Well-meaning nanny-state and compliance advocates will undoubtable be concerned about my proposal to use lockable lids for pools as the barrier for safety, instead of the current system of fences, alarms, locks and whatever else to secure pools.
Already I have had an earnest Doctor call me regarding his concerns over child drownings. Of course, as a father of three young children, I'm the last person who wants to see children drown, hence my desire to see a better system in place to prevent children from falling into pools. That it also gives people choice and a better outcome is a happy byproduct. I had a pleasant 5 minute chat with the good Doctor over his concerns.
The earnest doctor said to me that the problem with a lockable lid as the barrier is, "what if the barrier is left open?". Of course, the same applies to fences and gates too, or doors on the house. They could easily be propped open with furniture (as ACC's website tells us), so there isn't really any guarantees that a fence/gate system could be any more secure. I'll quote from the ACC Corporation's own pamphlet on pool safety:
Most “unauthorised” access by toddlers to pool areas occurs as a result of a gate being inadequately latched or propped open.
Besides, children are quite adept at climbing, and inquisitive children are easily capable of propping up chairs or using other things like their toys or buckets to aid them in climbing a fence. But a lid over a pool which is locked down is surely far harder for a child to gain access to?
The good doctor who rang me also said "well, what if a parent goes inside to make a cup of tea or answer the phone?" Of course, it's irrelevant as to what the parent is doing, what is relevant is that they have a duty to look after their children, and should ignore the phone or need for a cuppa. But should they have to get away from the pool, it would arguably make more sense to end the pool play, secure the pool lid (which these days can be via an easy to use automated system), and then re-open the pool once they can resume a watchful eye on their children.
After a pleasant enough 5 minute chat, the doctor also mentioned that children could drown inside the home, in the family bath. I helpfully pointed out to him that we don't talk about fencing inside the bathroom, nor do we specify a number of locks and alarms inside the home to deal with the threat of bathtub drowning. We rely on parental supervision. I don't think he saw my point somehow.
Some months back, I was horrified at the level of compliance costs that were being forced onto one pool owner, who had their pool designed some 20 years ago as a landscaping feature around their house, and were now forced into some hugely interruptive actions on their property. Alarms were being forced onto them for their front door and all patio doors, so if they had someone visit their home, an alarm would go off. A BBQ with friends that involved good old fashioned "indoor-outdoor flow" would trigger an alarm. It was nuts, and the common-sense solution that we arrived at was a lockable barrier over the pool with an in-pool alarm (in addition to securing the perimeter of the property).
A sturdy lockable lid or cover over a pool with a backup in-pool alarm is an excellent alternative to the layers of fences, alarms, self-latching doors, window stays and more. It covers the pool from any possible entry, where a fence can be breached. Just today, I see that in the Hawkes Bay a child nearly drowned after he and his mates scaled a fence to enter a school pool.
Now, if a person can't cover their pool, then they should have a multi-layer safety system. But if a newish technology that is becoming more accessible and cheaper to install like automated covers and lockable lids is available, then why not use this? A child simply can't fall into a pool that is covered and locked, can they? Surely this is the way to go over expensive and impractical fences, alarms and door locks that still ultimately leave the pool open to someone falling in?That's why I will be writing to the government (Department of Building and Housing) to ask them to take another look at the swimming pool safety standards, just like how they have done so for certain kinds of spa pools.
Posts
