Pre-Inspection Checklist
Inspection Preparation
Use Our Helpful Checklist
It’s a great idea to be prepared as possible for your pool inspection. You can use our handy checklist to help you through the process. If you require clarification on anything, please do not hesitate to give us a call beforehand. The checklist is fairly comprehensive, however, there still may be things that our qualified inspectors pick up on that you may have missed.
A pool Barrier must be a minimum of 1200mm above ground level. The ground level or garden bed around this barrier may reduce this height if they have been raised or grown up over time. We tend to find this a common problem during Cairns Swimming Pool Safety Inspections.
What can you do?
- Raise the height of the barrier to at least 1200mm
- Remove the surrounding garden bed
- Reduce the height of the raised bed and surrounding garden bed
Fixed and climbable objects can give a child access to a pool area.
These objects include:
- Taps or light fittings on nearby walls
- Branches of nearby trees or shrubs which are below the height of the pool barrier
- Other climbable objects such as bracing on a deck which is within the vicinity of the pool area
What can you do to Comply?
- Shield any climbable objects such as deck bracing or wall fittings, with a non-climbable material such as a flat polycarbonate sheeting, vertical palings or a shield that has a vertical angle of 60 degrees or more.
- Trim back any branches within 900mm of the pool barrier, that are below the top of the barrier. If there are branches on an adjacent property, you may need to negotiate with your neighbour to remove them.
Non-compliant pool gates can provide a child access to a pool area, common problems are:
- Gates open inwards to the pool area
- Gates not self-closing from all positions
- Gates with semi-functional or non-functional hinges, or closing mechanisms that stop the gate from closing properly.
What Can I Do to Comply?
- Adjust the gate to make it swing outward from the pool area
- Install a striker or latch to make the gate self-closing
- Adjust the self-closing mechanism or hinges to ensure the gate is self-closing
- Tighten the hinges to ensure they are capable of holding the gate
- Oil the hinges if the gate is not closing properly.
A building with windows that open more than 100mm and open directly into a pool area can provide a child access to the pool. Installing window locks is not acceptable as they can be easily left unlocked.
What can I do to comply?
- Fix a rivet or screw in the tracks of the window to stop it opening more than 100mm.
- Install a permanent window chock to stop it opening more than 100mm
- Install permanent fixed window screens to all windows that open into the pool area
The pool barrier itself may be climbable and provide foot or handholds for the child to climb and access the pool area, examples include;
- An intersecting fence with horizontal cross rails within reach of the top pool barrier
- Latice or other climbable material on the pool barrier
- Climbable vegetation
What can you do to Comply?
- Fix a wedge, with a minimum 60-degree angle, to the horizontal rails on a pool barrier
- Shield any lattice or other climbable material on the pool barrier
- Trim or remove any climbable vegetation on the pool barrier
A pool barrier in disrepair or one that has missing, loose, or damaged palings can provide a gap of more than 100mm or reduce the height of a barrier to allow easy access for children into a pool area.
What can I do to Comply?
- Fix, replace or adjust all broken palings
- Add non-climbable bracing to the barrier to provide extra stability
A child can use moveable and climbable objects to access a pool area. These may include:
- Pot Plants
- Outdoor furniture
- Step ladders
What Can I Do to Comply?
- Remove all climbable objects within 900mm of the pool barrier
- Secure all moveable objects within the vicinity of the pool area.