1. (a) Decks for New Pools and Spas except as noted.

   1. (1) Deck(s) shall be designed and installed in accordance with the engineering methods required by applicable local regulatory authority. This includes the design and quality of subbase, concrete mix, reinforcing, joints, etc.
   2. (2) If a concrete deck is selected, in the absence of specific local engineering practices, the work shall be performed in accordance with ACI Standard 302.1R-1998, "Guide for Concrete Floor and Slab Construction."
   3. (3) Decks, ramps, coping, steps, markings, brand insignias and similar surfaces shall be slip-resistant and easily cleanable.
   4. (4) Soils supporting decks shall have adequate load-bearing capacities.

   5. (5) The minimum continuous, unobstructed, usable deck width, which can include flush coping, shall conform with subparagraphs (A)-(F) of this paragraph, except that at a Class B, C, or D new or existing pool, as much as 35% of the deck in subparagraphs (A)-(D) of this paragraph may be replaced with other structures; however, in no case shall other structures restrict emergency access or create above deck structures that may be used as diving platforms or create other safety or sanitary hazards.

      1. (A) Class A pool deck widths shall meet standards of the appropriate sanctioning body which regulates the type of competitions to be held.
      2. (B) Class B pool deck widths shall be six feet minimum.
      3. (C) Class C pool deck widths shall be four feet minimum.
      4. (D) Class D pool deck widths shall be four feet minimum.
      5. (E) Spas shall have a four foot minimum, continuous, unobstructed deck, which may include the coping, which shall be provided around at least 50% or more of the spa.
      6. (F) A minimum of four feet of deck width shall be provided on the sides and rear of any diving equipment. A deck clearance of 36 inches shall be provided around all other deck equipment.
   6. (6) The minimum slope of the deck(s) shall be 1/8 inch per foot for textured, hand-finished concrete decks and 1/4 inch per foot for exposed aggregate concrete decks including decks covered with an epoxy finish and other specialty surfaces installed according to the manufacturer's instructions and good sanitation practices. Wood decks or indoor/outdoor carpeting shall not be located within the distance specified in paragraph (5) of this subsection unless approved by local regulatory authority.
   7. (7) The maximum slope of all decks, other than wood decks, shall be 1/2 inch per foot, except for ramps. The maximum slope for wood decks shall be 1/8 inch per foot. Gaps shall be required between deck boards consistent with good engineering and safety practices with respect to the type of wood used.
   8. (8) The maximum gaps between pool or spa decks and/or walkways including joint material, shall be 3/16 inch of horizontal clearance with a maximum difference in vertical elevation of 1/4 inch.
   9. (9) Construction joints where pool or spa coping meets concrete deck(s) shall be watertight.
   10. (10) Construction joints where pool or spa coping meets concrete deck shall be installed to protect the coping and its mortar bed from damage as a result of movement of adjoining deck(s).
   11. (11) Control joints in deck(s) shall be provided to minimize the potential for cracks due to a change in elevations, separation of surfaces or movement of the slab.
   12. (12) The areas where concrete deck(s) join other concrete work shall be protected by expansion joints to protect the pool and spa adequately from the pressures of relative movements.
   13. (13) The edge of deck(s) shall be rounded, tapered or otherwise relieved to eliminate sharp corners.
   14. (14) Deck(s) shall be sloped to effectively drain to perimeter areas or to deck drains. Drainage shall remove pool and spa splash water, deck cleaning water, and rain water without leaving standing water deeper than 1/8 inch. Water from deck drainage shall not be mixed with pool or spa water.
   15. (15) Site drainage shall direct all perimeter deck drainage, general site and roof drainage away from the pool area. Yard drains shall be installed, as needed, to prevent the accumulation or puddling of site water in the general area of the deck(s) and related improvements.
   16. (16) Valves installed in or under any deck(s) shall provide a minimum ten inches diameter access cover and valve pit to facilitate operation, service, and maintenance. Access covers shall be provided for valve pits for new and existing pools and spas.
   17. (17) An adequate number of hose bibs and adequate hose shall be provided for washing down all areas of the deck. Cross-connection control device(s) as approved by the TNRCC or the department or state or local regulatory authority shall be provided. When not in use, hoses shall be stored in such a manner to prevent a hazard from tripping.

2. (b) Entries and exits for new pools. New pools shall have a minimum of two entry/exits, one serving the shallow end and one serving the deep end. Entry/exits may consist of ladders, stairs, or recessed treads or combination thereof and shall conform to the following:

   1. (1) areas where the vertical distance from the bottom of the pool to the deck or walk is 18 inches or less at the pool wall may be considered as an entry/exit;
   2. (2) for pool areas over 30 feet in width, both sides of the deep portions shall have entries/exits provided;
   3. (3) a means of entry/exit for the shallow end shall be located between the shallow end wall and the cross section at Point C, while a means of entry/exit for the deep end shall be between the deep end wall and the cross section at Point B, refer to pool dimensions at subsection (c)(7) of this section, or if not a diving pool, they shall be so located as to reasonably serve the respective areas;
   4. (4) a means of entry/exit shall be provided at a minimum of every 75 linear feet of pool wall or fraction thereof;
   5. (5) stairs, ladders, and recessed treads shall be located so as not to interfere with racing lanes if applicable;
   6. (6) stairs, ladders, and recessed treads shall have slip-resistant surfaces; and

