Swimming Pools Regulation sl-2018-0503
Swimming Pools Regulation sl-2018-0503
Swimming Pools Regulation sl-2018-0503
[2018-503]
Status Information
Currency of version
Current version for 1 December 2021 to date (accessed 26 March 2024 at 1:16)
Legislation on this site is usually updated within 3 working days after a change to the legislation.
Provisions in force
The provisions displayed in this version of the legislation have all commenced.
Notes—
• Staged repeal status
This legislation is currently due to be automatically repealed under the Subordinate Legislation Act 1989
on 1 September 2024
Authorisation
This version of the legislation is compiled and maintained in a database of legislation by the Parliamentary
Counsel's Office and published on the NSW legislation website, and is certified as the form of that legislation that
is correct under section 45C of the Interpretation Act 1987.
Contents
2 Commencement ................................................................................................................................ 4
3 Definitions ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Note........................................................................................................................................................ 5
............................................................................................................................................................... 5
7 Standards required for swimming pools on large or waterfront properties to be exempt from
requirement to surround swimming pool
............................................................................................................................................................... 6
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Swimming Pools Regulation 2018 [NSW]
............................................................................................................................................................... 8
12 Application for exemption.................................................................................................................. 8
27 (Repealed) ....................................................................................................................................... 13
............................................................................................................................................................. 14
30 Effect of changes to prescribed standards for existing complying swimming pool barriers and means
of access
............................................................................................................................................................. 14
31 Existing complying swimming pools may continue to comply with earlier standards .....................15
32 Savings ............................................................................................................................................ 15
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Swimming Pools Regulation 2018 [NSW]
Part 1 Preliminary
1 Name of Regulation
2 Commencement
This Regulation replaces the Swimming Pools Regulation 2008, which is repealed on 1 September 2018 by
section 10 (2) of the Subordinate Legislation Act 1989.
3 Definitions
Note—
The Act and the Interpretation Act 1987 contain definitions and other provisions that affect the
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Swimming Pools Regulation 2018 [NSW]
(2) Notes included in this Regulation do not form part of this Regulation.
For the purposes of this Regulation, a child-resistant barrier, window or doorway is taken
to comply with AS 1926.1—2007 or the Building Code of Australia where applicable so
long as it complies with the minimum requirements of the standard or the code.
(1) For the purposes of sections 7 (1) (b) and 12 (d) of the Act, the prescribed standards
in accordance with which a child-resistant barrier surrounding a swimming pool is to
be designed, constructed, installed and maintained are the requirements set out in the
Building Code of Australia.
Note—
The Act and this Regulation prevail to the extent of any inconsistency with the Building Code of Australia.
(1) For the purposes of section 8 (2) of the Act, the prescribed standards in accordance
with which the means of access to a swimming pool from a residential building are to
be restricted are that—
(a) each doorway, and each opening portion of a window, that gives access to the
swimming pool is to be designed, constructed, installed and maintained in
accordance with the standards set out in AS 1926.1—2007, and
(b) in relation to each opening portion of a window giving access to the swimming
pool—there must not be any footholds wider than 10 millimetres between the
bottom of the lowest opening panel of the window and any point within 1.1 metres
below the bottom of that panel.
(2) Subclause (1) (b) does not apply to a window that is—
(a) of substantial construction and is so fixed (by means of a keyed locking device or
other child-resistant device) that it has no opening through which it is possible to
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Swimming Pools Regulation 2018 [NSW]
For the purposes of sections 9 (2) and 10 (2) of the Act, the prescribed standards in
accordance with which the means of access to a swimming pool from a residential
building are to be restricted are the standards set out in AS 1926.1—2007.
(1) For the purposes of section 14 of the Act, the prescribed standards in accordance with
which the means of access to an indoor swimming pool are to be restricted are that
each doorway, and each opening portion of a window, that gives access to the
swimming pool must be designed, constructed, installed and maintained in
accordance with the requirements as set out in the Building Code of Australia.
For the purposes of section 20 of the Act, the prescribed standards in accordance with
which access to the water contained in a spa pool is to be restricted are that the spa pool
must be covered and secured by a lockable child-resistant structure (such as a door, lid,
grille or mesh) that—
(b) is securely fastened by a device that is itself of substantial construction and having no
opening through which it is possible to pass a testing apparatus.
