6 Simple Ways to Child-Proof Your Pool | Pool Fences and Pool Covers

Pool covers are a great way to ensure your swimming pool is safe all year round.

Winter or Summer | Swimming pool covers are a necessity!

The summer months are packed with poolside fun, from family get togethers in the backyard and kids birthday pool parties to just the general splash to cool down.

With the rise in swimming and pool focused fun, though, also comes an increased risk for water-related accidents, or worse.

The facts about pool covers & pool safety

Due to our love of the outdoors and all things swimming and water related, Australia has some of the strictest pool safety laws around.

Anyone who is building a house or putting a swimming pool into their existing backyard is made aware of the regulations and must follow the rules to the letter. The reality, however, is that pool fencing may not always be enough. You really should consider a swimming pool cover as well.

Why you need swimming pool covers / swimming pool nets

You’ve probably seen the video of the toddler scaling the ‘child-proof swimming pool fence’.

A child as young as two has the strength, agility and mental capacity to see a pool safety fence as a challenge they seek to overcome rather than a barrier protecting them from a potentially deadly body of water. As they associate the swimming pool with fun and don’t understand the physics of water, these little ones are oblivious to the extreme danger.

According to the 2017 Royal Life Saving National Drowning Report, “drowning deaths in children under five increased by 32% on the number of deaths last year,” with swimming pools serving as the leading location for drowning among this age group, accounting for almost half (45%) of all deaths.

The 6 Simple Ways to Safeguard Your Pool

Despite these potential risks, pool owners can make their swimming pool more safe with a few simple steps.

These include:

• Have your pool fence regularly inspected

Make sure you have your pool fence inspected to ensure it is within the QLD fencing guidelines. Not having a compliant fence can mean heavy fines for parents. Read more about fencing laws  here.

• Maintain the pool area daily

This will guarantee that it is clean and is less likely to attract young children into the pool area. Make sure the area surrounding the pool has no objects, like toys, that would attract children inside.

• Keep potted plants away from the edges

This will help ensure that your child cannot reach for the plant and pull while trying to get out of the pool, bringing the plant down on top of them

• Keep your house doors locked

This can prevent unsupervised access to the pool area or outside. Most young 18-24-month-old children can climb fences, so doing this daily will ensure you have an additional barrier between your child and the pool.

• Enrol your children in swimming lessons

This will not only to build their strengths as swimmers but also to encourage their appreciation of potential risks that water can present.

• Put as many barriers between the child and the pool as possible

Most parents agree that having as many barriers between your child and the pool, the better. Especially when the pool is not in use.

Add peace of mind with a pool safety net

When not being used, pool owners can further fortify the security of their pool with a pool net, which acts as the ultimate year-round pool safety device while also maintaining the pleasant aesthetic of a pool.

Pool nets are made from ultra-durable polyethylene binding and, as the name suggests, are literal nets that are securely anchored over water level to ensure that there is something secure in place to catch anyone who might fall. Some of the benefits of a Pool Safety Net include:

• looks great– is low profile
• is custom made for each pool – any shape or size including spas or rock features
• easy to use – approx. 5 minutes to put on or take off after using the pool
• built to last – made from UV resistant high tensile material
• cheaper than a fence and children physically cannot climb under the net as it sits flush with the pool edge
• being a cost-effective option for many parents looking for that extra layer of safety for their child.