   7. (7) design and construction of pool stairs shall comply with the following requirements:

      1. (A) steps shall have a minimum unobstructed horizontal depth of 12 inches and a minimum width of 20 inches;
      2. (B) risers for steps shall have a maximum uniform height of ten inches, with the bottom riser height allowed to vary plus or minus two inches from the uniform riser height;
      3. (C) underwater steps shall be provided with a horizontal solid or broken stripe two inches wide on the top surface along the front leading edge of each step. This stripe shall be plainly visible to persons on the pool deck. The stripe shall be a contrasting color to the background on which it is applied, and the color shall be permanent in nature and shall be a slip-resistant surface; and

      4. (D) on existing and new pools, access to the pool's edge and stairs into the pool shall comply with any applicable requirements for disability access under federal, state, and local fair housing and handicapped access laws. It is recommended that a handrail serving all treads be provided where there is a high ratio of older persons and a low ratio of children using the pool. A handrail shall be provided in pools for which a lifeguard is required under these rules. When provided handrails shall comply with the following requirements:

         1. (i) handrails, if removable, shall be installed in such a way that they cannot be removed without the use of tools;
         2. (ii) the leading edge of handrails for stairs shall be no more than plus or minus eight inches horizontally from the vertical plane of the bottom riser or extend into the pool to a water depth of 36 inches as measured from the horizontal stair surface to the design water level; and
         3. (iii) the outside diameter of handrails shall range from 1-1/4 inches to 2 inches.

   8. (8) the design and construction of pool ladder(s) shall comply with the following requirements:

      1. (A) pool ladders shall be made entirely of corrosion-resistant materials;
      2. (B) two handholds or two handrails shall be provided, one on each side of the ladder;
      3. (C) below the water level, there shall be a clearance of not more than 3-1/2 inches between ladder handrails or ladder tread edge, measured from the pool wall side of the tread, and the pool wall. See §265.185(c) of this title (relating to Dimensional Design (Entanglement or entrapment avoidance for pools and spas));
      4. (D) the clear distance between ladder handrails shall be a minimum of 17 inches and a maximum of 24 inches;
      5. (E) there shall be a uniform height between ladder treads with a seven inch minimum distance and a 12 inch maximum distance; and
      6. (F) ladder treads shall have a minimum horizontal depth of 1-1/2 inches.

   9. (9) the design and construction of recessed treads in the pool wall shall comply with the following requirements:

      1. (A) the recessed treads shall have a uniform vertical spacing of 12 inches maximum and seven inches minimum;
      2. (B) the vertical distance between the pool coping edge, deck, or step surface and the uppermost recessed tread shall be a maximum of 12 inches;
      3. (C) the recessed treads shall have a minimum depth of 4-1/2 inches and a minimum width of 12 inches;
      4. (D) the recessed treads shall drain into the pool but not be sloped more than 1/2 inch per foot, to prevent the accumulation of dirt and debris; and
      5. (E) each set of recessed treads shall be provided with a set of handrails/grabrails/handholds one on each side of the ladder to serve all treads and risers.

   10. (10) the design and construction of swimouts in the pool wall shall comply with the following:

       1. (A) swimouts shall be completely outside the perimeter shape of the pool;
       2. (B) when used as an entry/exit access, swimouts shall be provided with a step(s) to meet the pool stair requirements as stated in subsection (b)(7) of this section;
       3. (C) when steps are used in swimouts, they shall be visually set apart with a horizontal solid or broken stripe two inches wide on the top surface along the leading edge of horizontal surfaces of each step. The stripe shall be plainly visible to persons on the pool deck. The stripe shall be a contrasting color to the background on which it is applied, and the color shall be permanent;
       4. (D) are allowed in the deep or shallow areas of the pool;
       5. (E) the horizontal surface shall be a maximum of 20 inches below the design water level unless stairs are provided in the swimout; and
       6. (F) pools that do not utilize a perimeter overflow system shall provide a wall return inlet or outlet in the swimout to maintain sufficient circulation.

3. (c) Diving facilities.

