LATEST Royal Life Saving Australia research has revealed that 532 children aged four and under have drowned in the past 19 years, mostly in swimming pools, and often from accidental falls. With summer approaching, Northern Beaches Council is reminding the 21,547 local registered private pool owners have safe and law-compliant pools.
The council's compliance team inspects them whenever a complaint is received. These are often about broken or faulty latches on gates, gates that are propped open, climbable objects or vegetation near pool fences, low fence heights or missing CPR resuscitation charts.
"Check your fence and gate, ensure you have a CPR chart clearly displayed and most importantly, keep watch of your little ones at all times," said mayor Michael Regan.
Steps every pool owner must take:
- Supervise children at all times
- Register your pool through swimmingpoolregister.nsw.gov.au
- For advice, engage a Council accredited or E1 accredited certifier to inspect the child resistant barrier of the pool
- When selling or renting your property obtain a Compliance certificate from a Council accredited or E1 accredited certifier
- Ensure child resistant barriers always comply with the relevant Australian Standard (AS1926) at the time of construction or alteration
- Keep gates closed and ensure they are self-closing and self-latching
- Remove any climbable objects away from pool barriers
- Display CPR resuscitation charts near the pool
- Take great care with electrical hazards such as portable pool pumps and filters
- Regularly maintain child resistant barriers
For more information on keeping children safe around swimming pools visit Royal Life Saving Australia. See www.swimmingpoolregister.nsw.gov.au/checklists for more info.
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