Call for industry feedback on proposed fibreglass standards

Standards Australia is calling for feedback on its proposed draft standards for fibreglass pool design, fabrication and installation.

The project to update the standard came about after SPASA Australia established a fibreglass advisory group to develop project proposals for the standards. Industry stakeholder feedback is now sought on the following draft standards:

• AS1838 - Swimming pools - Premoulded fibre reinforced plastics Design and Fabrication

• AS1839 - Swimming pools - Premoulded fibre reinforced plastics Installation

You can view, download and comment on the above draft standards by:

1. Visit the Standards Australia Public Commenting page here.

2. Type in 1838 or 1839 in the search area.

3. You will then be directed to where you can choose “Download Draft” or “Make a Comment”.

When you click any of these options, you will need to REGISTER before you can view, download and comment.

Note: All comments are to be submitted on the Standard’s Australia portal. Comments can be directly inputted into the portal or you can download the comment sheet if your feedback is extensive.

Public comment closing date: 4 November 2020

Timeline

2016: AS/NZS 1838 Swimming pools – Pre-moulded fibre-reinforced plastics - Design and fabrication and AS/NZ 1839 Swimming pools—Pre-moulded fibre-reinforced plastics— Installation were being reviewed as part of the Standards Australia “Aged Standards” process.

2016: SPASA Australia wrote to Standards Australia advising that these Standards are critical to our industry and we wanted to see both Standards “Reconfirmed” as they were both still technically relevant and we wanted the opportunity to review them rather than have them “withdrawn”.

2016: Standards Australia agreed to “Reconfirm” the standards on the provision that SPASA Australia submit a Project Proposal to update the Standards within 12 months.

2017: SPASA Australia established a Fibreglass Advisory Group to develop project proposals for both standards. The Fibreglass Advisory Group was made up of the following individuals:

• Anthony Cross, Compass Pools

• Charles Rickard, Rickard Engineering

• Bob Biernat, Freedom Pools

• Lew Beale, ALT

• Lynley Papineau, ALT

• Dean Voice, Allnex

• Jason Smith, Leisure Pools

• Larry Beston, RF Composites

• Chris Meyer, Narellan Pools

• Stefan Ossenberg, Protector Aluminium

• Lindsay McGrath, SPASA Australia

• Spiros Dassakis, SPASA Australia

2017/18: The Fibreglass Advisory Group worked on the draft Standards Australia Project Proposal over a period of approximately eight months

2018: SPASA Australia submitted Project Proposal to Standards Australia for Approval

2018: Standards Australia approved Project Proposal for both standards

2019: Standards Australia Kick-off meeting took place in March

2019/20: Standards Australia Committee PL-041 Glass Reinforced Swimming Pools started reviewing the Standards based on SPASA Australia’s Project Proposals

2020: Draft Standards now available for Public Comment

New Zealand

Previously, these standards were originally Australian and New Zealand “Joint” AS/NZS Standards, however Standards New Zealand did not proceed with the joint development of the above revisions due to funding and internal resource constraints at that time. This means that when approved, these Standards will no longer be joint AS/NZS Standards and will be published only as Australian Standards (AS) only.

SPASA Australia and the swimming pool peak industry body in New Zealand, PASA NZ are already in discussions with Standards New Zealand on the process of how to update the soon to be updated AS Standards for the New Zealand sector.

More information

• Standards Information Service on 1800 035 822 or mail@standards.org.au, or

• SPASA Australia COO, Spiros Dassakis at spiros@spasa.com.au

CAPTION: Queensland Fibreglass Pool Builder of the Year 2020: Leisure Pools North Brisbane