Pool Safety Signs

CPR Sign Requirements

Queensland’s pool safety laws require that a prescribed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) sign adopted by the Australian Resuscitation Council to be displayed near each pool by 30 November 2015, or earlier if the property is sold or leased first or if the pool is a shared pool.

The CPR sign must:

  • be attached to the safety barrier for the pool, or displayed near the pool, so that the sign is easily visible to a person near the pool;
  • be at least 300 millimetres by 300 millimetres in size be made of durable and weatherproof material;
  • include a statement that is prominent on the sign, explaining to a person reading the sign how to act in an emergency, including for example telephoning for an ambulance, staying with the injured person, calling for help and providing first aid.
  • For pools constructed before 1 December 2009 the sign must show at least enough information about the procedures for providing first aid to enable anyone reading the sign to perform expired air resuscitation or CPR on an infant or young child. For pools constructed on or after 1 December 2009 it must show the procedures for performing first aid, including CPR in the way stated in the document called Guideline 7 published by the Australian Resuscitation Council(RCA). This document is no longer available of the RCA website but an example of a complying sign is shown opposite.
Swimming Pool Safety Signs - Budget Pool Safety Inspections
Complying CPR signs can be purchased from most pool shops or the Queensland Ambulance Service.

Note: The Australian Resuscitation Council adopted a new resuscitation protocol in December 2010. The current protocol uses the DRSABCD acronym as shown below. A sign like the one below does not meet the requirements of the legislation as it does not provide information on how to act in an emergency i.e. call 000 for an ambulance.

Warning Sign Requirements
The QLD Building Regulations 2006 require that a pool safety warning sign be displayed in the vicinity of land on which a swimming pool is to be constructed and there is a potential danger to young children. The sign must state ‘Danger. Swimming pool under construction. Keep children out’. The pool safety signs must be placed within 1.5 metres of the road frontage of the land, be mounted so that the bottom of the sign is at least 300mm above ground level, be visible from the road and be made of waterproof material. Lettering on the sign needs to be at least 50mm high and bold style.

Legislation

Pool safety signs are required near every pool to warn of the presence of a swimming pool under construction and of the procedures to follow in the event of an emergency. The requirements for pool safety signs are enabled by the Building Act 1975 Chapter 8 Paragraph 233 and the Building Regulation 2006 13A.
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