French legislation on safety devices for pools
Designed to reduce the risk of drowning in swimming pools, the legislation referring to device pool safety is Article L128-2 in force amended by Law No. 2004-1 on 2 January 2004 art. 19 (Official Journal of 3 January 2004).
It is stated “From January 1st, 2004, in ground pools, unenclosed, private, individual or collective use, shall be equipped with a safety standard to prevent the risk of drowning. As of this date, for new pools, the manufacturer or installer must provide the owner with a sheet showing the approved safety device used.”
Standard safety features
You can choose between different devices to secure the swimming pool of your French property, such as protective barriers, alarm systems, safety covers, pool shelters … They must comply with the requirements of these standards.
The brand “NF equipment pool” guarantees the quality, safety and sustainability of equipment such as protective barriers and means of access to the pool, alarm systems, safety covers, the devices’ attachment, as well as pool roofing.
Types of features
Different types of features exist, from an alarm system, to barriers, to pool covers… This choice of yours will defer, depending on the persons using the swimming pool, the presence of children …
Perimeter alarms
Pool alarms within the pool perimeters help to establish a protection perimeter around the pool. At each crossing, infrared (invisible) siren starts, and prevents the intrusion near the pool. This is indeed a discrete solution, simple and scalable. (Watch out for animals).
Sonar Sensors
This type of pool alarms are in immersion, using military technology of passive sonar. They listen and identify sounds in the pool. The detecting siren is almost instantaneous and has send out more than 100 decibels. They are fixed on the pool walls. The stopping and starting of the alarm depends on the model, and whether it is manual or controlled via a remote control.
Tarpaulins Safeties
The winter security covers meet the requirements of wintering and securing the pool. This is a high-end device for winter use and can be substituted by a protective alarm.
Protective barriers
Protective barriers should be performed or installed to:
– Prevent the passage of a child under 5 years without adult assistance.
– Resist the actions of a child under 5 years old, particularly in regard to the locking system access.
Thread pool barriers are easy to install and have the advantage of being removable. They are a simple and a low cost way of securing your pool.
And many more…
Non-compliance
In case of non-compliance related to pool safety devices, the equipment owner is liable to a fine of 45,000 Euros.
Enjoy your swimming pool while being safe!