Authority: IC 22-13-2-2

Affected: IC 22-12; IC 22-13; IC 22-15; IC 36-7

Sec. 26. (a) Pools shall be provided with a suitable handhold around their perimeter in areas where depths exceed three (3) feet six (6) inches. Handholds shall be provided no farther apart than four (4) feet and may consist of any one (1) or a combination of the following:

1. (1) Coping, ledge, or deck along the immediate top edge of a pool that provides a slip-resisting surface of at least a four (4) inch minimum horizontal width located not over twelve (12) inches above the waterline.
2. (2) Ladders, stairs, or seat ledges.
3. (3) A railing fastened to the wall placed not over twelve (12) inches above the waterline.

(b) A transition line shall be provided within one (1) foot on the shallow side of the break in grade between the shallow and deep portions of the swimming pools, with its position marked with visible floats at not greater than seven (7) feet intervals. This transition line shall be securely fastened to wall anchors of corrosion-resisting materials and of the type which shall be recessed.

(c) Depth of water in feet and inches shall be plainly and conspicuously marked on the vertical pool wall above the waterline as much as possible and on the top of coping or edge of the deck or walk next to the pool as follows:

1. (1) Depth markers on the deck shall be within eighteen (18) inches of the water edge, positioned to be read while standing on the deck facing the water, and of slip-resistant material.
2. (2) Depth markers shall be installed at the maximum and minimum water depths and at all points of slope change and at intermediate increments of water depth not to exceed two (2) feet, at intervals of twenty-five (25) feet or less.

3. (3) Depth numbers shall be:

   1. (A) not less than four (4) inches in height;
   2. (B) permanently colored; and
   3. (C) in contrast to the background on which they are applied.
4. (4) "No Diving" symbols shall be placed on the deck at twenty-five (25) foot minimum intervals where the pool depth is five (5) feet or less.

(d) Lifeguard chairs are required where the pool depth is a minimum of forty-eight (48) inches at a rate of one (1) chair per every two thousand (2,000) square feet of water surface.

(e) All Class A, Class B, and Class C pools shall be furnished in an accessible location with not less than the following:

1. (1) One (1) United States Coast Guard approved ring buoy with a fifteen (15) inch minimum diameter attached to a one-fourth (1/4) inch diameter throwing line equal to one and one-half (1 1/2) times the maximum width of the pool but not to exceed forty-five (45) feet in length. An exception is a rescue tube is a permitted alternative to the ring buoy at locations where lifeguards are on duty during operational hours.
2. (2) One (1) shepherd's hook with a pole not less than twelve (12) feet long.
3. (3) One (1) twenty-four (24) unit first aid kit.
4. (4) A telephone located within three hundred (300) feet of the pool, with posted names and emergency numbers for the nearest police, fire, and emergency responders or 9-1-1, or both.

(f) All Class A, Class B, and Class C pools shall be enclosed by a fence, wall, building, or other enclosures that are not less than six (6) feet high, to aid in the control of the movement of bathers and to discourage the entrance of unwanted persons. Enclosure shall be equipped with a self-closing and positive self-latching closure mechanism at a height of at least forty-five (45) inches (one hundred fourteen (114) cm) above the ground and provided with hardware for locking. Where the release mechanism is located less than fifty-four (54) inches (one hundred thirty-seven (137) cm) from the bottom of the gate, the release mechanism and openings shall comply with the following:

1. (1) The release mechanism shall be located on the pool side of the gate at least three (3) inches (eight (8) cm) below the top of the gate.
2. (2) The gate and barrier shall have no openings greater than one-half (1/2) inch (one and three-tenths (1.3) cm) within eighteen (18) inches (forty-six (46) cm) of the release mechanism.
3. (3) The barrier shall have no opening that allows the passage of a four (4) inch (ten (10) cm) diameter sphere.

(g) One barrier shall be permitted to surround multiple pools. An exception is a barrier shall be provided to separate pools of four (4) feet of depth or less from those with more than four (4) foot of depth.

(Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission; 675 IAC 20-2-26; filed Aug 14, 1989, 9:00 a.m.: 13 IR 58, eff Sep 1, 1989 [IC 4-22-2-36 suspends the effectiveness of a rule document for thirty (30) days after filing with the secretary of state. LSA Document #89-17 was filed Aug 14, 1989.]; filed Nov 5, 1991, 5:00 p.m.: 15 IR 238; errata filed Mar 10, 1992, 11:00 a.m.: 15 IR 1393; readopted filed Sep 11, 2001, 2:49 p.m.: 25 IR 530; filed Nov 25, 2002, 9:00 a.m.: 26 IR 1102; readopted filed Sep 21, 2007, 9:20 a.m.: 20071010-IR-675070388RFA; readopted filed Oct 10, 2007, 9:16 a.m: 20071031-IR-675070388RFA; filed Mar 25, 2011, 10:19 a.m.: 20110420-IR-675090789FRA; readopted filed Aug 7, 2013, 8:51 a.m.: 20130904-IR-675130181RFA; readopted filed Jul 2, 2019, 2:21 p.m.: 20190731-IR-675190264RFA; readopted filed Nov 18, 2025, 10:36 a.m.: 20251210-IR-675240566RFA)