Pool and spa safety barriers are designed to restrict access to a swimming pool or hot tub by young children. However, they aren’t a guarantee that kids won’t drown. Drowning is the leading cause of death for Australian children under five, and most drowning incidents happen in backyard pools and spas.
That’s why Kidsafe Victoria has launched the ‘Safe Barriers Save Lives’ campaign, calling on all Victorian home owners to check their fences and barriers to make sure they’re up to standard. It’s also calling on people considering buying a property with a pool to have the pool inspected before they do so, so that they can ask the seller to make necessary improvements before they move in.
Under new laws introduced in 2019, all swimming pool inspection melbourne and spas that hold water over 300mm (30cm) are required to be registered with their council, have a compliant barrier, and have the barrier inspected by a registered pool safety inspector every four years. This is a requirement even if the pool is in a private backyard, public place or commercial premises.
If the pool or spa meets the minimum requirements, a Certificate of Compliance (Form 23) can be issued by the inspector at the time of the inspection. The owner must then lodge the Form 23 with their local council to comply with their legal obligations.
The pool inspection cost melbourne is a small price to pay for the peace of mind that comes with knowing your family and friends are safe around the pool. The service provides a comprehensive check of all the barriers, gates and other aspects of the pool/spa’s security system to ensure they meet the required standards. This includes checking if the gate and latch are working properly, whether the barrier is climbable, if there are gaps between the panels and whether any windows or doors that lead to the pool area have child proof locks.
Our team of experienced inspectors are qualified and insured. They have experience examining permanent, portable, and relocatable swimming pools and hot tubs, and can offer advice on what works are required to bring a barrier up to compliance with the Victorian regulations. They have also been trained in the use of industry specific software to record and report on their findings.
To become a certified pool inspector you must undertake and complete the VBA accredited course, ‘Pool Safety Inspector Course’. Short Courses Australia is an approved provider of this course and participants must complete all the practical training and assessment tasks to receive their certification. The course includes supporting completion of 15 pool/spa barrier inspections, carried out at real properties, under the supervision of a VBA registered Pool Safety Inspector. This is a mandatory requirement to gain a VBA registration in the class of Building Inspector (Pool Safety).