(1) For the purposes of section 17 (1) of the Act, the sign referred to in that subsection
must bear a notice that contains all of the following—
(i) “Young children should be actively supervised when using this swimming pool”,
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and
(iii) “Keep articles, objects and structures clear of the pool fence at all times”,
(b) a simple flow chart (which may be the flow chart depicted in the Cardiopulmonary
Resuscitation Guideline) containing details of resuscitation techniques—
(i) that are set out in accordance with the relevant provisions of that Guideline,
and
(ii) that comply with the other relevant guidelines of the Australian Resuscitation
Council,
(d) the name of the teaching organisation or other body that published the sign and
the date of its publication.
(2) However, any sign erected on or before 31 August 2019 that bears a notice in
accordance with clause 10 (1) of the Swimming Pools Regulation 2008 (as in force
immediately before its repeal) is taken to comply with subclause (1) of this clause,
unless the swimming pool to which the sign relates is substantially altered or rebuilt.
(3) The occupier of any premises in or on which a swimming pool (not including a spa
pool) is being constructed must ensure that a sign is erected and maintained that—
(a) bears a notice containing the words “This swimming pool is not to be occupied or
used”, and
(b) is located in a prominent position in the immediate vicinity of that swimming pool,
and
Note—
The signage requirements in subclause (3) are in addition to any signage that may be required under the
Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 or any other Act.
(4) Subclause (3) does not have effect before 1 March 2019.
Note—
Words or statements required to be included on signs by this clause may be in upper or lower case.
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Swimming Pools Regulation 2018 [NSW]
For the purposes of section 17 (1) and (2) of the Act, the signs referred to in section 17 (1)
of the Act and clause 10 (3) of this Regulation must be—
(1) An application made to a local authority for an exemption under section 22 of the Act
is to be in the form approved by that authority.
(a) the local authority is taken, for the purposes of any appeal proceedings, to have
refused the application if the local authority fails to finally determine the
application within 6 weeks after it is made, and
(b) the owner of the premises on which the relevant swimming pool is situated is
entitled to appeal to the Land and Environment Court if the local authority—
(i) refuses the application (or is taken to have refused the application), or
(ii) grants the application but imposes a condition on the exemption granted.
(1) A local authority may impose a fee of no more than $250 for determining an
application for an exemption under section 22 of the Act (which includes the conduct
of any inspections for the purposes of determining the application).
(2) An application made to a local authority that has imposed a fee must be accompanied
by that fee.
For the purposes of section 22 (1) (a) of the Act, the fact that an adult occupier of the
premises in or on which a swimming pool is situated would (because of a physical
disability or impairment of the occupier) be significantly impeded in gaining access to the
swimming pool if the requirements of Part 2 of the Act were complied with is a special
circumstance that justifies the granting of an exemption from those requirements.
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(a) that refuses to grant an exemption under section 22 of the Act in respect of a
swimming pool, or
(b) that imposes conditions on an exemption under section 22 of the Act in respect of
a swimming pool,
must cause notice of the decision to be served on the owner of the premises in or on
which the swimming pool is situated.
(b) must state that the owner of the premises is entitled to appeal to the Land and
Environment Court from the decision of the local authority.
(1) For the purposes of section 22B (5) of the Act, a local authority must establish and
implement a strategy for engagement with the local community when developing a
program for the inspection of swimming pools in its area.
(2) The strategy must be based on social justice principles of equity, access, participation
and rights.
(3) The local community is to be consulted in accordance with the strategy in relation to
the development of the inspection program (including in relation to any review of such
a program).
For the purposes of section 22C (3) of the Act, a reasonable time within which a local
authority must carry out an inspection is 10 business days after receiving a request for
the inspection in accordance with section 22C of the Act.
(1) For the purposes of section 22D (8) of the Act, if a local authority or an accredited
certifier has inspected a swimming pool under Division 5 of Part 2 of the Act and is
satisfied that the requirements for the issue of a certificate of compliance have been
met, the information must be entered on the Register within 3 business days after the
inspection.
(2) For the purposes of section 30A (3) of the Act, if a local authority or an accredited
certifier has inspected a swimming pool under Division 5 of Part 2 of the Act and is
satisfied that the requirements for the issue of a certificate of compliance have not
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Swimming Pools Regulation 2018 [NSW]
been met, the information must be entered on the Register within 3 business days
after the inspection, by providing the details to the Secretary in a form approved by
the Secretary.
