Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1200-23-05-.02

Current through April 28, 2024

Section 1200-23-05-.02 - OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC SWIMMING POOLS

(1) The Commissioner shall evaluate and approve or disapprove design features as appropriate for operational features not specifically addressed in these regulations.

(2) Pool Facilities

(a) Bathhouse.

1. The floors and walls shall be cleaned as often as necessary to maintain sanitary conditions.

2. Plumbing fixtures shall be clean and in operating condition.

3. Toilet tissue in holders shall be provided at each commode.

4. Soap and either single service towels or air dryer devices shall be provided at lavatories.

5. Mirrors, if provided, shall be shatter resistant.

6. Facilities shall be free of trash and litter. Trash receptacle(s) shall be placed at convenient locations. Women's bathhouse restrooms shall be equipped with covered sanitary napkin receptacles.

7. A minimum lighting level of ten (10) feet candles measured at a point three feet from the floor shall be maintained in bathhouses.

(b) Pool Enclosures. Ventilation shall be sufficient to prevent condensation and odor accumulation.

(c) Pool Surface and Facilities. The walls, bottom, fixtures, and all equipment shall be kept clean and in good repair.

(d) Walks/Decking/Pool Area. Walks, decking, and all other pool areas shall be clean and in good repair.

(3) Safety

(a) Certified Lifeguards.

1. Lifeguards shall be present at Type A pools in accordance with the following square footage schedule:

Square Feet

1,800-3,000

3001-6,000

6001-9,000

9001-12,000

1 lifeguard

2 lifeguards*

3 lifeguards*

4 lifeguards*

one additional lifeguard per each additional 3,000 sq. feet.

* With twenty-five (25) or less pool bathers, a minimum of one (1) lifeguard is

required. For twenty-six (26) to fifty (50) pool bathers, a minimum of two (2) lifeguards is required. With fifty-one (51) or more pool bathers, the square footage requirements for lifeguards will apply. Further, for pools requiring more than one (1) lifeguard, the pool area lifeguard requirements can be reduced by roping or partitioning off the unused area(s) of the pool.

2. Lifeguards shall be present at all pools having a diving board or tower that is one meter or more in height above the normal operating water level.

3. Lifeguards shall observe from the lifeguard chair except during instructional activities or during life saving or emergency type situations involving swimmers.

4. "Wave" type pools shall have a minimum of two (2) lifeguards observing from lifeguard chairs. All other "Wave" type pool lifeguards may observe from the pool deck.

5. Type E pools shall have an attendant or lifeguard on duty at all times at the point patrons/swimmers enter the water. if the view of the total length of the slide is not visible from the top to the bottom of the slide, then a minimum of one (1) attendant at the point of entering the water and one (1) monitor at the top of the slide shall be provided.

(b) Chemical Storage and Handling. Chemicals shall be kept in the original containers. They shall be used and stored in accordance with label instructions.

(c) Communicable Disease. All patrons or swimmers having a communicable disease or displaying signs and symptoms of a communicable disease which can be transmitted through normal swimming pool use shall be excluded. No person having a communicable disease or displaying signs and symptoms of a communicable disease shall work at any type pool in a function in which there is a likelihood that they would transmit the disease to any other person.

(d) Depth markers. Depth markers shall be required at all Type A, B, and E pools. The depth of the water shall be plainly marked in feet on both sides and at each end at or above the water surface on the vertical pool wall and on the coping or deck next to the pool, and at maximum and minimum depths of the pool. Depth markers shall be spaced at intervals no greater than twenty (20) feet with numerals of at least four (4) inches in height and of a color contrasting with the background. Where depth markings are required, they shall be in whole foot increments of depth, except across the shallow area and corresponding deck area. The depth shall be marked to the nearest one half (1/2) foot increment of water depth.

(e) Diving Boards/Towers. Diving board stands/towers, which were in existence and in use on or prior to May 9, 1987, at pools having dimensions less than those required by rule 1200-23-5-.03(3) (h) will be allowed to continue in use until the diving board stand/tower is replaced.

