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Dimi Ioannou, principal at Maurice Blackburn, is also urging pool and
spa owners to use this time to ensure their barriers and fences meet safety
standards.

“Victorians need to register their pool or spa with their local council before
June 1 or they risk incurring a hefty fine,” Ms Ioannou said.

“We’re also reminding everyone that safety barriers must be inspected
every four years under the state’s new pool and spa safety laws.

“We’re calling on all Victorians to prioritise arranging a qualified
person to check if their barriers meet safety standards once they’ve registered
their pool or spa.

“It could literally save a child’s life.”

The registration and inspection requirements are part of new laws to
improve pool and spa safety that came into effect in Victoria in December 2019.

According to the Victorian Building Authority, an average of four young
children die in home swimming pools or spas each year in Victoria.

Many more are taken to hospital for near drownings, which can leave
children with severe and lifelong injuries.

Maurice Blackburn has represented a number of families who have experienced the death or injury of a family member
in pool-related incidents.

“Too many families have lived
through the heartbreak of losing
a child in a drowning tragedy,” Ms Ioannou said.

“Many families have also had to endure the
hidden toll of near-drownings, which can lead to devastating injuries that
require a lifetime of care and treatment.”

Ms Ioannou said with the closure of swim schools during the COVID-19 lockdown, there was a
concern that many young children were missing out on important water safety
skills.

“With children at home more often because of the pandemic-related
restrictions, safety around pools continues to be critically important,” she
said.

“We encourage families to be
vigilant about making sure there is adult supervision of children around pools
at all times.”