A question I get asked as a Pool Safety Inspector–
“My spa has a fully lockable, solid cover. Do I still need to have a complying barrier for the spa, and why?”
A. Yes. There is still the potential for the lockable spa lid to be left open or unlocked. For this reason, a complying pool safety barrier is required for spas and some portable wading pools.
“Do new swimming pools and spas require building approval?”
A “Yes. A building certifier must provide the building approval and must inspect and certify the pool safety barrier before the pool is filled to a depth of 300mm of water or more.
“What is Classed as a Swimming Pool?”
The Building Act 1975 defines a swimming pool as an excavation or structure:
- Swimming Pools including portable pools and spas. Your portable pool or spa must comply with pool safety laws if it: *Can hold more than 300mm of water. *Has a volume of more than 2,000L. *Has a filtration system.
- Queensland’s Pool Safety laws don’t apply to portable pools and spas that meet all of the below criteria: *You can’t fill it with more than 300mm of water. *It has a maximum volume of 2,000L. *It has no filtration system.
- Qld Pool Safety laws also don’t apply to a: *Fish pond. *Ornamental pond, manufactured to be used for ornamental purposes. *Dam used for aquaculture, marine research or storage of water. *Watercourse. *Spa bath situated in a bathroom which is not continually filled with water. * Birthing pool used solely for water births. *Portable wading pool.
- A Portable Wading Pool is defined as: *Capable of being filled with water to a depth of less than 300 millimetres. *Having a volume of no more than 2,000 litres. *Having no filtration or pumping system.