Why do I have to fence my pool and not my dam?

This is a common question I get asked during a pool inspection on rural properties.

In most cases there is no requirement for a dam to be fenced, primarily due to dams being used for agricultural or rural purposes.

Other reasons why dams do not require fencing include:

• - Dams are not intended to be used for swimming / recreational purposes.
• - Dams are generally graded to the centre where as swimming pools are generally deep throughout.
• - Swimming pools are generally surrounded by toys/equipment and children may associate the swimming pool with good or fun memories with their friends and family, whereas dams are not generally associated with this.
• - Dams are generally located further away from the dwelling than most swimming. pools.
• - Swimming pools are generally clean and enticing for young children whereas dams are generally murky and surrounded by long grass or vegetation.
• Statistics show that the incidents of child drownings in dams is lower than in bathtub/spa bath. *Please refer to graph below:

*Above statistics from Royal Life Saving Australia research report "Trends In Child Drowning Over The Last 25 Years"

If you have any questions regarding Pool Safety, email them to me and I will try to answer them for you. Contact details and further information can be found at www.brisbanepoolcertifiers.com.au