'Safety-compliant' netting fitted at Yearsley Pool (From York Press)

'Safety-compliant' netting fitted at Yearsley Pool

9:23am Wednesday 3rd October 2012 in News By Mike Laycock, Chief reporter

York’s Yearsley Pool

NETTING has been put up on the balcony at an historic York swimming pool after fears were raised that a child might climb through railings.

The temporary, “safety-compliant” netting has been used at Yearsley Pool to make the balcony area useable, said Simon Luck, City of York Council’s site manager at the pool.

He said the safety of all pool users was of paramount importance. “Immediately after a customer reported that their child had tried to climb through the balcony railings, we arranged a health and safety audit, temporarily closed the balconies and installed the temporary, fire-resistant and safety-compliant netting to make the area useable,” he said.

“The balcony areas are important spaces and we are assessing and costing permanent safety solutions which are also in keeping with this Edwardian facility.”

The netting was drawn to the attention of The Press by reader Liz Wilson, of The Village, Osbaldwick, who said she had been surprised by what she had seen on visiting the pool on Monday with some friends.

“My friends and I were surprised to see the whole of the balcony festooned in white mesh fastened to the rails with black ties,” she said.

“No, it wasn’t a special occasion. A lady had complained that her toddler was in danger of putting her head through the 145mm space between the rails.

“Health and safety had to be called in and, at a cost of more than £700, the mesh was put all round the rails.

“Surely in these days of cutbacks, this was a desperate step to take. Would a large notice not have sufficed? This Edwardian swimming pool was built in 1908, and I wonder just how many heads have had to be extricated from the rails in more than 100 years.”