The swimming pool enclosure industry’s use of the term “swimming pool enclosure” contrasts with terminology found in swimming pool legislation and regulations within various English-speaking countries around the world. Governments, local governments in particular, tend to use the phrase “swimming pool enclosure” more loosely and usually they mean a pool fence or fence-like structure erected to surround a swimming pool. This particular meaning is usually applied in the context of mandating minimum pool safety requirements. Such regulatory use of the term does not refer particularly to a structure which overhangs a swimming pool and which can therefore totally enclose the pool. For this reason, “swimming pool enclosure” in such legislative contexts is often both potentially misleading and a misnomer. A strong argument exists in these instances for legislative or regulatory changes to be introduced to reflect more up-to-date commercial meanings and usage.
It should be noted, too, that in places where there are such regulations, fencing companies also frequently refer to some of their fencing products as “swimming pool enclosures” even though their fencing products are clearly not intended to “enclose” a swimming pool but rather surround or partly-surround a pool. In this way, fencing companies are simply reflecting the regulatory use of the term, promoting their product as complying with the laws of the area.
Unfortunately, and until they appropriately alter their legislation / regulations with correct terminology, public authorities contribute a considerable amount of confusion for swimming pool owners with their inaccurate use of the term “enclosure” to essentially mean a pool fence that “surrounds” a swimming pool.
