Warning over paddling pools
Safety experts are warning about the dangers of backyard paddling pools, saying they are growing in popularity but pose a significant drowning risk.
They say young children can drown in only a few centimetres of water - the amount that sprinklers or rain can add to an empty pool.
The Royal Life Saving Society and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission are launching a campaign to make parents aware of the risks from inflatable pools before they buy one for Christmas or the summer holidays.
The groups say children drown in temporary pools every year and many more are admitted to hospital after a near-drowning. Most children are under the age of three and almost two-thirds are boys.
RLSS WA senior manager of health promotion and research Lauren Nimmo said there was a legal requirement to fence a pool deeper than 300mm, even wading-type pools, but because this applied to permanently used pools, many people saw temporary or inflatable pools as low risk.
She said parents were advised to always supervise children and have them within arms' reach in or around water.
Smaller pools should be emptied after use and packed away so they cannot fill with rainwater or water from sprinklers.
The ACCC is working to make sure pools meet mandatory standards, including having labelling about fencing laws.
