The State Government and Royal Life Saving Australia have launched a national campaign to warn consumers about the dangers of portable pools this summer.
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The Don’t Duck Out, Make it SAFE campaign encourages Western Australians using portable pools this summer to be SAFE – Supervise, Act, Fence and Empty.
Royal Life Saving Australia said portable pools ranging from small blow-up or plastic paddling or kiddie pools to bigger wading pools, inflatable spas or high-sided flexible plastic pools on a frame can be popular in summer as a cheap alternative to below-ground pools, but are just as dangerous.
Royal Life Saving Society Western Australia chief executive officer Peter Leaversuch said their annual National Drowning Report highlights the issue of portable pool drowning and who was most at risk.
“Our statistics show there is one child fatality as a result of a portable pool drowning each year. The child is almost always under five-years-old and more likely to be male,” he said.
“Adults following the Don’t Duck Out, Make It SAFE tips, such as keeping constant watch of kids around portable pools, can reduce the risk and potentially save lives.”
Collie-Preston MLA Mick Murray said as we come into the hotter months, this serves as a friendly reminder about water safety.
“Tragically, on average, one child dies from drowning in a portable pool every year, with others needing hospital treatment and some suffering from permanent brain damage,” Mr Murray said.
“Portable pools deeper than 30cm need to be fenced to ensure the safety of our children. Don’t risk a $5,000 fine, or more importantly, the life of a child – make sure you comply with portable pool fence requirements.”
Under the Australian Consumer Law portable pools must have warning labels drawing the buyer’s attention to the drowning risk.
Commerce and Industrial Relations Minister Bill Johnston said suppliers of portable pools failing to comply with the mandatory standard can also face hefty penalties, up to $1.1 million.
“Since July, Consumer Protection inspectors have visited about 50 stores and checked more than 290 portable pools. I’m pleased that only one paddling pool and one inflatable spa did not comply with warning label requirements for retail packaging,” Mr Johnston said.
The Shire of Collie said they fully support the national campaign on portable-pool safety and for information about fencing you can contact them on 9734 9000.
The Don’t Duck Out, Make It SAFE initiative includes four key safety messages for parents:
- Supervise – Actively watch children within arm’s reach. Don’t leave children in charge.
- Act – Learn CPR – know to start compressions and breaths as soon as possible when a child is pulled from the water and to call triple zero (000) for help.
- Fence – In WA and most parts of Australia, pools with more than 30cm of water in, are legally required to have a compliant safety barrier. Check with your local Council.
- Empty – For pools that don’t need to be fenced, keep watch all day, then pour out the water and store away from children, in a place where it can’t refill with rain or sprinkler water.
For more information, visit http://www.productsafety.gov.au/makeitsafe.
