Even though winter is upon us and not a lot of days will be spent by the pool for the next few months we thought it might be great idea to look at the law concerning pool safety.

It may come as a surprise to know that there is legislation regulating the usage of privately owned pools it is called the National Building Regulations. This legislation was presented by the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications an affiliate entity of the Department of Trade and Industry. According to Mark Atkins of bizcommunity.com there is an alarming number of residential pool owners who either know nothing about this legislation or are aware of the said legislation but chose not to adhere to it.

In a survey conducted between September and October 2016 called the Safe Summer Survey revealed that although 44% of the participants knew of a minor who either drowned in their own families, social circle or neighborhood only 14% were aware of the laws concerning the ownership of residential pools.

The National Building Regulations sets out certain requirements to be met by residential property owners with pools:

• The swimming pool should be enclosed by a fence which prohibits direct access to the swimming pool ,
• The fence should be self closing and have a self locking gate attached to it
• In the case of a complex or a sectional title the place surrounding the pool must have either a wall or a fence
• The wall or fence enclosing the pool must not be less that 1.2 meters high from the ground
• The construction requirements of SANS 1390 should be complied with

Precautions must be applied at all times to ensure safety especially of minors.