POOL PLACEMENT
▪ Pool must be located a minimum of 10 feet away from overhead electric power lines when measured horizontally from edge of pool, spa or hot tub, deck or any platform to wires.
▪ Recommend above‐ground pool placed a minimum of 10 feet from house in the event of pool wall failure.
▪ Pool may not be placed within any easements.
▪ Pools may be located behind the rear wall of the house in side and rear yards.
POOL ELECTRICAL REQUIREMENTS
▪ Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) device is required for all electric circuits serving pool equipment.
▪ All electrical work associated with the pool, spa or hot tub must be inspected and receive electrical underwriter approval. This is the responsibility of the owner or contractor.
POOL ENCLOSURE REQURIEMENTS
▪ An enclosure (fence) shall be provided for outdoor swimming pools which surrounds the pool and accessory equipment.
▪ In‐ground pools must be enclosed with an enclosure (fence) meeting the following requirements:
o Top of fence a minimum of 48 inches above grade or walking surface of other decks, either attached or adjacent to the pool deck with maximum clearance between grade and bottom of fence of 2 inches and have openings in the fence spaced less than 4 inches apart.
o Gates or doors shall be self‐closing and self‐latching with latch handle at least 54 inches above grade and swing outward from the pool. When latch mounting height is below 54 inches then latch must be on pool side of the gate and set a minimum of 3 inches below top of gate and the gate shall have no opening greater than 1/2 inch within 18 inches of latch release mechanism.
o Gates shall be capable of being locked when pool is not in use or supervised. Locking mechanism shall be by key, combination or other child proof lock sufficient to prevent access when pool is not in use or supervised.
o Chain link fence mesh size shall not be more than 2‐1/4 inches square.
o Walls of aboveground pool may be used in lieu of enclosure, provided walls are a minimum 48 inches high on all sides and steps or ladder is capable of being secured, locked or removed to prevent access when pool is not in use or supervised; and when ladder is secured, locked or removed does not create any opening that would allow the passage of a 4 inch diameter sphere.
o When ladder or steps cannot be secured, locked or removed then steps or ladder shall be surrounded by a barrier meeting requirement above.
▪ Enclosures shall be so located as to prevent adjacent structures, equipment or similar objects from being used to climb the enclosure.
▪ When a house’s wall is used as a part of the enclosure and doors from the structure open into the pool enclosure, then the pool must be equipped with a powered safety cover OR all doors with direct access shall be equipped with an alarm which produces an audible warning when the door and its screen are opened. Alarm shall sound for 30 seconds and be heard throughout the house. The alarm shall automatically reset under all conditions. Alarm shall be equipped with a manual control (switch or touch pad) to temporarily de‐activate the alarm for a single opening. Such de‐activation shall last for 15 seconds maximum. De‐activation control to be located 54 inches above door threshold.
▪ Enclosure shall be constructed so as not to provide footholds.
POOL ALARM
▪ Purpose: New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code requires that all residential or commercial swimming pools constructed after December 14, 2006 be equipped with an approved pool alarm capable of detecting a child entering the water and sounding an audible alarm because: “drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury‐related deaths in children between the ages of one and fourteen nationwide, and the third leading cause of injury‐related deaths of children in New York. Technological advances have produced several different types of pool alarms designed to sound a warning if a child falls into the water. When used in conjunction with access barriers, these alarms provide greater protection against accidental pool drowning.”
▪ An approved pool alarm that complies with the following requirements:
o Is capable of detecting a child entering the water and giving an audible alarm when a child enters water;
o Is audible poolside and at another location on the premises where the swimming pool is located;
o Is installed, used and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions