Ninety percent of all toddler drownings in Queensland domestic pools in the past four years have occurred in pools where there was no or substandard pool fencing, according to a University of Queensland study.
The study, co-ordinated by the University's Centre for Health Promotion and Cancer Prevention Research, analysed circumstances surrounding 35 toddler drownings between April 1, 1992, when new pool fencing legislation was introduced, and the end of 1996.
The study also found that between 50 and 70 percent of Queensland pools did not have fences complying with the new legislation.
The legislation involved amendments to the Local Government Act and the Building Act and required a uniform minimum fencing standard. Initially it was apparently successful (toddler drownings fell from 15 in 1992 to one in 1993), but the number of deaths had crept back up to around 10 a year.
Funded by a $50,000 Queensland Health Promotion Council grant, the study sought to help direct future prevention programs.
It was led by Centre for Health Promotion and Cancer Prevention Research Statistics Section head Dr Kevin Balanda, Dr John Fisher from the Centre as well as the University's Human Movement Studies Department, Paediatrics and Child Health Department senior lecturer Dr Jim Nixon and Dr Rod Pitt from the Queensland Injuries Surveillance Unit at Mater Children's Hospital.
The study calls for joint action between the Queensland Department of Local Government and Planning and the Queensland Department of Health to develop programs raising awareness of safe pool fencing among State pool owners.
'While supervision of children's swimming, teaching them familiarity with the water and a knowledge of Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) must not be ignored, the principal focus of prevention campaigns should be ensuring adequate pool fencing to provide an effective barrier between children and pools,' Dr Balanda said.
The study involved three components: a survey of 590 pool owners in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns and a visual assessment of their pools ; a survey of personnel from 68 councils in Brisbane, Mackay and Townsville involving a questionnaire and follow-up group meetings; and a review of the circumstances of the 35 toddler drownings.
'The study found that in 90 percent of the 35 toddler drownings, pool fencing was either absent or non-compliant with the legislation,' Dr Balanda said.
Examples of non-compliant fencing design features included no self-closing gate with child-proof latch, vertical gaps in the fence wide enough for a child to squeeze through or horizontal gaps narrow enough for a child to lever themselves over, he said.
'Some of the fences fulfilled design requirements but were not maintained over time. For example, gate springs were stretched or posts sagged. In other cases, pool owners' behaviour had compromised the safety of pool fencing. For example, gates had been propped open or items left against the fence toddlers had used to climb over,' he said.
Dr Balanda said the study's results were not surprising given the lack of any systematic policing of pool fencing standards in Queensland.
'Responsibility for erecting and maintaining fences rests solely with pool owners with most council involvement being an inspection when the fence is first built or when a tip-off is received. To a large extent, routine inspection by councils is not undertaken in any consistent way,' he said.
'Inevitably, some pool owners become complacent, letting fences deteriorate or be compromised in some way and as the study demonstrates, this is when tragedies can occur.'
For more information, contact Dr Balanda (telephone 07 3365 5330).
