Pool Fence Regulations (WA)
Unfortunately, almost all Australian states have been startled by the sudden increase in pool drowning rate. The Government of Western Australia reports that about 160 children have been admitted to the ER after near-drowning incidents in the past five years. Sadly, a total of 16 unfortunate toddlers didn’t make it.
To cut down on these tragic incidents, the Government of Western Australia has updated the pool fence regulations in WA for pools built after May 2016. To avoid potential risks and fines, we decided to detail these regulations in this article.
First Off, Do You Need Fencing for All Pools?
The fencing regulations apply to in-ground, above-ground, and portable pools with a depth of 300 mm or more. Pools shallower than 300 mm should have a safety label, warning against the possibility of drowning and encouraging vigilant parental supervision.
The Basic Fence Measurements
By default, every part of the fence must stand taller than 1200 mm, measured from the lowest high point in the barrier to the finished ground on the pool’s side. Also, the ground clearance — the space between the lowest low point of the fence and the ground — must not be bigger than 100 mm.
In order for these rules to be valid, the ground beneath your fence must be resistant to digging by children or animals — such materials include pavers, concrete, wood, sleepers, garden rocks/stones, grass, etc.
When possible, the fence should be standing vertical to the ground. Otherwise, slopes bigger than 15º won’t be approved.
For Boundary Fences
If the fence separates between your pool and another private property, the inside height should be 1800 mm or more. And of course, you’ll not be held accountable for any climbable features on the outer part of the fence.
The Fencing Material
You can choose any material that complies with the standards of AS 1926.1—2012 and AS 1926.2—2007. Generally speaking, the material should be durable and rigid enough that nobody can deconstruct it without using tools. The most common types that we use at Pool Fences Perth, are glass, stainless steel and aluminium pool fencing.
That said, choosing the following materials will mandate additional sets of rules:
Glass
If you opt for glass pool fencing you must use type A safety glass to guarantee durability. Additionally, the overall construction should follow the AS 1288—2006 Glass in Buildings standards.
Spaced Fencing
Your fence can have vertical uprights or solid infill panels as long as you cap the openings between each panel to 100 mm.
Perforated Materials
Perforated materials and mesh are allowed, but with special considerations. First, the holes or gaps must not exceed 13 mm. Materials with holes up to 100 mm will be allowed only if you increase the fence height to 1800 mm.
Second, upon the application of force, the height of the fence must not shrink below 1200 mm. By extension, the ground clearance must not expand beyond 100 mm.
Non-Climbable Zones (NCZ)
If your fence is shorter than 1800 mm, you must allocate five imaginary zones inside which you can’t place handholds, footholds, plants, toys, ladders, chairs, or any object that will facilitate climbing. This is to ensure that no kids can access the pool without supervision.
The First Non-Climbable Zone (NCZ 1)
If your fence has horizontal components, NCZ 1 will extend 900 mm above the lowest point in the whole fence.
The Second and Third Non-Climbable Zones (NCZ 2 and 3)
The second and third zones represent a semicircle with a radius of 900 mm, measured from the midpoint of NCZ 1. If you divide this circle to two quadrants, the lower one will be NCZ 2 while the upper will be NCZ 3.
The Fourth Non-Climbable Zone (NCZ 4)
The fourth zone is only applicable to fences that have vertical openings wider than 10 mm. In that case, you must not place any climbing aids within 300 mm from the fence’s inner surface, especially inside NCZ 1.
Why? Well, some kids might stick their feet through the fence’s openings to grab a foothold to facilitate climbing.
The Fifth Non-Climbable Zone (NCZ 5)
The fifth zone applies only to boundary fences. It extends as a down-facing quadrant with a 900 mm radius, measured from the highest point in the fence.
Features and Objects Near the Fence
In addition to the previous zones, you can’t place any climbing aids within 500 mm from the fence’s outer surface.
Exceptions to the Non-Climbable Zones
As we said earlier, you must not place any climbing aids within the specified imaginary zones.
However, you can add handholds, footholds, indentations, and projections that don’t extend 10 mm inside or outside the fence. This is to allow for minor decorations that don’t detract from the safety standards.
Gates
In this section, we’ll discuss all the regulations that tackle the pool fence gate design and mechanics.
Opening Direction
Some kids can lean on the gate until it opens. To prevent this, all gates must open away from the pool.
Self-Closing Device
All gates must be equipped with a self-closing device to fully close it without any human interference. In other words, this device must be able to pull the gate closed from any given position, even if it’s resting on the latch.
Care must be given to the wind direction and the material of the gate so as to prevent the wind from counteracting the self-closing device.
Clearance and Ground Material
In accordance with the main fence regulations, the gate clearance shouldn’t be bigger than 100 mm.
If you used grass beneath the main fence, the ground underneath the gate must be paved. Why? Grass can quickly grow, which might hinder the self-closing feature to a great extent.
To Wrap Up: What Happens if You Don’t Comply With These Regulations?
First of all, you must understand that these rules are established to protect the lives of young kids visiting your place. If any kid loses his/her life in your non-compliant pool, you may be held accountable.
Plus, the local government inspects the approved and non-approved pools at least once every four years. You may get fined if your pool fails to satisfy any of the mentioned rules.