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Simple checks for pool or spa safety barriers

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During summer your family and kids will be excited to spend more time in your backyard pool or spa. Maintain a safe environment by doing simple safety checks on your safety barriers.

In Australia, drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental death in children under five, with 15 drowning deaths reported in 2024/25. Most fatalities happened in summer and non-compliant safety barriers were found to be the main cause of accidental drowning deaths of children in backyard pools.

The National Drowning Report 2025 found that drowning deaths of children under five has declined to 21% below the 10-year average. This result can be contributed to the mandatory pool and spa barrier safety standards introduced by the Victorian Government in 2019.

You can carry out simple and regular safety checks of your safety barrier, and the area around the pool to keep your family safe.

Simple safety checks for your pool and spa barrier include: 

  • Checking the gate function. Your gate must be self-closing and self-latching from any position. To check this function, open the gate and let it go. It must automatically swing shut and latch securely without needing manual assistance. If you spot any issues with the gate, get it fixed straight away.
  • Never propping a pool gate or door open to prevent unsupervised access to the pool. Removing climbable objects and ensuring there is nothing your child can use to climb over the pool barrier, such as pot plants, BBQs, outdoor furniture, or tree branches.
  • Checking that there are no large gaps between or underneath the barrier. Children can wriggle through gaps larger than 10cm. Use a tape measure to ensure all gaps meet this requirement. If you have gaps larger than 10cm, you will need to close it up.
  • Checking the safety barrier height is a minimum of 1.2m high (measured from the ground level on the outside of the barrier). Measure the height of your barrier at various points to ensure that it meets the minimum height requirement.

While a compliant safety barrier is vital, it is never a substitute for constant adult supervision when children are playing in the pool. Remember to always keep children within arm's reach and avoid distractions like mobile phones.

Is it time to Renew my Certificate of Compliance for my safety barrier? 

If your pool or spa safety barrier Certificate of Compliance is up for renewal, you will receive a notification letter from Council. If you are unsure when you need to renew your certificate, you can call our Business support team on 9298 8125. Further information is available on our Swimming pools and spas register webpage.

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