Swimming Pool & Spa Barriers

Maintaining your Safety Barrier

As an owner of a swimming pool or spa, you are required under the building regulations for ensuring any fence or barrier restricting access to a swimming pool or spa is maintained and operating effectively.  A maintenance checklist (also available as a Mobile app) is available from Royal Life Saving Australia.  Non-compliance, for any reason, can increase the risk of drowning and lead to prosecution.  

Barrier Compliance

Owners are now required to obtain and lodge a compliance certificate for the safety of their pool or spa barrier every four years. To do this, you’ll need to engage a building surveyor or building inspector who can carry out an inspection and provide the certificate confirming your barrier complies with safety requirements.

Common reasons for barriers failing to comply include:

• lack of maintenance, e.g. gate hinges and latches wearing out

• alterations and additions to adjacent buildings or boundary fences that compromise the effectiveness of the barrier

• placing climbable objects such as BBQs or pot plants next to a barrier

• allowing climbable vegetation to grow immediately next to a barrier.

Frequently Asked Questions When do I have to lodge my certificate of compliance? When you register your pool, Council will acknowledge the registration and notify you when this certificate is due.  Can the Council conduct these compliance inspections? Currently the Council is not offering this service, however we do have a list of swimming pool inspectors on our website. This list is not exhaustive. How often do I need to supply a certificate of compliance? Every four years, on the anniversary of the original due date.

 

Fees

 

Find out more about pool and spa barrier safety here.