How to ensure your CPR sign is compliant in 2023.

Believe it or not, 20% of all pool and spa safety inspections we do, don’t have a CPR sign in their pool area, or the CPR sign needs to be updated, has faded, is unreadable or in the wrong location.

A CPR sign could save a life. That life could be yours.

So, let’s start by answering this simple question;

What is a CPR sign?

If you own a pool or spa in Queensland, you must display an up-to-date CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) sign visible from anywhere within the pool area.

This CPR sign shows the following information, which complies with the Australian Resuscitation Council’s resuscitation guidelines:

• How to perform CPR.
• The CPR sign must indicate two breaths / 30 compressions.
• A prominent statement explaining how to act in an emergency (e.g. call 000, stay with the injured person, provide first aid).

The CPR sign must also:

• Be attached to the pool safety fence or boundary fence within the pool area.
• Be easily visible to a person from any position within the pool area.
• Be at least 300mm by 300mm.
• Be made of durable and weatherproof material.

Where should a pool safety sign be placed?

By law, all swimming pools and spas must have a CPR sign displayed within the pool area.

The CPR sign must:

• Be attached to the pool’s safety barrier or displayed near the pool, so a person near it can easily see it from any position within the pool area.
• Be at least 300mm x 300mm in size.
• Be made of durable and weatherproof material to prevent fading.

To prepare you for an emergency, we suggest the following:

• First, install an approved and updated CPR sign.
• Identify where the CPR sign is visible anywhere within the pool area. A visible CPR sign could save a life. It might be yours!
• Don’t place the CPR sign overlooking rocky garden where you would not lay a person to perform CPR.
• Check that you can read the CPR instructions from any position within the pool area.
• Maintain the condition of your CPR sign – dirt, cracks or sun damage could cause the instructions to be illegible.
• Avoid moving furniture or plants in front of the CPR sign.
• Attach the CPR sign to the fence’s upper portion so the sign doesn’t become a foothold.
• Lastly, sign up for a local CPR class.

Active supervision is your first line of defence.

No safety measure around the pool beats active supervision. It is a good measure to keep your pool safety certificate up to date. This lets you know that your pool fence and gate are safe and will keep mobile toddlers out of the pool area.

However, in our experience, we often arrive at inspections where pool gates are propped open for convenience, and garden furniture and pot plants are moved up against the fence for easy access. Additionally, trees and shrubs are left to grow within the non-climbing zone.

Focusing all your attention on your children in and around the water should be your first line of defence.

It can take one quick look at your mobile phone, check the stove or hang up laundry to distract you from active supervision. A toddler can find their way into the pool area in a few seconds.

Never ask older siblings to watch toddlers, as they may not have the focus or ability to react in an emergency and are unlikely to know how to perform CPR while they call out for help. Seconds matter.

You can save a life by taking these steps to ensure fast reaction time. Our licensed and experienced pool safety inspectors are a call away should you have any questions. Call us on 0457 445 197 or email [email protected].