Swimming, spa and portable pools

The Building Regulations 2012 (the Regulations) require all private swimming, spa, and portable pools that contain water that is more than 300mm (30cm) deep to have a compliant safety barrier installed that restricts access by young children to the pool and its immediate surrounds. This webpage contains general information as well as useful publications and links for consumers and local govenrments. 

Portable pool safety campaign: Don't duck out, make if safe

General information

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).

Publications

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

Publications for practitioners

Reports

Review

Recalls

2022

2018 

Links

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