Everything You Ought to Know About Swimming Pool Fence (Safety Rules Included)

As swimming pool owners, you are personally accountable for the injuries that your pool may cause to your children. Kid’s access to the swimming pool can be restricted with the help of pool barriers.

Pool fence protects your children by preventing them from entering the pool. After you install your pool fence, it is also very crucial to ensure that it complies with the pool safety rules.

Here is a guide to educate you on the things you need to know about swimming pool fence.

Types of pool fences

Before installing a pool barrier, you should consider various types of pool fences. Even though your purpose of putting up a pool barrier is to keep your kids safe, you still prefer to have a good-looking pool area.

Here are a few pool fence types:

· Glass panel pool fence

This type of pool fence is made from tempered glass. You can choose from various designs such as framed, frameless, semi-frameless or in-ground.

Glass panel pool fences are transparent and don’t block the view of your pool. However, glass panel fences are more expensive than other types of pool fences.

· Aluminium and steel pool fence

This type of pool fence is typically made of tubular vertical bars. This is the most common pool barrier because it is durable, versatile and requires less maintenance. Aluminium and steel pool fences are also low cost and readily available.

· Mesh pool fence

Mesh pool fence is another type of pool fence. This type of pool fence comes in various materials such as plastic and wire.

If you want to install pool barrier around your pool, the amount of fencing work may vary depending on your specific requirement.

How much does pool fencing job cost?

Pool fencing is priced by the square metre. A standard pool fencing job cost $150/m. Big fencing jobs require extra work which may require you to pay up to $318/m or even more.

Pool fencing cost is affected by the size of the job and the type of fence to be installed. Other factors that lead to price differentiation includes the type of material used, fence decoration, fence height and length.

There are a lot of pool fences available now in the market. If you don’t have a safety pool fence around your pool, you are highly recommended to purchase and install one, just to make sure that you and your kids are safe around your swimming pool.

Is pool fencing better than other safety pool devices or products?

Safety pool devices or products are used to reduce the risk of unexpected accidents in the pool. Pool products such as pool covers and pool nets can protect your children and your pool. However, pool fencing is still the best and effective way to keep your kids away from the pool.

Can pool barriers keep your children safe?

A swimming pool can draw much attraction and interest particularly to the kids. It is also a place for relaxation and enjoyment. However, pools can be a risky place for young children especially when they are left unattended.

Consider this scenario:

• On a hot sunny day, a little girl had so much fun playing under a big old tree. She looked over their backyard and saw a pool. The pool seemed inviting so she didn’t mind playing around the pool for a little while.
• Since she was not guided by an adult, she carelessly jumped off the pool. But suddenly, she realised that the water went over her head and got drowned.

This tragedy can be prevented if a safety pool barrier was installed. If you don’t want this to happen to your children, you should install a pool fence as soon as possible. Consult the right Hanover area landscapers how to install it properly, making it a part of your overall lawn design.

In NSW, there are safety pool requirements that every pool owners should meet.

How high does a pool fence should be?

You should make sure that you follow all the rules from your local council. A pool fence must be at least 1.2m high from the ground level. The gap between the bottom of the fence and the ground should not exceed 10cm. Also, the vertical gaps of the pool fence should not be more than 10cm while horizontal climbable bars should space at least 90cm apart.

Maintaining a non-climbable zone around your pool is very crucial. This is to prevent children from climbing over the fence or near the pool barrier. No shrubs, pot plants, toys, ladders or chairs should be near the 90cm non-climbable zone.

What are other pool fencing regulations?

Apart from the height of the pool barrier, the fence door and windows must also follow the pool fencing regulations. You’d better make sure that your pool fence door automatically closes and it opens outwards. The latching device should be at least 150cm off the ground.

If your pool fence has many faults and does not meet the requirements mentioned above, you may need to contact a local pool safety inspector to help you.

What should you do to ensure your pool fence is compliant?

As pool owners, you should do the following to have a compliant pool barrier:

• Register your pools – Recently, all pools are required to be registered with NSW Swimming Pool Register. This is very easy and can be done online. A penalty of $220 will be imposed to those who fails to register.
• Get a reliable pool safety inspector – Pool safety inspection is important to make sure that your pool fence is compliant. A reliable pool safety inspector can help you repair and fix non-complaint issues regarding your pool barrier.

How can a safety pool inspector help you?

A pool inspector can conduct a comprehensive safety pool inspection. If needed, some inspectors can also provide repair services.

Apart from that, some private certifiers can provide a well-written report after an inspection. They will assist you to fix any pool compliance issues so that you can obtain the appropriate certificate you need.

Conclusion

Pool fences keep your children safe in and around the pool. After installing some pool fence you like, you should also make sure that you follow all the safety pool regulations.

To know more about pool fences safety, the relevant legal regulations or even get your swimming pool fence inspected, you can always ask a qualified pool safety inspector for help. They will provide a complete inspection and repair services for your pool fence, so your pool safety can be ensured.

Stay Safe!