AS 1926.

2—1995

Australian StandardR

Swimming pool safety

Part 2: Location of fencing for

private swimming pools
This Australian Standard was prepared by Committee CS/34, Safety of Private Swimming
Pools. It was approved on behalf of the Council of Standards Australia on 15 December 1994
and published on 5 February 1995.

The following interests are represented on Committee CS/34:

Australian Chamber of Manufactures
Australian Building Codes Board
Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Australia
Department of Environment and Natural Resources, South Australia
Department of Local Government and Co–operatives, N.S.W.
Federal Bureau of Consumer Affairs
Fence Industry Association of Australia
Health Department, Western Australia
Metal Trades Industry Association of Australia
National Injury Surveillance Unit
National Safety Council of Australia (S.A. Division)
Pool Fencing Action Group
Pool Owners Objection Lobby
Swimming Pool and Spa Association of Australia

Review of Australian Standards. To keep abreast of progress in industry, Australian Standards are subject to
periodic review and are kept up to date by the issue of amendments or new editions as necessary. It is important
therefore that Standards users ensure that they are in possession of the latest edition, and any amendments thereto.

Full details of all Australian Standards and related publications will be found in the Standards Australia Catalogue
of Publications; this information is supplemented each month by the magazine ‘The Australian Standard’, which
subscribing members receive, and which gives details of new publications, new editions and amendments, and of
withdrawn Standards.
Suggestions for improvements to Australian Standards, addressed to the head office of Standards Australia, are
welcomed. Notification of any inaccuracy or ambiguity found in an Australian Standard should be made without
delay in order that the matter may be investigated and appropriate action taken.

This Standard was issued in draft form for comment as DR 91182..

 AS 1926.2—1995

Australian StandardR

Swimming pool Safety

Part 2: Location of fencing for

private swimming pools

First published as part of SAA MP33—1977.

Second edition 1980.
Revised and redesignated AS 2818—1985.
Second edition 1986.
Revised and redesignated in part as AS 1926.2(Int)—1993.
Revised and designated AS 1926.2—1995.

PUBLISHED BY STANDARDS AUSTRALIA

(STANDARDS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA)
1 THE CRESCENT, HOMEBUSH, NSW 2140
ISBN 0 7262 9567 1
 PREFACE
This Standard was prepared by the Standards Australia Committee on Safety of Private Swimming Pools following
a review of the Interim Standard AS 1926.2(Int)—1993, Swimming pool safety, Part 2: Location of fencing
for private swimming pools.
This Standard is part of a series dealing with fencing, location of fencing and water recirculation and filtration
systems.
The other Standards in the series are as follows:
AS
1926 Swimming pool safety
1926.1 Part 1: Fencing for swimming pools
1926.3 Part 3: Water recirculation and filtration systems
An informative Appendix gives guidance on factors to be considered in selecting the location of fencing.

CONTENTS
Page
1.1 SCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2 REFERENCED DOCUMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3 DEFINITIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.4 OPTIONS FOR LOCATION OF FENCING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
APPENDIX A FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED IN FENCING LOCATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

E Copyright — STANDARDS AUSTRALIA

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 3 AS 1926.2 — 1995

STANDARDS AUSTRALIA

Australian Standard
Swimming pool safety

Part 2: Location of fencing for private swimming pools

1.1 SCOPE This Standard sets out options for the location of fencing that provides an
effective barrier which will restrict the access of young children to private swimming
pools.
NOTES:
1 The location of the fencing should be related to the need for protection and should take into
account all the circumstances of the particular site. Most drowning victims in private pools
are under the age of five years and are residents or invited visitors.
2 Guidance on factors to be considered in selecting the location of fencing is given in
Appendix A.
3 The type of fence and the location of the pool within the fenced area should permit viewing
through or over the fence so that the pool area may be viewed from commonly used areas of
the building or yard.

