I read an article recently in the Brisbane Times that said that over the past 12 months 1 in 4 pools failed a basic safety check. Sadly, my experience inspecting pools show comparable results. Drowning continues to be the leading cause of accidental death in children under 5 years of age in Australia. The number of children drowning in Australia has decreased over the past 10 years and I contribute the reduction in deaths to several factors. Most pool owners are more informed of the safety requirements for swimming pools and want to provide a safe environment for children. They will fix issues as they occur or when they become aware during a pool safety inspection. The requirement for current pool safety certificates when a property is sold or leased increases the likely hood that a pool is handed over to the new owner or tenant in a safe condition.
Most-common safety risks identified during a pool inspection:
- Faulty or damaged gate latches or hinges.
- Objects such as furniture, pots and toys allowing children to climb into pools.
- Poor fence maintenance
- Changing pool fencing so that it no longer complies with the standard.
- Outdated or non-existent “how to save a life” signs.
If you have any concerns about the safety of your pool or have questions about pool safety, feel free to give me a call, or better still get me out to have a look.
The Brisbane Times article is available here