   1. (1) New Class A pools intended for accredited competitive aquatic sports, shall be designed and constructed to provide the dimensions specified by United States Swimming or United States Diving, National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), or National Collegiate Athletic Association or the appropriate sanctioning body or the equivalent.
   2. (2) New pools with diving facilities in excess of three meters in height or pools designed for platform diving, shall comply with the pool dimension design requirements of one of the organizations listed in paragraph (1) of this subsection.
   3. (3) New diving areas intended for Class B and C pools shall conform to the minimum water depths, areas, slopes, and other dimensions shown in subsection (c)(7), of this section. This section does not apply to platform or deck diving. Competitive diving equipment shall not be installed on new or existing Class B and C pools. Diving equipment on new Class B and C pools shall have a fixed fulcrum unless the design and construction meets the standards for a Class A pool as stated in paragraph (1) of this subsection.
   4. (4) At new pools, there shall be a completely unobstructed clear vertical distance of 16 feet above any diving board measured from the center of the front end of the board. This area shall extend horizontally at least 12 feet behind, 12 feet to each side and 16 feet ahead of Point A, as described in subsection (c)(7) of this section.
   5. (5) The tip of the diving board at a new pool shall be located at directly above Point A, as described in subsection (c)(7) of this section, which is the reference point of all other dimensions. If the board is given more or less overhang, other dimensions shall move further inward or outward by the same amount respectively.
   6. (6) When other types of equipment or devices are provided for water entry at new and existing pools and spas, the location size and depths of the required water envelope shall be clearly specified by the manufacturer/provider/installer of the equipment or device and installed according to those specifications. At new pools, a label shall be permanently affixed to the equipment or device and shall include the applicable items found in subsection (c)(10) of this section.
   7. (7) At new pools, minimum dimensions for diving areas of Class B and C pools are contained in the following table:
      Attached Graphic
      
   8. (8) At new pools, supports, platforms, stairs, and ladders for diving equipment shall be designed to carry the anticipated loads. At new pools, stairs and ladders shall be of corrosion-resistant material, easily cleanable and with slip-resistant tread.
   9. (9) Diving equipment for new and existing pools shall be installed according to manufacturer's instructions and specifications supplied with each unit.

   10. (10) On new pools, a label shall be permanently affixed to the diving equipment or jump board and shall include the following:

       1. (A) manufacturer's name and address;
       2. (B) board equipment length;
       3. (C) identification as to diving or jump board;
       4. (D) fixed fulcrum setting;
       5. (E) reference to the applicable article(s) in the American National Standards Institute/National Swimming Pool Institute-2 (ANSI/NSPI-2, 1992) Standards for Public Swimming Pools;
       6. (F) weight limitations as specified by the board manufacturer, if available; and
       7. (G) date of installation.
   11. (11) At new and existing pools, manufactured diving equipment shall be installed according to pool types (refer to §265.182(91)(F)-(I) of this title (relating to Definitions)) that are equal to or larger than the pool type designated by the manufacturer.
   12. (12) New diving stands higher than 21 inches measured from the deck to the top butt end of the board shall have stairs or a ladder and handrails. Step treads shall be self-draining.
   13. (13) On new pools, platforms and diving equipment of one-half to one meter in height shall be protected with guard rail(s) which shall be at least 30 inches above the diving board and extend from the butt end of the equipment to the edge of the pool wall. All platforms or diving equipment higher than one meter shall have dual guard rails which are approximately 18 inches and 36 inches above the diving board. A means shall be provided on platforms or diving equipment higher than one meter to prevent slips or falls through the equipment onto the deck surface.
   14. (14) On new pools, diving equipment shall have slip-resistant tread surfaces.
   15. (15) On new pools, diving equipment shall be permanently anchored to the pool deck.
   16. (16) At new pools, the top of the diving board from the deck end to the tip shall be level or have an upward slope of 5/8 inch per foot maximum, provided elevation difference shall not exceed six inches from the deck end to the tip of the board.
   17. (17) At new pools, the maximum construction tolerances for the installation of diving equipment shall be plus or minus two inches to allow for construction variances only on Class B and C pools.

4. (d) Starting blocks in new and existing pools.

   1. (1) Starting blocks shall be installed and used to meet the standards, depth specifications and other requirements of the national competitive pool organization having jurisdiction over the competition.
   2. (2) Starting blocks shall only be used during official competition or when there is direct supervision by the team coach or another qualified instructor.
   3. (3) When not directly supervised, the starting block shall be removed or secured from use to prevent inadvertent use by an untrained user or by the general public.
5. (e) Play equipment for new and existing pools. Playground equipment in new pool or on new and existing pool deck, which is not covered by the Amusement Ride and Safety Inspection and Insurance Act (see subsection (g) of this section), shall be designed and installed according to the CPSC Handbook for Public Playground Safety, Publication Number 325-1997, or the ASTM Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Public Use, F1487-1995. It is recommended that playground equipment for existing pools meet CPSC Guidelines or ASTM standards in existence at the time they were installed.
6. (f) Slides for new and existing pools to comply with CPSC standards. Slides at new and existing pools that are of the specific configuration and type, as stated in the CPSC Standard for Swimming Pool Slides as published in the Code of Federal Regulations, 16 CFR Chapter II, Part 1207, §5.8, shall comply with those standards.
7. (g) Exclusion of certain facilities at new and existing pools. These subsections are not meant to cover amusement rides as defined under Texas Department of Insurance, Insurance Code, Chapter 21-General Provisions, Subchapter E-Miscellaneous Provisions, Article 0021.0060 relating to the Amusement Ride Safety Inspection and Insurance Act and 28 Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Insurance, Part I. Texas Department of Insurance, Chapter 5, Property and Casualty Insurance, Subchapter J. Rules to Implement the Amusement Ride Safety Inspection and Insurance Act, which regulates large slides and other such types of amusement devices used at new and existing pool facilities.

Source Note:The provisions of this §265.186 adopted to be effective June 17, 1999, 24 TexReg 4365.