SPASA Victoria Bulletin July 2015

With the SPASA Spa and Pool Show coming up in early August show manager AEE has reported an excellent response as companies take advantage of the sales that will be generated in the lead up to Christmas.

The August show attracts buyers that are committed to have their pool or spa installed for summer and previous exhibitors have reported excellent results from the show. At last year’s event 78% of visitors were planning to purchase a pool or spa immediately, or within 6 months.

An extensive visitor promotion campaign including prime time TV, radio, press and online will inform and motivate buyers to attend.

If you are wanting to top up your order books before summer, contact Vee at AEE on 03 9676 2133 or email vee@auexhibitions.com.au for more information.

The Victorian Building Authority has launched new webpages dedicated to informing consumers about their rights and obligations. All members, particularly builders, are encouraged to review this advice.

The move comes after the building regulator conducted a consumer survey at the last SPASA Pool & Spa Expo in January this year, which indicated that consumers need to be better informed about the legal requirements for the construction of swimming pools and spas.

The VBA’s Director – Technical & Regulation, Jarrod Edwards, said the survey results showed that there was a lot of uncertainty amongst consumers about their responsibilities before, during and after the construction.

“More than a quarter of the consumers surveyed did not know that swimming pools and spas in Victoria over 30cm in depth required a safety barrier by law,” Mr Edwards said.

“Around one third did not realise that they needed a building permit, and more than three quarters did not know about the ongoing maintenance obligations for swimming pools and spas.

“The majority of respondents were also not aware that temporary or inflatable pools deeper than 30cm required a safety barrier.”

Mr Edwards said that if the VBA checklist was provided to homeowners at the start of a swimming pool or spa project then a lot of confusion could be avoided.

“At the expo we learned that the majority of homeowners obtain information about swimming pool and spa regulations from their builder, building surveyor or supplier,” Mr Edwards said.

“If every SPASA member were to provide the checklist to their clients before any work was carried out then the whole process would run more smoothly for both parties.

“The checklist can be used by builders to guide homeowners through each stage of the process, and ensure that no safety or legal repercussions result from non-compliant building works.”

To view the checklist visit the Swimming pools, spas and their safety barriers page in the Consumer Resources section of the VBA website, or type ‘swimming pool checklist’ into the search function.

The National Convention and Supplier Expo will be held at Olympic Park in Sydney in August this year.

SPASA members from all over the country will be in attendance and the convention will culminate with a Gala Dinner to announce the winners of the 2015 National Awards of Excellence. These awards are seen by the industry as the most celebrated in the country.

Exhibition space is filling fast so if you want to get your products in front of the industry participants you need to do so quickly by filling out the attached Registration form so you don’t miss out!

Reserve your seat to hear keynote speakers and seminars via www.Trybooking.com

To book discounted accommodation call Phil Stromei on 0433 145 781 or email philstromei@riasmarketing.com.

For more information go to www.spasaconvention.org.au or contact Gary Nye, CEO, SPASA Australia on 03 8588 1195

The Building Practitioners Board is introducing changes to the application process and registration requirements for people applying to become registered in the category of domestic or commercial builder.
 
The following changes will come into effect from 1 July 2015:

• Anyone applying for registration as a Commercial Builder (limited to low rise or medium rise) will be required to complete a computer-based test as part of their assessment.
• Anyone applying for registration in one of the Domestic Builder categories (Unlimited, Limited and Manager) who are required to complete a computer-based test as part of their assessment will need to achieve a score of 70 per cent or higher in each individual component of the test (the current requirement is a score of 60 per cent or higher).

For more information about the registration requirements for building practitioners, visit the Registrations section of the VBA website.

SAI Global are pleased to announce that the award-winning NCC House has been updated to reflect the recently released 2015 National Construction Code.

The NCC Standards Interactive House helps you to discover which building and plumbing Standards referenced within the NCC apply to residential dwellings. The graphical 3D design provides a simple, fun and interactive way to discover building Standards and publications.

 It helps you make sure any work being undertaken is compliant by providing the Standards referenced in the Building Code of Australia (BCA) Housing Provisions (Volume 2) and the Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA) (Volume 3) of the NCC.This award-winning interactive experience will revolutionise the way you discover Standards.

An industry-first innovation, the NCC House allows you to walk inside and outside of a true-to-life 3D house and actually see on the house where Standards are referenced by the NCC.

Simply click on the hotspots to see which Standards apply.

It's a simple, 3 step process:

		Navigate to a room in the house
		Select the relevant hotspot in the area you want to know more about
		You will then be presented with a list of Standards (including Product Certification Standards) appropriate to that area and the relevant Codes that they apply to.

The Victorian Government are proud to introduce the Back to Work Scheme which will come into effect on 1 July 2015.

Victorian businesses can now receive a Victorian Government Back to Work employer payment of up to $2,000 when they hire an eligible job seeker.

