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When the weather is hot and sultry, there’s nothing quite like a plunge in the pool to cool off and these days, many more people have access to a refreshing dip with the rise in popularity of portable pools.
However, owners of every type of pool and spa are being urged to be more vigilant, as they all present a significant danger to young children.
Drowning Prevention Auckland said from 2016 to 2020, 10 children aged under five drowned in home pools, one of which was a portable pool.
And Auckland Council found that 25 per cent of registered pools failed their safety inspection last year, due mainly to faulty gates and latches.
Council swimming pools compliance team leader Stuart Airs said there was no room for complacency and urged all pool owners to keep children’s safety front of mind and ensure safety was up to standard.
“Unsupervised access to pools through faulty gates and barriers is one of the leading causes of drowning in pre-schoolers,” he said. “While council conducts safety checks of all registered pools every three years, pool owners need to stay vigilant and make sure pool access points are secure.”
Airs added that portable pools left full of water and without appropriate barriers also posed a high risk of home drowning.
“Portable pools are a popular family Christmas gift, and some on the market now are almost as large as traditional in-ground pools. Unfortunately, many people set them up without the proper barriers in place, and we have seen tragedies occurring at this time of year as a result.”
By law, any pool containing water more than 400mm deep, including portable pools, paddling pools and spas, must have an appropriate barrier or fence to stop young children entering the pool area and water on their own. Above-ground pools at least 1.2metres high may not need a fence, but the entry point, such as steps, must still be restricted.
“Nobody wants to lose a loved one to a home drowning accident. By being proactive with regular maintenance checks of gates and latches, ensuring young children cannot access pools on their own and always keeping eyes on children around water, you can help to keep your whānau from ever being in this position,” Airs said.
He said pool gates should never be propped open, ladders should never be left propped against pools or spas and all gate latches should be closed and functioning. There should also be nothing outside the pool fence that could be used by children to climb into the pool area, such as plant pots, trees or raised garden beds.
