A third of pool fences deficient, study finds

Consumer advocacy group CHOICE is calling for manufacturers and retailers to be obliged to ensure pool fences meet safety standards, after its research found five out of 16 fences failed to meet benchmarks for strength and rigidity.

CHOICE says that while pool owners are required to install a fence that meets standard requirements, no obligatory safety standards apply at the time of sale.

This means the onus is on the consumer to install a standards-compliant fence but not on manufacturers or retailers to supply one, says CHOICE spokesman Christopher Zinn.

"Consumers need to be confident any fence they buy complies with the safety regulations and can be recalled if found faulty," Zinn says.

"Responsible fence manufacturers already routinely test their fences to meet the standard, so this wouldn't be a burden to most companies."

Sixteen children aged four years or younger drowned in swimming pools in Australia in 2007-08, CHOICE says.

"While no fence can replace the need to supervise young children at all times in and around the pool, adequate pool fencing is an integral part of pool safety," Zinn says.

"Correct installation and use are essential but it's also vital that the fence be correctly designed and sturdily built so that youngsters can't climb it or squeeze through the bars."