(f) Electrical. There shall be no visible, obvious electrical hazards at any pool.

(g) Fencing.

1. All outside pools shall be protected by a wall, building, enclosure, or chain link fence with a minimum height of four (4) feet, or other functionally equivalent barriers approved by the Commissioner.

2. All openings in the barrier shall be equipped with selfclosing and self-latching hardware for the permanent locking of gates or doors.

3. Fencing and/or barriers shall be maintained in good repair.

(h) Gas Chlorination.

1. Gas chlorination equipment shall be located so that an equipment failure or malfunction will have minimum effect on evacuation of pool users in an emergency.

2. Cylinders shall be securely fastened to a wall or post.

3. Storage of any other chemicals in the chlorine enclosure shall be forbidden, except those used to check chlorine leaks.

4. When gas chlorination equipment is enclosed, the enclosure shall be provided with

(i) air-tight ducts from the bottom of the enclosure to the atmosphere in an unrestricted area,

(ii) a motor driven exhaust fan capable of producing at least one air change per minute, and

(iii) automatic louvers of good design near the top of the enclosure for admitting fresh air.

5. Connections from the cylinders to the system depend on the type of chlorinator to be used and shall comply with the chlorinator manufacturer's recommendation.

6. Electrical switches for the control of artificial lighting and ventilation within the enclosure shall be on the outside of the enclosure and adjacent to the door.

(i) General Safety. Glass, sharp objects, or any other items which might cause injury or accidents shall not be allowed in the pool or pool area. No hazardous aspects of the operation or condition of facilities or equipment, which if not corrected are very likely to result in illness or injury, shall exist.

(j) Illumination. When night swimming is allowed by the owner/operator, uniform area lighting shall be provided for the deck area and in all cases there shall be sufficient illumination to enable all areas of the pool including the main drain to be clearly observed by a person standing at the edge of the pool.

(k) Lifeguard Chairs. one lifeguard chair shall be provided for each lifeguard as required by these regulations and shall be elevated and strategically located to provide adequate coverage of all areas of the pool. Only lifeguard chairs which are designed and manufactured for such purposes shall be used.

(l) Lifeline.

1. In all Type A and B pools in which the maximum pool depth exceeds five (5) feet six (6) inches, there shall be a lifeline located at or before the five (5) feet depth area(s) separating the shallow area(s) and the deep area(s). "Wave" type pools shall be exempted from this requirement.

2. A lifeline shall be made of approved material such as polypropylene or nylon and shall be provided with floats made of soft material of contrasting color located at not more than five feet intervals. The lifeline rope shall be a minimum of threefourths (3/4) inch diameter and shall be attached to the lifeline anchors on both sides of the pool during all times that the pool is in operation, except during periods of competitive swimming or supervised training, or cleaning.

(m) Life Saving Equipment. All type A and B pools shall be equipped with a minimum of one (1) unit of life saving equipment, located within twenty-five (25) feet of the pool, inside the fence. one (1) unit of lifesaving equipment as defined in 1200-23-5-.01(24), shall be provided at each lifeguard chair. Further, additional units of life saving equipment shall be readily accessible and provided in accordance with the number of "Certified Lifeguards," Rule 1200-23-5-.02(3)(a).

(n) Main Drain. Main drain grating in all types of pools shall be in place, securely anchored, in good repair and with slots not more than one-half (1/2) inch wide.

(o) Signs. At Type A, B, and C pools, where no lifeguard is required, a warning sign with clearly legible letters at least 4 inches in height shall be placed in plain view stating "WARNING NO LIFEGUARD." No diving sign(s) shall be displayed in conspicuous locations at all pools not meeting the minimum requirements for diving. The sign shall read "NO DIVING," with minimum four (4) inch lettering.

(p) Starting Blocks Used for Competitive Swimming. Starting blocks shall not be used for any purpose other than for competitive swimming nor at any Lime other than during competitive swimming activities.

(q) Steps, Ladders - Steps and ladders shall be maintained in good repair and be free of hazards.

