Pool Owners What Does Your Pool Fence need? – Recommendations NSW
Ensuring that your pool fence meets the current requirements is an essential part of being a pool owner in NSW.
In New South Wales (NSW), pool owners are required to comply with strict regulations regarding pool fencing. These regulations are outlined in the Swimming Pools Act 1992 and the Swimming Pools Regulation 2018. It is crucial for pool owners to understand and adhere to these requirements
The details can quickly become complex and confusing and it is recommended that you talk to your local licenced pool fence installer or council inspector to ensure that your pool fence is up to standards.
Key Fence Measurements
In NSW, a pool fence must:
- be at least 1.2m high (as measured from the finished ground level)
- The fence must be 1.8m high, if a boundary fence is part of the pool fence.
- not have gaps of more than 10cm between any vertical bars in the fence
- not leave a gap under the fence bigger than 10cm from the finished ground level
- if containing horizontal climbable bars, have these spaced at least 90cm apart
- The pool fence must be well maintained and in good working order
Non Climable Zone
To prevent people climbing over fencing into the pool area, the laws require pool owners to make sure they maintain a ‘non-climbable zone’ around the pool.
- any trees, shrubs or any other objects such as a barbeque, pot plants, toys, ladders and chairs must not be within the 90cm non climbable zone.
- this zone is measured in an arc shape from the top of the pool fence arching towards the ground and extends 30cm into the pool area.
- any horizontal climbable bars on the pool fence must be spaced AT LEAST 90cm apart.
Gate closing and latching
Check to ensure that your pool gate:
- is always kept shut and is never propped open.
- swings outwards, away from the pool area.
- shuts automatically from any open position, without having to forcibly close it.
- automatically self-latches when it closes.
Information sourced NSW Department of Fair Trading August 2023. Any and all information by or on this Site is provided for promotional or informational purposes only and is not to be relied upon as a professional opinion whatsoever.
