has a backyard swimming pool. More information on CPR (PDF, 62KB).

Click here for larger version of CPR poster (PDF, 214KB).

Contact Council

Request a Service - Private Swimming Pool or contact Council’s Compliance Services on 9942 2111.

Useful Links

Search this Site

Environment Links