Please note: this is an archived news article release

This article was published on Monday, 5 October, 2015. The information contained within may be out of date or inaccurate. News articles and media releases older than 60 days are archived for future reference.

Kidsafe ask : How safe is your backyard pool fence?

Drowning is one of the leading causes of death for Australian children under 5 years of age. In 2014/15, 26 Australian children aged 0-4 years drowned - an increase of 30% from 2013/14.

Backyard swimming pools are the most common location where toddler drowning incidents occur. In 2014/15, over half of all toddler drowning incidents occurred in a backyard pool

Evidence suggests that a large number of drowning deaths in pools are as a result of fencing that is faulty or non-compliant with Australian Standards.

Life Saving Online Kidsafe Resources for Pool Owners

The campaign calls for all pool and spa owners to visit
www.kidsafevic.com.au/water-safety/pool-fence-safety and utilise the online resources, including the home pool safety assessment tool developed by Life Saving Victoria, to check the safety of their pool areas. This includes common pool barrier faults/non-compliance issues such as:

Gates that don't self-latch or self-close.
Climbable objects in the 'non climbable' zone outlined in the Australian Standards (e.g. pot plants, chairs, pool pumps near the pool fencing which could allow a child to climb over the fence).
Excess space under the fence, and;
Misuse (e.g. propping the pool gate open).

Kidsafe Victoria has partnered with a number of stakeholders to encourage all pool owners to check the safety of their pool fences and surrounding areas before their child does. You can find more information, including the online home pool safety assessment app HERE.

Find additional pool safety initiatives and advice regarding adult supervision, maintenance, pool fences and spa safety barriers HERE.