Building Official Issues

Pool Safety Warning

By Steve Bigham

Building Official Tom Paternoster is doing his part to make sure everyone in Newtown stays safe this summer… at least around the swimming pool area.

“Over 500 children die in residential swimming pool accidents each year in the United States. A lot of them could have been avoided had they followed regulations, but you can’t regulate common sense,” Mr Paternoster said this week.

The town’s top building inspector reminded residents that they need to pull a permit for all new pools and that they must return for a final inspection once the pool construction is complete. Nearly 200 pools have been built in Newtown over the past three years and many of them do not comply with regulations, Mr Paternoster said. Other pool owners never had their pools inspected at all.

According to state building regulations, an outdoor private swimming pool, including in ground, above ground, on ground, or hot tub or spa, must be provided with a barrier at least 48 inches in height from the ground.

In addition, openings in the barrier shall not allow the passage of a four-inch diameter sphere. Access gates must be equipped with a locking device, must open outwards away from the pool, and must be self-closing with a self-latching device. All doors with direct access to the pool must also be equipped with an alarm.

Pools must also be equipped with a power safety cover, which, when closed, has a holding weight of 485 pounds.

This week, Mr Paternoster and staff were sending out letters to all those pool owners who did not receive their final inspections. The idea here, he said, is to make sure that everyone stays safe.

“It’s a big responsibility whenever you have a swimming pool,” Mr Paternoster said.

A second letter is being sent out to those who are in the process of installing new swimming pools. It it, the department has included some “sobering” statistics compiled by the US Consumers Product Safety Commission:

Who was in charge of supervision at the time of the drowning?

69 percent of the accidents occurred while one or both parents were responsib le for supervision.

10 percent were adults other than the parents.

14 percent were siblings.

What was the location of the pool drowning?

65 percent were in a pool owned by the child’s family.

22 percent were at a relative’s home.

11 percent happened at a neighbor’s.

And, 77 percent of the children had been seen five minutes or less before being missed and subsequently discovered in the pool.

The town’s Building Department reminds residents that they must pick up a building permit for most large household construction jobs, including decks, sheds, and finished basements. If you have any doubts, you are instructed to contact the department at 270-4260.

Mr Paternoster said there are numerous residents who have avoided the building permit process. But, while their actions may have saved them a couple of hours now, they will most likely come back to haunt them in the long run. You see, it can be difficult to sell a home without certain certificates of occupancy (also known as COs). Of course, there is a six-year statute of limitations; however, that does not apply to a prospective buyer, who may want all COs in place before agreeing to the sale.