Your Child, Your Pool, Your Responsibilty

Water Safety and Pool Compliance


Child Drowning Facts as advised by Watersafe Auckland Inc:
Between 1994 and 2003:
111 child drownings between the age of 0 - 4 years,
An average of 11 deaths a year!
Plus 373 child hospitalisations between the age of 0 - 4 as a result of submersion injury

75% of these child victims had been left with little or no adult supervision

42% of these 'incidents' involved swimming and pool related activities making the swimming pool the single most common location for drowning
All domestic pool drownings occurred while the child was legitimately on the property

Swish Pool Safety Supervision Brochure - This new brochure has resulted from Swish initiatives during the last two years. The Swish objective, to get the lack of parental supervision, as confirmed by statistics, recognised as the prime contributor to child drownings by water safety organisations and authorities. Swish believes the next challenge in child drowning prevention includes the education of parents and caregivers rather than just continuing down the legislative path followed to date...
Click here for a PDF download

To start your child in a FREE learn to swim program go to: http://www.uswim.com
And then also visit: http://www.youtube.com/poolsafely

Please take the time to check out our latest Newsletter
Also, check Swish out on facebook
For further details, advice and promotional water safety kits contact: www.watersafe.org.nz

A Practical Guide to Swimming Pool Fencing and Compliance:

Q1: What are the requirements of the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987 and its various additions and amendments?
A: The Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987 requires all swimming pools to be fully fenced and all gates inserted in the fence line, to open away from the pool, be self closing, self latching and the latching mechanism must be set at 1500mm or above, from the ground. Any alternative to "fencing" considered by a regulatory body, may be accepted by them as an "exemption" to the Act.

Q2: How do Swish Door Safety Systems meet the 1987 Act?
A: Should part of a residence or garage/outbuilding be accepted by the regulatory body as being part of a fence line, all doors in the building opening into the pool area, must be both self closing and self latching. Swish Door Safety Systems when installed to specification, meet the requirements of such an "exemption" as, when fitted, doors will self close and self latch:
  • From any angle on a hinged door opening arc or, from any position on a sliding door track.
  • And, from a maximum opening of 150mm, from the latched position.
  • The self latch mechanism must be positioned at above 1500mm, from the buildings internal floor level.
Q3: Are Swish Door Safety Systems approved by all regulatory bodies in NZ?
A: Swish Door Safety Systems in themselves, cannot become an approved mechanism under the current Act, which requires a pool to be fenced. However, when Swish Door Safety Systems are installed to specification, all regulatory authorities inspecting them as an "exemption" - Have approved the installation and have issued a compliance certificate.
Swish Automation therefore recommend data-sheets be downloaded from our website (as appropriate) and be attached to compliance applications for approval, prior to installation.

Q4: How will the proposed NZ Standard change the 1987 Act?
The proposed NZ Standard was in draft form and open for public submissions from July 06 until 11 August 2006. However, the draft indicated: A child resistant doorset will be acceptable under the 1987 Act providing it meets requirements that include:
A self closing and self latching device that operates from any position, from resting on the latch, to the door being fully open. And, when the door is closed during operation, providing it cannot be re-opened without the latching device being released, after each operation of the door.

Q5: Do Swish Door Safety Systems meet the requirements of the proposed new NZ Standard?
A: Yes, providing the doorset meets the advised manufacturing standard and the Swish System is installed to specification, by an approved Swish installer.

For advice regarding your own pool installation and pool safety rules:
Use "Contact Swish" and send us your details, we will be pleased to assist... Also, contact your local Territorial Authority building and pool compliance advisory service.

Stop Press:
November 06 saw the new NZ Standard (NZS 8500-2006) published as an immediate advisory to Territorial Authorities and pool owners. However, it is not expected to be formally addended to the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987 until early 2007
Meanwhile, we are pleased to confirm Swish Pool Door Safety Systems do meet the specification and requirements of the new standard NZS 8500-2006 clause 2.3.2 and 3.7 and 4.6


For further information visit www.standards.co.nz where copies of the new standard NZS 8500-2006 are available for order on-line