[video: Music plays. Title of the video – Swimming pool fencing and gate safety. WaterSafe Auckland Inc. Wai Ora logo. Auckland Council logo (pōhutukawa flower over water). Jeremy Kirwan, Pool Inspector – Building Control, stands next to a black metal bar pool fence, talking. A pool filled with water is on the other side of the gate. Tall green hedge in the background. Auckland Council logo appears in top right corner throughout the video.]
Jeremy: A swimming pool is a great asset for any family and home. You can't beat it, can you? But with a pool comes responsibility. Our little kiwis are adventurous and they can easily get into trouble. Until we brought in laws around swimming pools, there were a lot more drownings. Most inspections fail because of some really easy things to fix, especially the gate. Most child drownings happen because of defective gates, broken fences or access underneath the fence.
[video: Jeremy indicates to the fence gate, its metal bars and the gap between the pool barrier and the ground. He opens the fence gate, then releases the gate which self-closes. Jeremy indicates where the gate hinges are.]
Jeremy: Swimming pool gates have to self-close and they have to self-latch. Gate latches and hinges need regular checks to make sure that they are working properly. Ground movement and general wear and tear can also affect the performance of a gate.
[video: Jeremy, at a different gate in the fence, opens it. The gate swings open and does not self-close.]
Jeremy: A pool gate must self-close and self-latch, so check that the hinge and springs are working properly. They may need replacement, like this one. Most modern hinges have internal springs. These can still stretch, snap or wear.
[video: The inspector's hand, pointing to a hinge with an internal spring. A larger hinge, also with an internal spring.]
Jeremy: So what we have here is the most commonly used hinge. Now to make the adjustment, it's a Phillips-head screwdriver and we just undo the cap as follows, we just unscrew that. Then this cap will just flip off. Then we use a flat-head screwdriver. We push down and turn to the left to tighten. We push down and turn to right to loosen.
[video: Using a screwdriver, Jeremy releases the cap of a hinge. Using another screwdriver, he demonstrates how to tighten and loosen the internal mechanism attached to the spring. Jeremy standing next to the pool fence, talking.]
Jeremy: If you don't feel confident making any of these adjustments, don't hesitate to call in a professional.
[video: Jeremy's hand indicating an external pool gate spring.]
Jeremy: This is an older-style spring. It's important that we make sure it maintains its tension.
[video: Jeremy standing next to a black wooden gate.]
Jeremy: Wooden gates can look great but they can also absorb water making them more prone to expand and contract. Our tip is to use aluminium or glass gates.
[video: Jeremy, in front of the black metal fence takes out a tape measure and checks the height of the pool fence from the flat ground. The height measurement says 1265mm.]
Jeremy: The gate and the fence need to be a minimum height of 1.2 metres. Watch out for retaining walls and steps, which change the level of the ground. If the latch is set on the outside of the gate, it needs to be set at 1.5 metres. If the latch is set on the inside, it needs to be inaccessible to little ones.
[video: Jeremy holds the tape measure next to the latch on the outside of the black metal gate. Jeremy stands next to a glass pool fence and opens the internal gate latch by reaching over the top of the fence.]
Jeremy: This next fix is a real easy one. Keep a clear 1.2 metres around the pool fence to ensure our little kiwis don't have something to climb up on.
[video: A planter box sits next to the pool fence, Jeremy picks it up and walks away. Jeremy standing in front of the pool, talking.]
Jeremy: These simple checks and fixes can save you a lot of bother when it comes to inspections. Most importantly, they can save a child's life. Check out Auckland Council's website or call us on this number. We're keen to help.
[video: Text – Contact us on: 09 301 0101. Auckland Council logo. Music plays. www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz keyword search: swimming pool fencing. WaterSafe Auckland Inc. Wai Ora logo.]