McLaren Vale Glass

In South Australia, the regulations relating to the safety of pool fencing have been amended, and there are now more rigorous criteria in place regarding the inspection of domestic swimming pools and the quality and construction of pool safety fences.

From 1 April 2014, all new swimming pools will need to be inspected by local councils within two weeks of the child-safety barrier being installed in order to ensure that it’s effective and complies with safety regulations. Further changes to the legislation being considered include the upgrading (within 5 years) of all existing swimming pool child safety barriers, irrespective of when they were first installed, to comply with the current standards.

This means that if you are having a new pool constructed, your pool fence will need to conform to the regulations, while if you are the owner of an existing pool it might become necessary very soon for your pool fence to be upgraded to ensure that it complies with the new standards. Additionally, if you are selling a house with a pool you will also need to ensure that it meets the requirements before it can be sold.

South Australian pool fencing regulations
South Australian pool safety legislation requires that a pool fence must be continuous and at least 1.2 metres high, and constructed so that young children are not able to climb over it by using foot or hand holds. If a pool fence also forms part of a boundary fence, it must be at least 1.8 metres high with a 0.9 metre non-climbable zone at the top on the pool side. Gates to a pool area must open outwards, be self-closing and fitted with a latching device at least 1.5 metres off the ground.

At McLaren Vale Glass, we are vastly experienced and have extensive expertise in the manufacture and installation of all types of glass pool fencing. The quality of our fences mean that they meet South Australian inspection guidelines, as well as Australian Standards AS1926.1 (2007) and AS1288 (2006), so you can be sure that the glass is strong enough to withstand the risk of breakage, while all of the hardware that we use is of the highest quality, marine grade 316 stainless steel. We are also able to offer both semi-frameless and frameless glass pool fencing options.

Semi-frameless pool fences
The versatility of our semi-frameless glass installation systems means that you can install a pool fence on just about about any type of pool surround surface, including concrete, hardwood or structural steel. We use the Nu-Lite 2000 System and the 5mm thick aluminium posts can be affixed easily to timber or steel surfaces using shoes, or alternatively they can be concreted into the ground.

You can also customise the look of your pool fencing, as the aluminium posts can be powder coated to match your poolside colour scheme, and you can choose from a range of post caps and dress rings. This, combined with the fact that a glass barrier doesn’t impede the view of your garden or house means that you have complete safety without compromising the look of your home or outdoor living space.

Frameless pool fences
Frameless pool fences give you a thoroughly contemporary look and a choice of installation methods—you can use spigots to attach your glass to your pool surround, or you can opt to have the glass itself concreted directly into the ground, giving you a completely clear barrier and therefore an unobstructed view of your pool area, great both for safety and for maintaining the look of your pool. All of the glass that we use in our frameless pool fences is high-quality toughened glass with polished edges, ensuring both safety and an attractive, modern appearance.

Why choose glass pool fencing?
There are many advantages to choosing glass pool fencing—it is strong, durable and stable, especially important outdoors where there’s likely to be lots of activity. It also allows you to have a clear view of the pool, aesthetically important of course, but also for safety, so that children are prevented from gaining access to the pool area when you don’t want them to, and when they are using the pool they remain in view and can be easily supervised.