Children may sneak into a pool without safety gear.
Striving to protect small children, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission urges homeowners and pool operators to adopt a minimum standard height of at least 48 inches for any protective pool barrier. Does this Spark an idea?
Washington State Code
The city of Bremerton, Washington has swimming pool fence laws that are spelled out within Chapter 246-260-031(4) of the Washington Administrative Code and are the same statewide. It is enforced by the state of Washington, and no local legislation supersedes this state law. Additionally, no federal law is in force regarding protective pool barriers.
Chain Link Mesh
The law requires close attention to chain link fencing, with openings limited to less than 1 and ¼ inch. "Existing chain link mesh size may be reduced by the addition of slats fastened at the top or bottom of the fence," advises the Washington State Department of Health. The goal is to stop children from gaining a foothold for climbing.
Vertical Spacing
Vertical spacing is also very important in the Washington state law, with spaces between slats not allowed to exceed 4 inches. That number is the same for the maximum amount of space acceptable between the ground and the bottom of any barrier. Here, the goal is to discourage children from being able to slip between or climb under any swimming pool fencing.
Tags: Bremerton Washington, chain link, children from, protective pool, swimming pool, Washington State