Water Safety (Pools)
Help us challenge proposed changes to The Fencing of Swimming Pools Act
The Government is proposing to repeal the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act (1987) and replace it with an amendment to the Building Act. These changes include the move towards voluntary compliance, lengthy period between inspections and the removal of the requirement to fence spas or hot tubs:
Current rules under Fencing of Swimming Pools Act (1987)
- Pool fence must be 1.2m in height
- Self-latching gate
- Spas and hot pools require fencing
- Three-yearly inspections
- Has reduced deaths from 10 each year to three.
Proposed: Part of the Building Act
- Barriers will be "performance based"
- Five-yearly inspections
- No fencing required for spas and hot pools
The Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987 has greatly reduced the number of pre-schoolers drowning with the number of under fives drowning in home pools in the past ten years down 45% on the previous decade.
Safekids Aotearoa and our colleagues across the water safety sector are hugely concerned that young New Zealanders, particularly pre-schoolers, will drown in home pools, spas and hot tubs if the changes go ahead. Join us in making a submission to challenge the proposed changes:
Click here to read the Safekids Aotearoa submission.
Click here to read Water Safety New Zealand's submission
Closing date for submissions is Thursday, 5 November 2015. For more information, email info@safekids.nz.
Child Drowning Injuries in NZ
THE NUMBERS
>10
children die every year after a drowning event.
>50
are hospitalised every year
0-4
year old kids are most at risk.
- Ages 0-2 years: Always maintain hand contact with babies and stay within sight and reach of your child in the bath.
- Ages 1-5 years: Stay within sight and reach of your child when in, on and around water.
- Actively supervise your kids when they are in, on and around water.
- Use four-sided pool fencing with a self-closing, self-latching gate.
For more safety tips, visit the Water Safety NZ and WaterSafe Auckland websites.
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