Is your aquatic facility equipotentially bonded? Based on recent safety assessments, 35% of facilities were not equipotentially bonded, or inspecting and testing was not taking place.
Equipotential bonding, commonly known simply as bonding, involves electrically connecting metalwork so it is at the same potential everywhere. If a fault occurs this will safely protect from electric shock.
According to the Electrical Wiring Rules of AS/NZS 3000:2018 the following items must be bonded: all metallic lane ropes anchors, deck sockets or other metallic objects with a dimension greater than 100mm in a location accessible to the public that is likely to become wet whilst the public is in attendance.
The Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations (GSPO) provides the following advice on bonding (refer to section 7.5 ‘Inspecting and Testing of Electrical Equipment’):
- All electrical equipment and conductive material associated with pool shells and the surrounding building should be sufficiently earthed in compliance with Australian/New Zealand Standards AS/NZS 3000:2000.
- A record of any testing carried out must kept until the electrical equipment is either next tested, permanently removed from the aquatic facility, or disposed of.
- The record of testing must specify the following:
- The name of the person who carried out the testing;
- The date of the testing;
- The outcome of the testing;
- The date on which the next testing must be carried out; and
- May be in the form of a tag attached to the electrical equipment tested.
Inspection and testing of equipotential bonding should be a part of a facility’s annual routine preventative maintenance program, similar to testing and tagging other electrical appliances and accessories.
The GSPO is a set of detailed specifications and recommendations establishing best practice design and operations of aquatic locations nationwide. It is the recognised national industry standard that describes and makes recommendations as to the appropriate minimum standards of safety for the design and operations of aquatic facilities.
Access the GSPO’s information on equipotential bonding through the link below.
