California new Senate Bill for pools

[Nelliepie03]

Doing an Owner Builder pool. Almost done however going into this in December were told we just needed alarms on doors but now since a new bill passed I have to have a second safety in place??? Since this is the case we will be buying a mesh fence but someone told us we have to have our backyard gate (from street access) to open outwards away from pool. But would this be needed if we are getting a mesh fence??

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Code questions like this are best handled through your local building department (where you got your building permits from). I would ignore all of the "someone told me" advice and go straight to the building department, show them your layout (preferably on a platt map so they can see your pool relative to the lot) and ask them directly what you are required to have by the current code. I'll give you some more of that "someone told me" advice as I recently read that in California your building permit lasts for 6 months and then you have to get a renewal of the permit if it's not closed by then. That renewal gives you another six months. If the job is still not finished then you have to reapply for a permit again AND you are required to bring anything up to code if there were changes to the code during your previous permit period. So, all that is to say that, even if the local code changed while you were building, you might not necessarily have to be held to that change as long as your project finishes on time.

But, like I said, go to your building department and talk to someone in charge about it. That's where you will get the definitive answer.

 

[mas985]

Doing an Owner Builder pool. Almost done however going into this in December were told we just needed alarms on doors but now since a new bill passed I have to have a second safety in place??? Since this is the case we will be buying a mesh fence but someone told us we have to have our backyard gate (from street access) to open outwards away from pool. But would this be needed if we are getting a mesh fence??

That was the requirement over 10 years ago, at least for us, to pass inspection. Funny thing was that the alarms on the doors just disappeared shortly after inspection.

The reason for the outward (self closing) gates is because if they don't latch a toddler could not open them by just pushing on the gate. If the pool fence is permanent and cannot be easily removed (not mesh), then you would just need a self closing gate that again, swings outward and that should pass inspection although I think there may be a requirement for height as well.

 

[PoolGate]

I think this is par for many states. In MD I am required to have the fence gates open away from the pool, be at least 5 feet tall, and a "child proof" automatic lock along with a 5" max width gap in fencing material. In addition, all pool access points from the house need to have an alarm. The inspector said he thought all windows needed to be alarmed as well. Since I have a whole-house hardwired alarm which has door and window chimes I was covered for all cases.

I really don't have a big issue with any of the above where child safety is concerned.

 

[mas985]

Here is the bill: Bill Text - SB-442 Public health: pools: drownings.

And text:

115922. (a) Except as provided in Section 115925, when a building permit is issued for the construction of a new swimming pool or spa or the remodeling of an existing swimming pool or spa at a private single-family home, the respective swimming pool or spa shall be equipped with at least two of the following seven drowning prevention safety features:
(1) An enclosure that meets the requirements of Section 115923 and isolates the swimming pool or spa from the private single-family home.
(2) Removable mesh fencing that meets American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Specifications F2286 standards in conjunction with a gate that is self-closing and self-latching and can accommodate a key lockable device.
(3) An approved safety pool cover, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 115921.
(4) Exit alarms on the private single-family home’s doors that provide direct access to the swimming pool or spa. The exit alarm may cause either an alarm noise or a verbal warning, such as a repeating notification that “the door to the pool is open.”
(5) A self-closing, self-latching device with a release mechanism placed no lower than 54 inches above the floor on the private single-family home’s doors providing direct access to the swimming pool or spa.
(6) An alarm that, when placed in a swimming pool or spa, will sound upon detection of accidental or unauthorized entrance into the water. The alarm shall meet and be independently certified to the ASTM Standard F2208 “Standard Safety Specification for Residential Pool Alarms,” which includes surface motion, pressure, sonar, laser, and infrared type alarms. A swimming protection alarm feature designed for individual use, including an alarm attached to a child that sounds when the child exceeds a certain distance or becomes submerged in water, is not a qualifying drowning prevention safety feature.
(7) Other means of protection, if the degree of protection afforded is equal to or greater than that afforded by any of the features set forth above and has been independently verified by an approved testing laboratory as meeting standards for those features established by the ASTM or the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
(b) Before the issuance of a final approval for the completion of permitted construction or remodeling work, the local building code official shall inspect the drowning safety prevention features required by this section and, if no violations are found, shall give final approval.

You need 2 of the 7 to comply. But we had this same obligation over 10 years ago. I guess it was only for our city.

#6 is an option if you don't want alarms on the doors.