Improved safety at private pools
Archived message of the Austrian Standards Institute
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New European standardisation project launched. Draft ON Rule on swimming pool covers submitted to public enquiry.
Vienna (AS prm, 2010-06-24)
- Credit: mirako
Having a private swimming pool in one’s own garden is very much en vogue. Regardless of its size and installation — above or below ground —, safety must not be overlooked.
To prevent potential hazards beforehand, European safety standards are now in preparation for privately used swimming pools.
France
The French standardisation body AFNOR submitted a related proposal. The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) set up the technical committee CEN/TC 402 “Private family swimming pools and related materials/equipment and accessories”.
The technical committee convened by France will have the task of preparing standards on the following topics:
- below-ground swimming pools,
- above-ground swimming pools,
- pool water filtration/circulation equipment, and
- pool heating systems.
Austria
In Austria, workshop WS 1145 “Movable swimming pool covers” is responsible for this field. On account of its new field of activity, it could soon be converted into a technical committee according to Dipl.-Ing. Karl Stumwöhrer, the committee manager in charge at the Austrian Standards Institute.
ONR on pool covers
WS 1145 of the Austrian Standards Institute has just finalised a draft ON Rule on pool covers that is open for public comments until 15 August 2010.
Swimming pool covers reduce cleaning efforts, prevent that rain, coldness or wind reduces the water’s quality and temperature and, above all, they are to provide a safeguard against drowning.
The future ON Rule contains specifications for calculations and defines minimum requirements for the characteristics of moveable covers used for private swimming pools.
Thereby, these structures are differentiated from those of building construction and civil engineering in accordance with ÖNORM EN 1990 (Eurocode) in order to ensure legal certainty.
Bibliography
ONR 191160 Moveable swimming pool covers – Requirements for safety (draft)
Comments may be submitted online at the Draft Standard Portal.
