Dimensions and Design of swimming pool fences and balcony - ANEC

1.1 Background
Climbing is a natural movement. Children often
use climbing tasks as a challenge, as it promotes
development and skill improvement. They will
climb anything that attracts them, making no
special distinction for guards or barriers
designed to restrict their access to risky
environments. These barriers (on balconies,
stairs, windows, terraces, galleries, swimming
pools) are used to prevent falling from buildings
or inside buildings, and to prevent or delay
children’s access to dangerous places.
There are a variety of regulations and standards
for barriers in different countries around the
world; some are voluntary, others are
mandatory. Yet, discrepancies between
standards may introduce additional variability
of behaviour and risk perception by parents,
institutions, and community. There is no evident
scientific support for the standards, but the complete
absence of standards or legal recommendations
is also unacceptable. Research is
required into children’s ability to climb different
types of restraining devices to argue for
appropriate requirements in standards.
Barriers are not a play device, and they must be
understood as a limitation (because they
constrain behaviour) and as a limit (absolute
boundary). Although some morphological or
motor skill determinants may contribute to the
ability to pass the barriers, the educational role
of the family and caregivers is of absolute
Dimensions and design of swimming pool fences and balcony and stairs barreirs to protect children from falling and from passing through, bellow or above
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