(r) Telephone for Emergency. All pools shall have telephone service on the premises which can be accessed without the use of coins. A list of clearly visible emergency phone numbers to include the nearest emergency and medical services shall be posted next to the telephone.

(4) Water Quality

(a) Microbiological Test. Pool water sample analysis shall be in accordance with these rules. A sample shall be considered positive and unacceptable if it exceeds four (4) total coliform bacteria per one hundred (100) milliliters of sample using the Chromagenic Substrate Test.

(b) Chemical Tests.

1. The Hydrogen Ion Concentration (pH) of the pool water shall be maintained at a level between 7.2 and 7.6 when the pool is open for operation.

2. Total alkalinity in pool water shall he at a level between eighty parts per million (80 ppm) and two hundred parts per million (200 ppm).

3. The cyanuric acid level shall not exceed one hundred parts per million (100 ppm).

(c) Sanitization.

1. Free available sanitizing residuals in pools for currently approved agents shall be as follows:

(i) Type A, B, C, & E pools

Chlorine	0.5 - 3.0 ppm
Bromine	2.0 - 5.0 ppm
Polyhexamethyl biquanide	30 - 50 ppm

(ii) Type D pools

Chlorine	1.0 - 3.0 ppm
Bromine	3.0 - 5.0 ppm
Polyhexamethyl biquanide	30 - 50 ppm

2. Disinfectants of quality equal or superior to chlorine or bromine compounds that- are registered by the Environmental Protection Agency and approved by the Department may be used

3. other disinfecting methods or materials may be used if they have been adequately demonstrated to the Department to provide a satisfactory residual effect which is easily measured or where demonstration and analysis provide assurance that results are otherwise equally effective under condition of use as the chlorine concentration required herein. Disinfecting methods or materials shall not be dangerous to public health, create objectionable physiological effects, or import toxic properties to the water.

4. Sanitizing agents shall be dispensed into the pool water automatically with the exception of polyhexamethyl biquanide. The equipment shall be designed specifically for the type of disinfectant to be used. The equipment shall be of sufficient capacity to maintain the recommended disinfectant residual in the pool. Disinfecting equipment shall be provided with controls for adjusting the rate of flow.

5. Hand chlorination is not acceptable, except for emergencies, infrequent chlorination purposes, or as approved by the Department where specific circumstances necessitate such dispensing.

(d) Testing Equipment. Testing equipment complete with reagents shall be provided at the pool for the determination of residual disinfectant, pH, total alkalinity, and cyanuric acid of the pool water. The diethyl-p-phenylenediamin (DPD) method shall be used for the determination of disinfectant residual. The. range of testing equipment shall be capable of testing all levels as set forth within these rules. Reagents shall not be outdated or otherwise ineffective.

(e) Visual Tests.

1. Water shall be sufficiently clear to allow a viewer to clearly distinguish gratings (openings) of the main drain(s) when standing at the edge of the pool deck.

2. There shall be no algae visible in a pool.

3. There shall be no foreign material visible in a pool.

(f) Water Level. The water level in swimming pools with overflow gutters shall be maintained at the break over level. The water level in swimming pools with skimmers shall be maintained at the midpoint of the skimmer throat.

(g) Water Temperature. Pool temperature shall not exceed one-hundred-four (104'F) degrees Fahrenheit. Type D pools shall be equipped with a non-breakable thermometer located in the water.

(5) Water/Waste Water

(a) Cross-Connections. There shall be no cross-connections within any portion of the pool facilities. Hose bibbs shall be equipped with an approved anti-siphon prevention device.

(b) Sewage Disposal. Sewage shall be disposed of according to law.

(c) Water Supply. All water used in drinking fountains, lavatories, showers, or hose bibbs shall be from potable water sources. Any water supply, other than an approved public water supply, shall have water tested at least annually and as often as deemed necessary by the Commissioner.

(d) Water Supply. All water used to fill a pool shall be of a potable source or a source that is acceptable to the Commissioner.

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1200-23-05-.02

Original rule filed March 13, 2000; effective May 27, 2000.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-5-202, 68-1-103, 68-14-301 et seq., 68-14-401, and 68-14-402.