Eligible job seekers include people aged 15 to 25 years who have been looking for work for three months or more, out-of-trade apprentices, retrenched workers or someone who has been looking for work for 12 months or more.

All Victorian businesses, including some interstate and overseas employers, who hire an eligible Victorian employee, are able to access the Scheme, providing they have a good workplace safety record. Government bodies are ineligible.

Employers who hire eligible employees after 1 April 2015 will be able to make a claim from 1 July 2015. Claims can be accessed after an employee has been in an ongoing role for three months, while out-of-trade apprentices qualify immediately.

Applying for your Back to Work employer payment is simple and straightforward. No paper work is required to submit the claim though supporting evidence should be retained for five years.

For more information about the Scheme, please contact your local Victorian Government Business Office on 13 22 15, visit backtowork.vic.gov.au or call the State Revenue Office on 13 21 61.

In order to achieve quality in concrete construction, every effort should be made to ensure that the construction process is designed, monitored and executed to the required specifications.

SPASA will be purchasing a copy of HB 64-2002 which provides guidance on the materials, manufacture, testing and properties of concrete. It gives details of the techniques and describes the activities involved in concrete construction.

It includes key components such as:

• Constituents of concrete
• Manufacture and supply of concrete
• Concreting site practices
• Related site practices
• Properties, specifying, ordering and testing

With the vast number of new, amended or revised Standards released, it can be difficult tracking all the changes relevant to your business. Referring to an outdated withdrawn or superseded Standard may have a major impact on compliance, risk management and quality assurance. 

SPASA takes this opportunity to remind you that each applicable standard is purchased and kept in a library at the Notting Hill office. Members are welcome to take full advantage of this resource. 

If you are interested in purchasing copies of Standards for your own records visit SAI Global.

(Reproduced Article)
Legionella contaminated private portable spas have been linked to two people contracting the disease this year in Victoria.

Water was sampled from the private portable spas as part of investigations into two separate cases. Legionella was detected in high numbers in both spa pools and they are considered the likely source of disease. It was identified that the spa pools were not being dosed with satisfactory levels of disinfectants.

Legionella bacteria are found naturally in the environment. Warm water, like that in a spa pool, provides ideal conditions for the growth of the bacteria.

Spa pools generate small droplets of water that can be breathed in by people in and around the spa pool. These small droplets may contain Legionella bacteria that could lead to a person contracting Legionnaires' Disease

The small droplets generated by spa pools can travel some distance and cause infection in people that were not in the spa pool. In 2012, 21 people contracted Legionnaires Disease from a spa pool that was on display in a retail premises in Stoke-on-Trent in the UK.

Legionella is killed by low levels of chlorine or bromine. Copper / silver ionisation is also very good at controlling it.

Point source disinfection such as UV and ozone will not control Legionella growth because they do not maintain residue disinfection throughout the spa pool.

Please be aware that every case of Legionnaires Disease must be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services by medical practitioners and laboratories. Each case is investigated by Department officers and they will sample from potential sources the people were exposed to, such as cooling towers and spa pools.

WHO IS AT RISK?

Although this is a common kind of bacteria in the environment, only a few people who come in contact with the bacteria become infected. Some people are at greater risk, such as:

• people over 50 years of age
• smokers
• people with chronic illness
• people with medical conditions that impair their immune system

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
The symptoms of Legionnaires' disease usually begin to appear within six days of being exposed to the bacteria. Early symptoms are like the flu and include:

• headache (often severe)
• fever
• chills
• muscle aches and pains
• a dry cough and shortness of breath

Sometimes other systems in the body are affected. This can cause:

• diarrhoea
• mental confusion
• kidney failure.

For more information visit www.health.vic.gov.au/legionella or www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au

In a finding released this month, Coroner Caitlin English has recommended that "swimming and water safety education should be a compulsory skill taught within the primary school curriculum to all Victorian children".

The recommendation, which was adopted in agreement with Life Saving Victoria's 2013 report Sink or Swim: The state of Victorian primary school children's swimming ability, found that Victorian school children are lacking necessary swimming and water safety skills, with 60 per cent of Victorian Year 6 students reportedly unable to swim 50 metres.

The recommendation was made in relation to an inquest into the death of 9-year-old Bailey Patman at Seaford Beach in 2012. The finding noted that Bailey was not considered to be a good swimmer by friends and family members and had only had limited access to swimming lessons in his first year of primary school.

To read more of Lifesaving Victoria's article click here.

As Christmas is approaching faster than we would like to think, an article in The Age warns employers about the dangers of serving alcohol at the annual Christmas party.

The work Christmas party may become an alcohol-free zone after a Fair Work Commission decision in which a worker was unfairly sacked for sexual harassment and telling his bosses to "f--- off" after he was served unlimited drinks.

Leading employer groups have warned businesses of the new risks they face in serving alcohol to employees at Christmas parties following a successful unfair dismissal case

Innes Willox, chief executive of the Australian Industry Group, said the commission decision highlighted the need for companies to minimise risks at Christmas parties and other out-of-hours work functions. 

