Pool fence
A pool fence is a type of fence placed around backyard swimming pools, commonly to improve pool safety and to help prevent small children or pets from accidentally falling into the pool and drowning.
Pool fences are manufactured in several different types, using a variety of materials.
Types of pool fence
- Removable mesh pool safety fence
- Tubular steel
- Aluminium Tube
- Glass
- Wood (so long as it is not climable)
Different types of pool fencing are utilised depending upon the needs and budget of the pool owner. Each kind offers its own advantages and disadvantages. Most kinds of pool fence are also used for, and were initially designed for, other applications besides around the pool. The exception to this is removable mesh pool safety fence.
Removable mesh pool safety fence
Removable mesh pool pool safety fence is often referred to by several different names. These names include, but are not limited to:
- Pool barrier
- Pool fencing
- Swimming pool fence
- Mesh fence
- Safety fence
- Kiddy fence
- Child fence
Pool safety fence is the only type of pool fence designed specifically for use around swimming pools to help prevent child and/or pet access. [citation needed] Removable pool fences use a series of sections ranging from 6' to 15' in length connected at the top by a child-proof latch. Each section consists of a number of poles spaced at regular intervals and mounted into plastic or aluminium inserts that are core drilled into the pool deck or other substantial surface and a mesh material that stretches across those poles. The fence is made sturdy by the extreme tension it is manufactured and installed under. Mesh pool fence comes in many different colours, including black, white, green, tan, and brown. The mesh itself is made to be nearly transparent, especially in the darker colours. The support poles are normally made of either aluminium or fiber glass. Aluminium support poles are often powder coated different colours for pool owners' aesthetic preference.
Pool fence laws
Some jurisdictions have laws governing pool fences, however they may vary from place to place.
Australia
All states and territories in Australia have pool fence laws.
Victoria, Australia
In Victoria, Australia, pool fences must be at least 1.2 meters high. [1]
United States
There is no federal pool fence law currently in place within the United States. However, several states, including Florida,[2] California,[3] and Arizona,[4] have created their own individual pool fence laws. Some counties have pool fence laws where no state law currently exists. The Association of Pool & Spa Professionals has developed a model barrier code for residential swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs; this code has been approved by the American National Standards Institute.