The 500mm 'exclusion zone' for objects around swimming pool barriers applies to any pool boundary, including a property boundary that also acts as a pool barrier.
NSW has obtained a variation to the National Construction Code (NCC) to clarify that clause 2.3.1 of Australian Standard 1926.1-2012 Swimming pool safety - Safety barriers for swimming pools applies to boundary barriers.
In relation to this clause:
- Retaining walls, objects or level changes that would otherwise reduce the height of a barrier within a property must be located at least 500mm from the barrier.
- Clause 2.3.1 applies in addition to clause 2.2.4, which requires any relevant boundary fence/barrier to be at least 1800mm high on the inside of the property.
Learn more about the 2022 National Construction Code (NCC) 2022 variation.
Note: The variation merely clarified the pre-existing view of Fair Trading, in that clause 2.3.1 already applied to boundary fences. This view was similarly unchanged by the 2021 ruling of Standards Australia regarding the intention of the clause. The ruling did not change the law or affect the interpretation of the clause.