"This includes restricting the amount of alcohol served, keeping to a set time for the event, and considering how employees will get home safely," Mr Willox said.

To read more of the article from The Age click here.

SPASA continues to partner with Aquatics & Recreation Victoria in sponsoring their Awards of Excellence program.

Congratulations to all winners and nominees at the ARV Industry Awards, held on the 12th June at Docklands. With record numbers of 652 attendees, 121 category nominations and 55 experienced judges, the “Hollywood-themed” event was once again a big success.

THE ARV INDUSTRY AWARD WINNERS ARE:

Pool Lifeguard Award
Ashlea Smith -Leisurelink Aquatic and Recreation Centre

Sustainability Award
The YMCA @ Ashburton Pool & Recreation Centre

Duty Manager of the Year Award
Amber Fordyce - Peninsula Aquatic Recreation Centre

ARV CEO Anthony McIntosh with SPASAs CEO Brendan Watkins

Online Communication Award
ACTIVE Monash

Swim School Award
YMCA Victoria

Swim Teacher Award
Pam Matthews - Kyneton Toyota Sports & Aquatic Centre

Swim Teacher Award – Babies, Infants and Pre School
Kylie Zelley- The YMCA @ Horsham Aquatic Centre

Swim Teacher Award – People with a Disability
Emma Hughes - Peninsula Aquatic Recreation Centre

Course Instructor of the Year Award
Samantha Grant

Most Outstanding Contribution to Aquatic and Recreation Industry
Robert Romanes OAM

Customer Service Team Award
Glen Eira Sports and Aquatic Centre

Membership Sales Award
Elizabeth Buyel - Waterworld- The City of Greater Geelong

Innovative Program Award
Tiger Paw – Physical Activity and Welbeing (Richmond Football Club)

Most Valuable Employee Award
Emily Figgis - ACTIVE Monash

Group Exercise Instructor Award
Verity Johnson - Leisurelink Aquatic and Recreation Centre

Personal Trainer Award
Brady Daw - Glen Eira Sports and Aquatic Centre

Health Club Award
Monash Sport Fitness Centre

Facility Management Award (Seasonal Facility)
The YMCA @ Carnegie Swim Centre

Facility Management Award (All Year Facility)
Aqualink Box Hill – Whitehorse City Council

Click Here for all winner pics. For more information see ARV Website

The Swedish insurance firm Trygg-Hansa has taken a very unique approach to its Don't Drink and Dive water safety campaign.

In what's being called an "experiment," the firm decided to see what would happen if a synchronized swimming team attempted to perform its routine drunk. So it recruited Sweden's men's championship team, and under the supervision of lifeguards, a certified rescue diver and medical professionals, Stockholm Konstsim Herr wet their whistles and then themselves to see if they could pull off their typically winning routine.

First, the men indulged in beer, shots and even squirted alcohol into each other's mouths using plastic guns. Then they each took a breathalyzer test to ensure intoxication. Finally, they dive in.

Watch watch happens in this poignant — and albeit extreme — video.
Article courtesy of Aquatics International

The Board of SPASA warmly welcomes the following new member to the Association.

New Members:

Kingston Pools
Principals or Directors: Anthony Aloi
Membership Category: Restricted
Website: www.kingstonpools.com.au

Aqua Pool & Spa Specialists
Principals or Directors: Shane Reading & Justine Reading
Membership Category: Pool Shop
Website: www.aquapoolspaspecialists.com.au

Frameless Direct Pty Ltd
Principals or Directors: Chris Sevastopoulos
Membership Category: Pool Fencing
Website: www.framelessdirect.com.au

Sapphire Builders & Shopfitters
Principals or Directors: Gerry Holligan
Membership Category: Restricted
Website: None

Spa & Pool Show at MCEC (Winter Show) – Saturday 8 & Sunday 9 August

Pool Construction Essentials – Tuesday 11 August

Contract Training – Wednesday 12 August

SPASA 2016 Advertising Offer Launch – Friday 14 August

Hydraulics – Tuesday 18 & Wednesday 19 August

Chemistry Basic – Friday 21 August

Chemistry Advanced – Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 August

White Card Training (Construction Induction) – Friday 11 September

SPASA Board Nominations – Wednesday 16 September - Friday 2 October

SPASA Board Ballot – Friday 9 October - Friday 6 November

SPASA 2016 Advertising Offer Close – Friday 30 October

2015 AGM – Wednesday 11 November

2017
Pool & Spa Show at MCEC (Summer Show) – Friday 3 - Sunday 5 February

Spa & Pool Show at MCEC (Winter Show) – Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 August

2018
Pool & Spa Show at MCEC (Summer Show) – Friday 9 - Sunday 11 February

Spa & Pool Show at MCEC (Winter Show) – Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 August