For the purposes of section 22F (1) of the Act, the maximum fee that a local authority may
charge the owner of premises in or on which a swimming pool is situated for carrying out
an inspection of the swimming pool is—
(a) if it is the first inspection since the person became the owner—$150, or
(b) any or all subsequent inspections after the first inspection since the person became
the owner—$100, or
(c) if it is the first inspection since a certificate of compliance in relation to the premises
ceased to be valid—$150, or
(d) any or all subsequent inspections after the first inspection since a certificate of
compliance in relation to the premises ceased to be valid—$100.
Note—
Certificates of compliance for a swimming pool are valid for a period of 3 years from the date of issue, in
accordance with section 22D (6) of the Act. After a certificate of compliance has ceased to be valid, the local
authority may charge a fee in accordance with this clause for an inspection carried out for the purpose of issuing
a new certificate of compliance.
(1) This clause applies to an inspection carried out by the local authority under section
22C of the Act.
(2) The local authority must provide a written notice to the owner of premises in or on
which a swimming pool is situated if the local authority has inspected the swimming
pool and is not satisfied that the requirements for the issue of a certificate of
compliance have been met.
(b) the address of the swimming pool to which the notice relates,
(d) the reasons why the local authority is not satisfied that the requirements for the
issue of a certificate of compliance have been met and the steps that need to be
taken in order to meet those requirements,
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(e) whether the local authority is of the opinion that the swimming pool poses a
significant risk to public safety.
Note—
A local authority may, under section 23 of the Act, order compliance with Part 2 of the Act.
(1) This clause applies to an inspection carried out by the local authority, or a registered
certifier, under section 22C of the Act.
(2) The local authority or registered certifier must issue a certificate of non-compliance to
the owner in respect of a swimming pool if the local authority or registered certifier (as
the case requires)—
(a) has inspected the pool under section 22C of the Act, and
(b) is satisfied that the requirements for the issue of a certificate of compliance have
not been met.
(3) A certificate of non-compliance must be in the form approved by the Secretary and
must include the following—
(a) the address of the swimming pool to which the certificate relates,
(c) whether the local authority or registered certifier is of the opinion that the
swimming pool poses a significant risk to public safety,
(4) A certificate of non-compliance must be issued within 7 days from the date of the
inspection of the pool. However, failure to issue a certificate of non-compliance within
that period does not affect the validity of the certificate.
(5) The requirement under subclause (4) to issue a certificate of non-compliance within
the 7-day period applies whether or not a notice under clause 20 has been provided.
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(8) A certificate of non-compliance is not valid at any time during which the premises on
which the swimming pool is located are subject to a residential tenancy agreement
under the Residential Tenancies Act 2010.
Note—
(1) This clause applies to a swimming pool situated in or on premises acquired after 24
March 2016 if the contract of sale for the premises contained a certificate of non-
compliance under clause 21, unless the certificate states that the swimming pool
poses a significant risk to public safety.
(2) For the purposes of sections 7 (1) (b), 12 (d) and 14 of the Act, the prescribed
standard in the case of a swimming pool to which this clause applies is the condition
of the child-resistant barrier or means of access as at the acquisition of the premises,
but only until—
(b) the completion of work after the acquisition of the premises to ensure the child-
resistant barrier or means of access complies with the standards that would apply
but for this clause,
whichever is earlier.
Note—
See clauses 5 (1) and 8 (1) for the standards prescribed for sections 7 (1) (b), 12 (d) and 14 of the Act that
would apply but for this clause. Non-compliance with sections 7, 12 and 14 of the Act may be an offence
that carries a maximum penalty of 50 penalty units.
acquisition of the premises means the date on which the sale of the premises is
completed.
For the purposes of section 22F (2) of the Act, a local authority that is a council must
include in its annual report under section 428 of the Local Government Act 1993 the
number of inspections that it carried out under Division 5 of Part 2 of the Act that—
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For the purposes of section 30B (1) of the Act, the following information is required to be
entered on the Register in relation to a swimming pool—
(b) the type of swimming pool (for example, whether the pool is in-ground or above-
ground, or indoor or outdoor, or a spa pool),
(c) the type of premises (for example, premises on which a residential building is located,
premises on which tourist and visitor accommodation is located or premises on which
more than 2 dwellings are located).
