In Western Australia, there are two sets of safety barrier requirements depending on when the private swimming pool was installed or when plans for the installation of the pool were submitted to the permit authority for approval.

Generally:

• Post 1 May 2016 private swimming pools are required to have safety barriers that comply with the edition of the Building Code of Australia (BCA) currently in effect. The BCA references AS 1926.1:2012 (Safety barriers for swimming pools) and AS 1926.2:2007 (Location of safety barriers for swimming pools) incorporating amendments 1 and 2;
• Pre 1 May 2016 private swimming pools can continue to comply with their existing requirements under the Regulations or alternatively comply with the new requirements (that is the BCA).

Building and Energy has produced the following publications to assist swimming pool and spa owners to understand the barrier requirements for swimming and spa pools:

Publications for consumers

• Replace your child-resistant door/s with a safer alternative
• Rules for pools and spas – May 2016
• Rules for portable pools – August 2018
• Swimming pools and spas: electrical bonding – August 2018
• Danger – Swimming pool under construction – November 2018
• Do not prop the gate open
• Simple pool safety checklist for residents - March 2020
• Building permits for private swimming pools and pool fences

Publications for practitioners

• Building permits for private swimming pools and pool fences (fact sheet) – May 2024
• Industry Bulletin 158 - Building Amendment Regulations 2023
• Industry Bulletin 123 – Gate hinges in private swimming pool safety barriers
• Industry Bulletin 110 – Applicable building standards: Safety barriers for post-may 2016 private swimming pools

Reports

• Progress Report - Local Government periodic inspections of private swimming pool safety barriers 2022–23
• Progress Report - Local Government periodic inspections of private swimming pool safety barriers 2021-22
• Progress report – Local government’s four yearly inspections of private swimming pool safety barriers 2020-21
• Progress report - Local government's four yearly inspections of private swimming pool safety barriers 2018/19 
  Please note: The figure on page 7 of 8.3% for the City of Nedlands should be 0%
• Progress report – Local government’s four yearly inspections of private swimming pool safety barriers 2017/18 

Review

• Ombudsman WA Investigation into ways to prevent or reduce death of children by drowning – November 2017
• Decision paper – Swimming pool and safety barrier control 

Recalls

2022

• Product Safety Recall – Faulty Swimming Pool Gate Latch Assemblies

2018 

• Non-compliant swimming pool gate latch assemblies
• Recall of unsafe pool gate latches that pose a drowning risk for children

Product safety

Consumer Protection http://www.dmirs.wa.gov.au/consumer protection

ACCC Product Safety Australiahttp://www.productsafety.gov.au/products/outdoor/pools-spas

Directory of local governments (permit authorities)

WA Local Government Association http://www.walga.asn.au/about-local-government/online-local-government-directory.aspx

Drowning prevention and water safety information

Royal Life Saving Society WAhttp://www.royallifesavingwa.com.auKidsafehttp://www.kidsafe.com.auDon't duck out/Make it safe (portable pool safety campaign)http://dmirs.wa.gov.au/makeitsafeAustralian Water Safety Council http://www.watersafety.com.au

Pool industry information

Swimming Pool and Spa Association http://www.spasa.com.au

Legislation

Parliamentary Counsel's Office http://www.legislation.wa.gov.au

Building Code of Australia

Australian Building Codes Boardhttp://www.abcb.gov.au

Australian Standards

Standards Australiawww.standards.org.au/access-standards/buy-standards

State Library of Western Australiawww.slwa.wa.gov.au

The reserve section of the State Library of Western Australia provides limited, no-fee access to Australian Standards related to swimming pools and safety barriers. 

Reader Roomwww.readerroom.standards.org.au

Reader Room is an initiative by Standards Australia which provides limited, no-fee access to many Australian Standards for non-commercial purposes.