With new swimming pool fencing legislation requiring all Queensland Pool owners to be certified through the QLD Pool Safety Register, it's time to get serious about pool safety, or pay some hefty fines.
Queensland pool owners have until November 4, 2011 to register their pool, or face some hefty fines.
Once you register, you will be advised whether or not your pool currently has a Pool Safety Certificate.
If you don't, you will need to contact a licensed swimming pool and fencing inspector to visit and certify your pool.
Unfortunately, given pending deadlines, fencing inspectors are currently in very high demand, which can make repeat inspections inconvenient to arrange.
Before the inspection, it's important to do a little research of your own.
By following this simple pool safety checklist, you will identify some of the most common factors that will cause a pool to fail inspection first time around.
Pool Safety Checklist

• Do all gates close completely on their own, without the need to apply force from any position?
• Is the gate latch at least 1500 mm from the ground?
• Is the gap between gate and fence less than 10 mm?
• Are the gaps between the gate, fence and level ground less than 100 mm?
• Have you removed everything from the fence line, including vines, bungees, lights, towels or drying clothes?
• Are all trees, shrubs and other natural growths near the fence line trimmed well enough to ensure nothing could be used to climb over it?
• Do you have a legislation-compliant CPR safety sign clearly on display? (If not, be sure to notify your inspector prior to the visit so they can arrange one for you.
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• Have you removed pot plants, benches, ornaments or any other nearby items that could be used to help climb over the fence?
• Is the fence line at least 1200 mm high all the way around - including boundary fences?
• Are all the gaps in the fence line and gate less than 100 mm wide throughout?
• If you have any direct door access to the pool, is it appropriately secured by compliant gates and fencing that follows the above rules?
• If any home windows could potentially give access to the pool area: are they covered with bars or grills less than 100 mm apart, or equipped with child safety devices that prevent it from opening more than 100 mm?

If you answered "no" to any of the above questions, your pool fencing may not be certified as safe.
By amending these issues before your inspection (or advising your inspector before the visit), your pool certification process should be much simpler process.