For the purposes of section 30B (2) (b) of the Act, the maximum fee that a local authority
may require for the provision of registration information within the meaning of section 30B
of the Act is $10.
Registered certifiers within the meaning of Division 5 of Part 2 of the Act who carry out
work under that Division are prescribed as authorised persons for the purposes of section
30E of the Act.
Part 7 Miscellaneous
27 (Repealed)
A local authority that gives a direction under section 23 of the Act to the owner of any
premises in or on which a swimming pool is situated must include in the direction—
(a) the reasons for its decision to give the direction, and
(b) a statement to the effect that the owner of the premises is entitled to appeal to the
Land and Environment Court from the decision of the local authority.
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Swimming Pools Regulation 2018 [NSW]
(1) Each local authority must ensure that an electronic version, and if requested a paper
copy of a relevant extract of the applicable Australian standards, the Building Code of
Australia and the Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Guideline are made available for
public inspection at no cost at each public office of the local authority during ordinary
business hours.
(2) Each local authority must ensure that the Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Guideline is
available for viewing on its website.
(a) AS 1926—1986, Fences and gates for private swimming pools as published by
Standards Australia on 4 August 1986,
(b) AS 1926.1—2007,
(c) AS 1926.1—2012, Swimming pool safety, Part 1: Safety barriers for swimming
pools as published by Standards Australia on 6 November 2012, including any
subsequent editions,
(d) AS 1926.2—2007, Swimming pool safety, Part 2: Location of safety barriers for
swimming pools as published by Standards Australia on 12 July 2007, including
any subsequent editions.
(2) If a child-resistant barrier for a swimming pool is required to comply with a standard
prescribed under a provision of Part 2 of the Act and the standard is amended or
substituted by a relevant amendment, the barrier is taken to comply with the
amended or substituted standard so long as—
(a) immediately before the relevant amendment took effect, the barrier complied with
the standard that applied to the barrier at that time and the barrier continues to
comply with that standard, or
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(b) if the barrier has been substantially altered or rebuilt, the barrier complied with
the standard that applied to the barrier when it was so altered or rebuilt and the
barrier continues to comply with that standard.
(3) If the means of access to a swimming pool are required to comply with a standard
prescribed under a provision of Part 2 of the Act and the standard is amended or
substituted by a relevant amendment, the means of access are taken to comply with
the amended or substituted standard so long as—
(a) immediately before the relevant amendment took effect, the means of access
complied with the standard that applied to the means of access at that time and
the means of access continues to comply with that standard, or
(b) if the means of access have been substantially altered or rebuilt, the means of
access complied with the standard that applied to the means of access when they
were so altered or rebuilt and they continue to comply with that standard.
Note—
Subclause (3) applies to standards prescribed under provisions of Part 2 of the Act that relate to indoor
swimming pools, outdoor swimming pools or both.
31 Existing complying swimming pools may continue to comply with earlier standards
(1) This clause applies to a swimming pool the construction or installation of which was
completed before 1 September 2008 and that complied with Part 2 of the Swimming
Pools Regulation 1998 as in force immediately before the repeal of that Regulation.
(2) It is sufficient compliance with Part 2 of the Act for a swimming pool to comply with
that Part on the basis of the requirements of Part 2 of the Swimming Pools Regulation
1998 (as an alternative to compliance on the basis of the requirements of Part 2 of this
Regulation).
(a) an outdoor swimming pool—if the child-resistant barrier by which access to the
swimming pool is restricted is substantially altered or rebuilt, and
(b) an indoor swimming pool—if the premises in or on which the swimming pool is
situated are substantially altered or rebuilt in a way that affects the means of
access to the swimming pool.
32 Savings
(1) Any act, matter or thing that, immediately before the repeal of the Swimming Pools
Regulation 2008, had effect under that Regulation is taken to have effect under this
Regulation.
(2) A certificate of non-compliance that was valid immediately before the repeal of the
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Swimming Pools Regulation 2008 is not affected by that repeal and this Regulation
applies to the certificate in the same way that it applies to a certificate of non-
compliance issued under this Regulation.
(a) each offence specified in this Schedule is an offence for which a penalty notice may be issued, and
(b) the amount payable under any such penalty notice is the amount specified in this Schedule for the
offence.
Column 1 Column 2
Provision Penalty
Section 12 $550
Section 14 $550
Section 16 $550
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