Basically when constructing your swimming pool barrier you need to not underestimate the ingenuity of children. A young child can get over a pool barrier if it is too low or if the barrier has handholds or footholds, or anything that can act as handholds or footholds for a child to use when climbing. So, as much as a nice lattice look would be attractive, it could also be potentially dangerous as a child could use the lattice as a ladder and climb the barrier. So, the guidelines for swimming pool barriers provided by the CPCS recommend that the top of a pool barrier be at least 48 inches above grade, measured on the side of the barrier which faces away from the swimming pool. If you have a raised deck on the inside it is fine because climbing to get out is not the problem, it is climbing to get in. These same guidelines recommend eliminating handholds and footholds and minimizing the size of openings in a barrier's construction. So, if possible, use a solid barrier, and if you do use a solid barrier, use one that has no indentations or protrusions as those might act as foot and handholds.

Should you choose to not put in a solid barrier make sure the distance between the tops of any horizontal portions of the barrier are less than 45 inches apart, and always put any horizontal pieces should be on the swimming pool side of the fence so they can't be sued for climbing. The spacing of the vertical portions should not exceed 1 3/4 inches. Why? Well, this size is based on the foot width of a young child and is intended to reduce the potential for a child to gain a foothold. Now, if the distance between the tops of the horizontal parts are more than 45 inches, then they can be on the side of the fence facing away from the pool. The spacing between vertical parts should not exceed 4 inches, which has been determined by the head breadth and chest depth of a young child. By meeting these specifications you should have a barrier that will prevent a child from passing through an opening.

Should you choose to use chain link as your swimming pool barrier, the mesh size should not exceed 1 1/4 inches square unless slats, fastened at the top or bottom of the fence, are used to reduce mesh openings to no more than 1 3/4 inches.

Next let's look at the guidelines for preventing a child from getting under a pool barrier:

For any pool barrier, the maximum clearance at the bottom of the barrier should not exceed 4 inches above grade, when the measurement is done on the side of the barrier facing away from the pool. It is as simple as that, just make sure you get your barrier as close to the ground as possible so as not to allow children, animals, etc. to get under it.

Now let's take a look at how to prevent a child from getting through a pool barrier: The guidelines for this are aimed at preventing a child from getting through a pool barrier by restricting the sizes of openings in a barrier and by using self-closing and self-latching gates, as well as other security features.

To start, all openings should be small enough so that a 4 inch diameter sphere can not pass through. Also, all swimming pool barriers should be equipped with a gate or gates which restrict access to the pool either by a key or keypad locking device which should be included in the gate design. Gates should open out from the pool and should be self-closing and self-latching. The release mechanism should be at least 3 inches below the top of the gate on the side facing the pool to prevent a child from reaching over the gate and unlatching it.