You may have a swimming pool or plan to install one near a dividing fence on your property, so you want to know whether your home’s boundary fence can serve as your pool fence. And is this even allowed under NSW pool safety standards? Well, the answer is yes. In most cases, you can use a boundary fence as a pool barrier, but stringent guidelines must be adhered to, and the rules somewhat differ from one Australian state and territory to another.
Here are the vital things you should know to make your pool fencing safe and compliant with Australian standards.
What is the Law for Pool Fencing?
Many regulations are laid under the pool safety standards, and their sole purpose is to enhance the safety of everyone around the pool area, especially kids and pets. When you have a secure and compliant pool barrier, it can avert drownings all year round. Depending on the location of the pool and when it was built, different pool safety standards apply. Typically, any swimming pool built after 1st August 1990 must have a fence that separates the pool from the house. A few rare exceptions apply for pools constructed before 1st July 2010.
The Swimming Pool Fence Must Adhere to the Following Measurements in NSW:
- The pool fence should be at least 1.2m high when measured from the finished ground level.
- More than a 10cm gap should be left at the bottom from the finished ground level.
- The barrier must be 1.8m high if a boundary fence is part of the pool fence.
- The gaps between vertical bars in the fence should not exceed 10cm.
- If it contains climbable vertical bars, they should be spaced at least 90cm apart with perforated or mesh barriers. And holes shouldn’t exceed 13mm for fence heights of 1.2m perforated, whereas mesh barriers of 1.8m in height having holes bigger than 13mm shouldn’t surpass 100mm.
- The pool fence should be in good condition and maintained well.
There may be some alterations to these laws in your local area, so check your local council to gather the correct information for your suburb. And other stringent criteria apply particularly to boundary fencing; they are as follows:
If You Want to Use Your Boundary Fencing As Your Pool Fence Barrier, Take Care of the Following:
- The boundary fence must fall outside the ‘non-climbable zone’ around the pool.
- As stated above, the boundary fence you intend to use as a pool barrier must be a minimum of 1.8m high.
- The boundary fence should be outside the non-climbable zone even if the boundary fence has no apparent horizontal slats, footholds or handholds, or anything else that may help access the pool.
- In NSW, climbable objects, such as ladders, trees, shrubs, pot plants, etc., must not be within the 90cm non-climbable zone.
- If you modify an existing boundary fence to use as a pool barrier or plan to install a new boundary fence, you may require to take your neighbour’s consent.
- For expert advice and recommendations, please refer to Law Access NSW. It is vital to make sure your pool area is compliant and safe.
If you need guidance with pool fence regulations and installation in Sydney, contact Glass & Fencing Warehouse today. We have substantial experience designing, supplying and installing pool fencing for diverse residential and commercial applications. We can help you select the best fence for your pool area and advise you on your legal obligations.
Read Also: Frameless Glass Vs Aluminium Pool Fencing: What’s Your Pick?
