On Jan 4, 2013, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has approved the Consumer Goods (Portable Swimming Pools) Safety Standard 2013, which aims to regulate the safety of portable swimming pool supplied in Australia, and would become mandatory on March 30, 2014.
The Challenge
The scope of this mandatory standard covers any portable swimming pool that is intended for personal, domestic or household use with one of the following design features:
- An inflatable swimming pool, of any depth.
- A soft-sided swimming pool, of any depth.
- A rigid-sided swimming pool that is not deeper than 300 mm.
Under this standard, a portable swimming pool supplied in Australian market shall comply with the following labeling requirements:
1. Safety sign on pools
|
The safety sign must not be distorted and shall be marked in the following manners: (a) Not less than 40 mm in diameter (b) In blue and white colours as shown in the diagram (c) Permanently printed or embossed on the portable swimming pool, on a background that provides a distinct contrast to the colour of the background of the safety sign (d) Placed next to the warning message. |
2. Warning message on pools and retail packages
(a) Depth of pool is less than 300 mm:
WARNING!
Children have drowned in portable swimming pools.
Ensure active adult supervision at all times.
Do not leave children unsupervised in or around the pool - keep them within arms’ reach.
Empty and store safely after use.
(b) Depth of pool is equal to or greater than 300 mm (or if the pool is capable of being filled to a depth of 300 mm or more):
WARNING!
Children have drowned in portable swimming pools.
Ensure active adult supervision at all times.
Do not leave children unsupervised in or around the pool - keep them within arms’ reach.
Pool fencing laws apply to this pool. Consult your local government authority for fencing requirements.
3. Labelling manner for the warning messages on the portable swimming pool and the retail package:
|
Requirement |
Pool |
Retail package |
|
Permanently printed or embossed, if applicable |
√ |
√ |
| Shall be in a colour contrasting to the background colour on which the warning message is printed or embossed (if applicable) | √ | √ (or label affixed to it) |
| Legible to a person, who aged more than 18 years with normal visual acuity, from a distance of 3 metres. | √ | √ |
|
Text size shall not be less than: - 10 mm high for the word “WARNING!” - 6 mm high for the other wordings |
√ | √ |
|
Shall be visible to a person who is: - Standing outside of the portable swimming pool - Supervising a child who is in or near the portable swimming pool |
√ | |
| Shall be displayed on the front panel of the retail package that is conspicuous and visible to customer when purchasing. | √ | |
| Additional warning statements or wordings, if any, shall not be ｉｎｓｅｒｔed between the required warning statements as stated in the safety standard, or contradict, qualify or modify the words in the statement. | √ | √ |
The Solution
Intertek is the leading solutions provider in Australian regulatory compliance. Intertek is adequately equipped with new test fixtures and apparatus, and with the professional know-how in testing and verification, we instill “peace of mind” for your company and more importantly, your end consumers.
