Pool barriers help save lives by preventing young children from accessing swimming pools. Did you know that drowning is one of the leading causes of death in Queensland for children under the age of five years old? New Queensland pool safety laws introduced in 2009 aim to reduce the incidences of drowning and serious immersion injuries of young children in swimming pools and apply to both new and existing pools, spas and some portable pools.
If you own a pool, are buying a property with an existing pool or are planning on building a pool there are 3 pool safety basics to know:
All pools in Queensland must be registered with the QBCC
Your pool barrier must comply with the law
Get a pool safety certificate - This is a requirement only when properties are sold or leased.
The pool safety standard covers such things as the height and strength of barriers, mandatory non-climbable zones, gates and their latching requirements and preventing direct access from a building into a pool area. To assist in finding out if your pool meets the current pool safety standard, visit the QBCC Pool Safety Website (https://www.qbcc.qld.gov.au/home-building-owners/pool-safety/does-your-pool-comply) . There are now penalties enforced for pools not meeting the safety standard, so it’s best to be on the front foot.
The Inspection Process
Once the Pool Safety Inspection has been completed, the pool will be found to be Compliant or Non-Compliant.
If the pool is deemed fully compliant, our inspector (Tom) will issue the relevant Pool Safety Certificate.
If your pool is not deemed compliant, then the owner will be issued with a Non-conformity Notice (Form 26), as well as a report detailing all the items needing correction and will have 90 days to address all the items. Once all issues have been rectified, we will be able to re-inspect the pool so a Pool Safety Certificate can be issued.
Can I sell my property if my pool doesn't have a pool safety certificate?
Yes, you are still able to sell your property.
Seller's responsibility
Complete the Form 36 - Notice of no pool safety certificate and provide a copy to the buyer and QBCC. If you own a property with a shared pool, you will also need to provide a copy of the form to the owner of the pool (usually a body corporate).
Buyer's responsibility
Obtain a certificate within 90 days after settlement.
If you would like to book your Pool Safety Inspection, call us on 07 3369 5231 or email hello@onehomeinspections.com.au.