We're being reminded to keep an eye on our kids around pools and spas this holiday season.
The Royal Life Saving Society WA wants parents and carers to remember this warning also includes portable pools.
The 2011-2016 RLS Report into Home Swimming Pools states that within the reporting period, 19 children aged 0-4 years drowned in WA, 13 of which occurred in home swimming pools.
Eleven of those drownings happened in the Perth metro area, with the average age being 21 months.
The lack of adult supervision was a contributing factor in each instance, and all pools either had a pool safety barrier fault allowing access or were unsecure at the time of the incident.
The recent WA Ombudsman’s investigation found that a quarter of WA toddlers who drowned in private pools between 2009 and 2015 did so in portable pool or spa.
The City of Mandurah is reminding pool and spa owners of their obligations to ensure that the required safety barrier is in place around their pools and spas and gates function properly and are not left propped open.
Local Governments are authorised to issue on the spot fines of $750 for pools that have no or noncompliant swimming pool safety barrier.
In addition, prosecution and a penalty of up to $5,000 may be applied.
Senior Manager for Health Promotion and Research at RLSSWA Lauren Nimmo said portable pool owners need to remember pool fencing do apply to them, if their pool can hold water 30 centimetres or more deep.
“Portable pool packaging must display warning labels stating that pool fencing legislation applies to the product, but people also need to do their research on the specific barrier requirements before buying one of these pools," she said.
All pool owners are responsible to take whatever measures are required to maintain safety and security.
The supervision of young children aged five years or less will always reside with the parents and carers and protecting young children means constant supervision.
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