Consultation on new Acceptable Solutions for residential pool barriers
closed
Submissions closed: 16 December 2016, 5pmOn this page
Summary
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is consulting on proposed new Acceptable Solutions to support changes to residential pool barrier requirements under the Building (Pools) Amendment Act 2016. Consultation opened on 2 November 2016 and closes on 16 December 2016.
The Amendment Act repeals the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987 (FOSPA) and includes pool safety provisions in the Building Act 2004. It also creates new Building Code clause F9, which relates to residential pool barriers. Changes under the Amendment Act take effect from 1 January 2017.
MBIE is proposing to issue new Acceptable Solutions F9/AS1 Barriers for residential pools and F9/AS2 Covers for small heated pools.
Currently, Building Code clause F4 requires swimming pools to have barriers that restrict access by young children. The Schedule to FOSPA is an Acceptable Solution for clause F4. Proposed AS1 will largely reflect the Schedule to FOSPA. The main differences between the proposed Acceptable Solutions and the existing Acceptable Solutions in the Schedule to FOSPA relate to:
- safety covers for spas and hot tubs
- door alarms
- boundary fences
- doors that open toward a pool area.