1.2 REFERENCED DOCUMENT The following document is referred to in this

Standard:
AS
1926 Swimming pool safety
1926.1 Part 1: Fencing for swimming pools

1.3 DEFINITIONS For the purpose of this Standard, the definitions below apply.
1.3.1 Child-resistant doorset—comprises a door, door frame, self-closing device and
self-latching device that is designed to provide an access way through the intended
barrier.
1.3.2 Fence—the assembly of components, natural or otherwise, which form the
intended barrier to the pool, exclusive of gates or doorsets. The fence includes items such
as posts and panels, constructed or natural walls, sides of buildings, child-resistant
windows and balustrades on a balcony where they form part of the intended barrier.
1.3.3 Fencing—a barrier comprising a fence and associated gate or gates, or child-
resistant doorsets.
1.3.4 Gate—any portion of the fencing other than a child-resistant doorset that is
designed to provide an access way through the intended barrier.
1.3.5 Private swimming pool—a swimming pool that is used in connection with a
dwelling and is available only to the residents of the dwelling and their guests.
1.3.6 Swimming pool—any excavation or structure containing water to a depth greater
than 300 mm and used primarily for swimming, wading, paddling, or the like, including a
bathing or wading pool or spa.
1.3.7 Young child—a child under the age of five years.

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AS 1926.2 — 1995 4

1.4 OPTIONS FOR LOCATION OF FENCING

1.4.1 General Fences, gates, retaining walls and other such barriers in Options A, B
and C shall comply with AS 1926.1.
1.4.2 Option A Option A shall not permit direct access to the pool area from the
building. Where the wall of a building forms part of the fencing of the pool, it shall not
be possible to gain access to the pool area from the building.
NOTE: A gate that is deliberately propped open or a faulty gate that does not self-close and
latch from any position or a fence that is not properly maintained compromises the safety of
this option.
Windows shall only be permitted in the wall of a building which forms part of the fencing
of the pool, where the height from the sill of the lowest opening panel of the window to
the pool surround is greater than 2.4 m.
A balcony projecting into a pool area shall comply with AS 1926.1.
Typical examples of Option A fencing are given in Figure 2.1.

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 5 AS 1926.2 — 1995

1.4.3 Option B Option B shall not permit direct access from the building to the pool
area. Where the wall of a building forms part of the fencing, a child-resistant openable
portion of window which complies with AS 1926.1, is permitted.
NOTE: A gate that is deliberately propped open or a faulty gate that does not self-close and
latch from any position or a fence that is not properly maintained compromises the safety of
this option.
A balcony projecting into the pool area shall comply with AS 1926.1.
A typical example of Option B fencing is given in Figure 2.2.

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AS 1926.2 — 1995 6

1.4.4 Option C Option C shall permit access from the building to the pool area. Where
the wall of a building forms part of the fencing, child-resistant doorsets and child-resistant
openable portions of windows which comply with AS 1926.1 are permitted.
NOTE: In most circumstances allowing direct access to the pool area from a building via
child-resistant doorsets compromises safety as the doorset may be treated as a normal door and
not maintained as a purpose-built safety device to form a barrier that will consistently restrict
the access of young children to the swimming pool. Accordingly, this option should only be
used with caution, primarily where physical circumstances preclude any other acceptable
solutions.
A balcony projecting into the pool area shall comply with AS 1926.1.
Typical examples of Option C fencing are given in Figure 2.3.

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 7 AS 1926.2 — 1995

APPENDIX A
FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED IN FENCING LOCATION
(Informative)

The distance of fencing from the pool should take into consideration a safety margin
sufficient to discourage diving and jumping from the fencing into the pool. The fencing
should not be located so close to the pool that adults will be discouraged from making use
of the area within the fencing while supervising children in the pool.
The possibility that the compliance of boundary fences used as pool safety fences may be
compromised by actions taken by adjoining property owners should be taken into
consideration.
Where possible, tool sheds, garages, barbecues and clotheslines should be located outside
the pool area to reduce the likelihood of self-closing gates being propped open in order to
gain access.
Wherever a young child is inside a pool area, constant supervision is essential. Increasing
the area and utilities inside the pool area may increase this responsibility.

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