'Paddling' pools - do rules apply?

[Eskenazi]

This is probably going to sound like a daft question but do the rules also apply to large above ground paddling pools? Ours is one of those E149 jobs, purchased in 'Point vert' - it's less than a metre deep, is about 4 metres across, metal sides & plastic lining. We are about to have people staying in our cottage for the first time in Summer, so the question becomes crucial - do we leave it filled & ready for their children to use? Obviously there's no security fence or cover - what if their child falls in? To us, the responsibility is obvious - we stayed in places with pools and paddling pools many times & if one of ours had fallen in, we would have blamed ourselves for not having watched her all the time. Maybe we should just empty it & put the cover on? Thanks for any advice!

[Poolguy]

As what you are proposing is an 'above ground pool' then you are exempt from the requirement to install an ANFOR compliant security device.

If the paddling pool (of what ever depth) was 'inground' then you would not be exempt - as I understand it.

But the regulations do not exempt anyone from the 'duty of care', or in plain speak, you are not exempt from exercising common sence. If you think that there is a risk, then it probably is and you'll need to take some action to minimise it.

Be safe. Sleep well.

I hope that this is of some help.

[Val_2]

Having had tons of publicity from shops who sell these above ground pools we also wondered where people stood on the matter of safety and fencing in. My husband came to the conclusion that it isn't so easy for a child to fall in one that is over a meter high especiall if there is no ladder available to climb up, compared to a sunken pool but as you say, it would probably come down to a duty of care by the owner. I have also noticed out and about here, the great increase in reservoirs recently dug and filled by local farmers, now in my opinion this is far more dangerous than an above ground pool especially when I asked one of the farmers what there was to stop kids falling in. As usual the gallic shrug and he walked away,but if I lived nearby and had young children I would be a bit worried about their curiosity especially on a  very hot day when all that water looks so inviting.

[CatherineS2]

I don't have a pool and know almost nothing about the rules and regulations, so please ignore me if I am talking a load of twaddle.

However, I wonder whether there are any rules about the hygiene aspect? I think I remember reading somewhere about a load of peope dying in Holland due to a contaminated jacuzzi . I don't want to scaremonger, but I imagined that the swimming pool regs were not only concerned with safety barriers, but also with the cleanliness of the water. If I were you, I would just check this out too, just to be on the safe side.

[Val_2]

On the subject of hygiene, our local pool here shows up red when someone pisses in it. My son & his friend got thrown out for this, but then we've done it sometime in our lives,especially on those school swimming trips when it was raining and miserable and you weren't allowed out to go.

[Poolguy]

Regards the hygiene aspects of pools.

There are recommendations but no real controls. One of the most difficult areas for people who own hotels and gites covers this very issue, as clients could mount a case against you if they are adversely affected from your pool.

If your pools looks clean you can be fooled into thinking that there is no problem to the health of you clients. Sometimes this can be far from the case. The function of Chlorine (Sodium hydrochloride) is to sanitise the water, killing all of the microbes and neutralising the health risk from human 'secretions' and external pollutants. However unless you have an automatic pool controller you water can never be completely balanced and hygienic, the best you can hope for is 'within an acceptable range'. On occasions, that is not enough for some people particularly young people who are sensitive to these problems.

You can either test and treat twice a day in the heavy use periods or buy a pool controller and have continuous perfectly balanced and hygienic pool water. If you need more information on these them PM me and I offer more help.