By ALESHA CAPONE
UP TO 90 pool owners in Brimbank have been ordered to fix problems with their pool fences identified across six months.
The council’s director of city development, Stuart Menzies, said the council has issued approximately 90 building orders for minor works relating to pools between July and December in 2013.
“The pool safety program undertaken by the council’s building services unit of involves up to 20 pool inspections per month,” Mr Menzies said.
“Council’s approach involves a combination of information, education and enforcement action.”
“The number one reason is for the safety and well-being of our community and especially with regards to children under the age of five years, as specified in the Australian Standards.
“Building orders for minor works in relation to pool safety have been issued in suburbs across the municipality.
“There is no apparent trend in relation to particular suburbs.”
There are more than 340 pools within Brimbank which are legally obliged to abide by national criteria and building regulations.
Life Saving Victoria’s 2012/13 Drowning Report, which was released late last year, revealed that there were 130 drowning incidents in Victoria between July 2012 and June 2013 – including those in natural waterways, the sea and pools.
With including 41 fatal and 89 non-fatal drowning incidents, this represented the highest drowning toll since 2004/05.
Pools were the most common location for non-fatal drownings to occur in 2012/13, where more than 50 per cent of all the recorded accidents took place.
Pools were also the most common location of non-fatal drowning for children aged up to four years old, with more than 60 per cent of these incidents occurring in prirvate pools. public pools and spa baths.
Brimbank City Council has advised residents to conduct summer safety checks of their pools and spas, including gates and fences.
Their tips include inspecting to see if self-closing and self-latching gates work and removing all climbable objects which children could access.
The council also offers complete inspections of pool or space boundary fences to ensure compliance – fees do apply for this service.
Application forms are available at brimbank.vic.gov.au or contact the Building and Compliance Unit on 9249 4000.
