Times have changed and backyard swimming pools now need a safety fence, but not just any fence will do – it needs to comply with the current safety regulations in your state or territory. In NSW, you can check the full details of these regulations on the NSW Fair Trading Website where you will see that there are three different standards, depending on when your pool was installed.
For newly installed pools, however, the rules are fairly straightforward, so here’s a quick overview to get you started.
Regulations for a pool fence
If you are considering installing a new swimming pool in your backyard, then the pool fence must be 1200mm high and any gaps in the fencing must be less than 100mm in width. There must be a distance of at least 900mm between the top of the fence and any climbable objects, such as trees, pergolas, toys, furniture or plant pots. Gates must be self-closing, open away from the pool and have latches that are installed pool-side.
You can also use a boundary fence as a pool fence, but it must be 1800mm high with vertical timbers no more than 100mm apart and horizontal rails at least 900mm apart. You must also install safety fences around above ground pools, even blow-up pools if they have water to a depth of more than 300mm.
These regulations prevent young children scaling trees or climbing on furniture to get over the fence or reaching up to open the gate themselves.
RKG Fencing installs quality aluminium pool fencing that complies with all NSW pool safety regulations. It’s available in a range of styles and Colorbond colours to match your home’s external décor. Since aluminium doesn’t rust, it’s the ideal material for pool fences near the coast, because it won’t corrode and will always look brand new!