24 November 2006

New Standard to improve pool safety for young children

A new Standard, released today, will help to prevent children from drowning in swimming pools, spas and hot tubs.

The Standard "Safety barriers for young children around swimming pools, spas and hot tubs" provides clear guidance for the design and construction of safety barriers to restrict young children's access to swimming pools, says Ian Godfrey, the Chair of the Committee which developed the Standard and senior building advisor at Manukau City Council.

"The Standard sets out the layers of protective barriers such as fences, retaining walls and doors which will help to keep children safe."

Drowning among one to four year olds is most prevalent in home swimming pools, according to a major report last year, and New Zealand has the highest rate of youth drowning among OECD countries.

Government will be able to consider using the Standard as a replacement for the Schedule in the Fencing of Swimming Pool Act 1987 by way of an amendment to the Act. The Department of Building and Housing administers the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act and it is expected that the Department will make recommendations to Government for amendments to the Act in the near future.

The Standard aims to address the lack of clarity and other outstanding issues in the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987, which does not give clear enough guidelines around construction of safety barriers or permit the ready use of new technologies, says Ian.

"While the fencing of swimming pools is addressed in both the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act and the Building Code, pool owners and territorial authorities wanted clearer directions to achieve compliance with safety obligations. The national Standard will give pool owners a better understanding of their responsibilities to ensure the safety of children," says Ian.

It is expected that users of the Standard will include pool owners, tenants, architects, designers, pool and spa manufacturers and local authorities.

"We urge all existing and future pool owners, users and members of the pool building industry to make use of this Standard in a bid to reduce drownings of our very youngest New Zealanders," says Ian.

The pool Standard was jointly funded by the Department of Building and Housing, Water Safety New Zealand and the Accident Compensation Corporation.

The committee which developed the Standard included representatives from: water safety and child safety organisations, Plunket, pool and spa manufacturers, councils, architects, designers, BRANZ (Building Research Association NZ) Limited and the Department of Building and Housing.

MEDIA CONTACT: Daphne Atkinson, Communications Manager, ph: 04 498 3986, 021 253 6567, daphne.atkinson@standards.co.nz