The
Pool Police
Queensland Pool Fence Inspectors
In
January 2005 I had first hand experience in dealing with a Swimming
Pool Fence Inspector. I had been warned that they were a class of
bureaucrats with a law unto themselves, but I was unprepared for what
was to follow.
Pool Safety is a very sensitive subject and stories of
toddler drownings in back yard swimming pools are always sure to rouse
the emotions in any normal parent.
The bureaucrats who write and enforce the laws governing Pool Fencing
went to extreme measures in February 1992 by introducing strict
guidelines to protect our children.
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Extracts from
Queensland Home Building Code, Division 5 , Swimming Pools (updated
Nov.1994). Showing; min Fence Height, Safety
Quadrant of 900mm, and 12mm min. Mesh Size required to prevent Toddler
gaining access to Pool Area.
STRICT but not too
RIDICULOUS.
The inspector said he had
NEVER seen This Document.
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This is the FORM 17 which states - My fence DOES NOT
CONFORM with "Standard Building Regulations 1993" Which
HE said required; Mesh size to be less than 10mm and safety
Quadrant 1200mm
Compare with Actual 1994 extract - (See Above) -
So when were they
CHANGED? - Or do the
POOL POLICE make up
the Rules as they go along?
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Since
then, each year has seen more and more amendments to these By-laws
as the bureaucrats attribute ever increasing acrobatic skills to the
standard Toddler who, in
their minds eye, seems hell bent in drowning it's self in the family
pond.
Which brings us to the PRESENT
(2005)
It seems the Toddler's Arms have grown a foot (1200mm from 900)
And his Legs are now 1100mm long (Longer than Mine)
And his Fingers and Toes are now capable of clinging to 10mm gauger
Mesh
(not 12).
And he is capable of standing on the top of a 12mm Diameter Hinge Pin
and using it as a STEP to stride over my Gate which is only 1050mm
above this Step.
But they still FAIL our Fence
quoting 1993 Rules on their FORM 17.
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This section of
Fence was 1200mm wide and covered with 12mm mesh, but had to be
REPLACED with 6mm Snake Mesh to satisfy our Pool Inspector.
It
used
to be 12mm and only 900 wide (See Above Extract).
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The Rejected
12mm mesh, actual size. The strands
were 12mm crs which made the holes about 11mm.
How could the Toddler scale
THIS??
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This is the 12mm
DIA Hinge Pin which our Pool Inspector
insisted could be used as a STEP by the Toddler because it was only
1050mm from the top of the Gate
(The POOL POLICE said It
SHOULD be
1100mm) -
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This
imaginary kids legs are therefore longer than mine (Mine are only
900mm).
And I certainly can't use this
so-called STEP. But why bother, why
doesn't he simply lift the Latch? after all it's only 1500mm high and
this kids arms are 4 foot long remember?
I was told I had to purchase a new
Conforming Hinge, or a 60 degree
Shield from any Pool Shop. But the Pool Shops have
never even heard if such a device. They showed me their Hinge Supply
and they were ALL like mine, some even BIGGER - 20mm.Dia.
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And WHY
would this Super Toddler go
to the trouble of performing all these extraordinary feats to gain
entry when he can simple use the approved
conforming gate.
It's the WEAKEST LINK
(Click HERE
to OPEN this Gate) -
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So
now I have to PAY them an EXTRA $150 to RE-INSPECT my Fence.
What a bloody RIP_OFF!!!
It's PREPOSTEROUS to suggest that a kid could use the Hinge Step above -
It's simply an excuse to FAIL your first inspection and make you to
comply with this idiotic Rule and force a re-inspection so that they
get to play the roll of Important Inspector once more.
They rightly DESERVE their BAD
REPUTATION - They've EARNED IT.
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ONE LAW FOR THEM - AND ANOTHER FOR US - UNFAIR is now OFFICIAL
Click HERE to Read this FRONT PAGE HEADLINE Confirming their DOUBLE STANDARDS
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If YOU have any
similar TALES send them to me as a TXT
File
An' I'll publish them
here as an X-File
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To Contact Muldier
