Submission to Building Professionals Board re: accreditation of swimming pool certifiers
Submission from: anonymity requested
Firstly I would like to commend the board on introducing an additional accreditation for swimming pool certification. It is important that the certifiers of swimming pool barriers are accredited and able to be regulated to ensure that they have a suitable level of skills/knowledge/experience as well as can be made accountable through an existing format.
From reviewing the information provided in this website I think that one Key issue has been overlooked with regards to the level of qualification required become accredited.
As per the FAQ's sheets, Council officers do not require accreditation. It is my understanding that the certification of existing barriers of Pools within councils is currently being undertaken by either
1) Accredited building surveyors;
2) Environmental Health Officers;
3) Development control and/or compliance officers;
4) Swimming pool compliance officer; or
5) Rangers / local law enforcement officers
It is assumed that anyone that is undertaking these inspections on behalf of council will have at least completed the recognised additional specialty qualifications for E1 Accreditation (but will not necessarily have A4 accreditation).
Based on the current qualification requirements for E1 accreditation, a development control officer, Environmental Health officer or Swimming pool compliance officer who has experience in inspection and issuing of compliance certificates for swimming pool barriers as an employee of local council would not be able to obtain accreditation.
In this regard consideration should be given to expanding the qualification criteria (part 1) to include
- Bachelor of Applied Science (Environmental Health) from the University of Western Sydney
- Bachelor of Natural Science (Environmental Health) from University of Western Sydney
- Cert four in Local Government
- Minimum of 1 years (or number of years as determined by the board) experience in the inspection and enforcement of the Swimming Pools Act 1992 and associated regulation
Such an amended would enable Council officers who are not A4 Accredited that have successfully completed of the addition specialty qualification requirements (2) to obtain E1 Accreditation.