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STANDARDS NEW ZEALAND releases
a new Standard for swimming pools, spas and hot tubs.
A new Standard, released
today, will help to prevent children from drowning in
swimming pools, spas and hot tubs.
The Standard "Safety barriers for young children around
swimming pools, spas and hot tubs" provides clear
guidance for the design and construction of safety
barriers to restrict young children's access to swimming
pools, says Ian Godfrey, the Chair of the Committee
which developed the Standard and senior building advisor
at Manukau City Council.
"The Standard sets out the layers of protective barriers
such as fences, retaining walls and doors which will
help to keep children safe."
Drowning among one to four year olds is most prevalent
in home swimming pools, according to a major report last
year, and New Zealand has the highest rate of youth
drowning among OECD countries.
Government will be able to consider using the Standard
as a replacement for the Schedule in the Fencing of
Swimming Pool Act 1987 by way of an amendment to the
Act. The Department of Building and Housing administers
the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act and it is expected
that the Department will make recommendations to
Government for amendments to the Act in the near future.
The Standard aims to address the lack of clarity and
other outstanding issues in the Fencing of Swimming
Pools Act 1987, which does not give clear enough
guidelines around construction of safety barriers or
permit the ready use of new technologies, says Ian.
"While the fencing of swimming pools is addressed in
both the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act and the Building
Code, pool owners and territorial authorities wanted
clearer directions to achieve compliance with safety
obligations. The national Standard will give pool owners
a better understanding of their responsibilities to
ensure the safety of children," says Ian.
It is expected that users of the Standard will include
pool owners, tenants, architects, designers, pool and
spa manufacturers and local authorities.
"We urge all existing and future pool owners, users and
members of the pool building industry to make use of
this Standard in a bid to reduce drownings of our very
youngest New Zealanders," says Ian.
The pool Standard was jointly funded by the Department
of Building and Housing, Water Safety New Zealand and
the Accident Compensation Corporation.
The committee which developed the Standard included
representatives from: water safety and child safety
organisations, Plunket, pool and spa manufacturers,
councils, architects, designers, BRANZ (Building
Research Association NZ) Limited and the Department of
Building and Housing.
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