North Carolina Administrative Code › Title 15A - Environmental Quality › Chapter 18 - ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH › Subchapter A - SANITATION › Section .2500 - PUBLIC SWIMMING POOLS › Section 18A .2539 - SUCTION HAZARD REDUCTION

Current through Register Vol. 39, No. 2, July 15, 2024
(a) At
				  all public wading pools that use a single main drain for circulation of water,
				  signs shall be posted stating, "WARNING: To prevent serious injury do not allow
				  children in wading pool if drain cover is broken or missing." Signs shall be in
				  letters at least one-half inch in height and shall be posted where they are
				  visible to people entering the wading pool. Submerged suction outlets shall be
				  prohibited in wading pools in accordance with ANSI/PHTA/ICC-7 2020 American
				  National Standard for Suction Entrapment Avoidance in Swimming Pools, Wading
				  Pools, Spas, Hot Tubs, and Catch Basins, which is incorporated by reference,
				  including any subsequent amendments or editions, and available at
http://webstore.ansi.org/
at a
				  cost of one hundred and sixty five dollars ($165.00) (hereinafter referred to
				  as "ANSI/PHTA/ICC-7").
(b) All
				  submerged suction outlets in public swimming pools other than vacuum ports
				  shall be protected by a cover in compliance with ANSI/APSP/ICC-16 2017 (PA
				  2021) American National Standard for Suction Outlet Fitting Assemblies (SOFA)
				  for Use in Pools, Spas, and Hot Tubs, which is hereby incorporated by
				  reference, including any subsequent amendments or editions, and available at
http://webstore.ansi.org/
at a
				  cost of one hundred and sixty five dollars ($165.00) (hereinafter referred to
				  as "ANSI/APSP/ICC-16"). All submerged suction fittings shall be installed in
				  accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
(c) Public swimming pools that have a single
				  main drain or single submerged suction outlet other than an unblockable drain,
				  or that have multiple outlets in the same plane separated by less than three
				  feet, measured from the centers of the covers, shall have one or more secondary
				  methods of preventing bather entrapment. Secondary methods of preventing bather
				  entrapment include:
(1) A safety vacuum
				  release system which ceases operation of the water pump, reverses the
				  circulation flow, or otherwise provides a vacuum release at the suction outlet
				  when a blockage has been detected, and that has been tested by a third party
				  and found to conform with ANSI/PHTA/ICC-7. The operator of the public swimming
				  pool shall test an installed safety vacuum release system using the methodology
				  and at the frequency recommended by the manufacturer, and the test dates and
				  results shall be recorded in the written records required by Rule .2535(11) of
				  this Section. Safety vacuum release systems installed or replaced after the
				  effective date of this Rule shall have a shut off valve for testing the device,
				  if recommended by the manufacturer;
(2) A suction-limiting vent system with an
				  atmospheric opening inaccessible to the public;
(3) A gravity drainage system that utilizes a
				  surge tank;
(4) An automatic pump
				  shut-off system;
(5) Disabling the
				  submerged suction outlet; or
(6)
				  Any other system that complies with ANSI/PHTA/ICC-7.