Pooling resources for summer safety

WITH summer just weeks away council inspectors are working with pool owners to make sure their pool fencing meets safety requirements.

WITH summer just weeks away council inspectors are working with pool owners to make sure their pool fencing meets safety requirements.

Pool owners are obliged to ensure their pool fencing is constructed to relevant standards and is maintained at all times, while owners of newly built pools need to ensure that their pool has been issued with a final occupation certificate after its construction.

Coffs Harbour City Council's building surveyors are currently conducting inspections of backyard pools, for which owners were issued with swimming pool approvals, but have not subsequently applied for a final occupation certificate.

"All pool structures that are capable of being filled with water to a depth of 300mm - about a foot deep - require development approval from council," said the council's Land Use, Health and Development director Chris Chapman.

"Backyard swimming pools continue to be the most common location for drowning deaths of children under five."

Property owners unsure whether their pool fencing meets relevant standards can arrange a council inspection.

"We will check the pool and issue a certificate if the pool meets the requirements of the Swimming Pools Act and Regulations as well as the relevant Australian Standards - all for a small fee of $70."

For more details go to www.coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au/backyardpools.

Originally published as Pooling resources for summer safety