What the sign must show
Every state requires a CPR (resuscitation) sign in the pool area. The sign must:
- Show current CPR guidance (the DRSABCD sequence used by Australian resuscitation guidelines)
- Be clearly visible and legible from the pool or its immediate surrounds
- Be durable and weatherproof — faded, cracked or peeling signs fail
- In some states, meet a minimum size (commonly at least 300mm × 300mm)
Signs based on outdated resuscitation guidance are a genuine fail — a surprising number of pools still display pre-2010 signs. If yours doesn't say DRSABCD, replace it.
Where to put it
Mount it inside the pool area or on the barrier, positioned so someone at the water's edge can read it. Common-sense placement passes: at eye height near the gate or on the fence facing the pool. Behind the filter box does not.
Where to get one
Hardware stores, pool shops and online, typically $20–$50 for a compliant aluminium or UV-stable plastic sign. Check it references current guidelines and your state where relevant — QLD, for instance, has its own prescribed sign requirements. This is the cheapest item on the entire compliance list and the silliest thing to fail on.
Is the sign present, current (DRSABCD), legible from the water's edge, and firmly fixed? That's the whole test. If any answer is no, a $30 sign fixes it today.