Queensland’s Deadline For Pool Fence Compliance Approaching Fast

Queensland pool owners have until the 30th of November to comply with Queensland’s pool safety laws.

The current standard was introduced on 1 December 2010 and residential home owners were given til the end of November 2015 to comply.

It is expected to be a busy time for pool fence suppliers and installers and customers are urged to get in quick whilst the temperature is still a bit cooler. Once the warmer months approach most suppliers and installers become very busy and the impending deadline is likely to cause additional demand.

Those needing a pool fence are urged to do their research and ensure they purchase a quality product that will be compliant with Queensland’s pool safety standards and will not fall apart due to cheaper components.

This upcoming deadline represents the final stage in making all pools in Queensland compliant with the current pool safety standards. Up until now, only those home owners that sold or leased their property were required by law to have their pool fence meet standards. Hotels, motels, resorts and other buildings providing short term accommodation with shared pools were required to meet the standard by June 1, 2011. Some body corporates with long term accomodation had until 30 November 2012 to comply.

Some common questions regarding pool fence compliance:

• Can I install my own pool fence? – Yes you can, provided the materials and installation meets with the pool safety standards. We do sell DIY Pool Fencing kits in glass and aluminium and can provide guidance and installation tips to help you meet the standards.
• Is a child resistant door such as a self closing or self latching door acceptable? No – these are not considered sufficient or acceptable under the new pool safety standards.
• Do I have to have a CPR sign? Yes – the latest prescribed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) sign adopted by the Australian Resuscitation Council needs to be displayed near each pool.
• Does a spa or temporary pool need a fence? Yes – if it can hold 300mm of water or more.

Fines range from 1 penalty unit to 7 penalty units and a single penalty unit is equal to $117.80 (at 1 July 2015). The maximum penalty for non-compliance of pool fencing legislation is 165 penalty units which is around $19,347.