Replace your child-resistant door/s with a safer alternative
As of June 2024, Building and Energy WA (Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety) are advising owners of pre-November 2001 private swimming pools that utilise child-resistant doors as part of their safety barrier to consider using alternatives.
The advice is a result of the Ombudsman WA report and subsequent Decision paper from Building and Energy.
Some safety barriers are safer than others
While active supervision by an adult is the primary factor in preventing young children from drowning, safety barriers provide a valuable secondary measure. However, some safety barriers are safer than others.
Child-resistant doors are generally not considered to be as safe as isolation fencing. Child-resistant doors can be difficult to maintain and are one of the most common items identified as being non-compliant by local government safety barrier inspectors.
Ombudsman report
A report from the Ombudsman Western Australia, Investigation into ways to prevent or reduce deaths of children by drowning, recommended considering the removal of the concession that permits pre-November 2001 swimming and spa pools to use child-resistant doors as part of their safety barrier.
At this stage, owners of pre-November 2001 swimming or spa pools can continue to use child-resistant doors to comply with safety barrier requirements. However, owners are encouraged to exercise caution due to the additional risk involved with this type of safety barrier.
Wherever possible, child-resistant doors should not be used as part of a safety barrier. Owners of existing swimming or spa pools that include child-resistant doors as part of their safety barrier are encouraged to consider alternatives.