Pool seat, bench and offset not mark. Safety issue!

[RICHARD TAN]

Pool seat, bench and offset not mark. Safety issue!

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

Hi Richard,

The Swimming Pool and Spa Code is Chapter 424 of the Florida Building Code. Below is from the 2004 Florida Building Code, Building, w/ 2006 Revisions.
(underlining and bold are mine)
- - - 424.2 Private swimming pools.
- - - - 424.2.6 Private swimming pools.
- - - - - 424.2.6.1 Conformance standard.
- - - - - - Design, construction and workmanship shall be in conformity with the requirements of ANSI/NSPI 3, ANSI/NSPI 4, ANSI/NSPI 5 and ANSI/NSPI 6.

Also see:
- SECTION R4101
- - PRIVATE SWIMMING POOLS
- - - R4101.6 Engineering design.
- - - - R4101.6.1 Conformance standard.
- - - - - Design, construction and workmanship shall be in conformity with the requirements of ANSI/NSPI 3; ANSI/NSPI 4; ANSI/NSPI 5; and ANSI/NSPI 6.

From the "included by reference" ANSI/NSPI 5 American National Standard for Residential Inground Swimming Pools.
(underlining and bold are mine)
- 6.7 Underwater Seats, Benches and Swimouts: The design and construction of underwater seats, benches and swimouts shall conform to Article 6.7.1 through 6.7.3.
- - 6.7.1 Underwater seats, benches and swimouts, when provided, shall be at 20 inches (508 mm) maximum below the waterline.
- - 6.7.2 Underwater seats, benches and swimouts shall be permitted in the deep area of a pool if they are visually set apart and located outside the require Minimum Diving Water Envelope if the pool is designed for used with manufactured diving equipment.
- - 6.7.3 Underwater seats, benches or swimouts are permitted to be part of the stairs, recessed threads, beach entries, or ramps, or other special features.

Note that in 6.7.2 if there is manufactured diving equipment present, those underwater seats, benches and swimouts must also be outside the Minimum Diving Water Envelope *as well as being visually set apart* from the pool.

Codeman

[RICHARD TAN]

Coderman, Is stair, bench and offset required to have visible marking? I have seen many pool have marking and many have not. Is this a diving and safety issue?

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

Hi Richard,

That is a multi-part question which needs to be answered in multiple parts.

Is this a diving and safety issue?

Yes, first and foremost it is a diving and safety issue.

Is stair, ... required to have visible marking?

I do not find a requirement in the code or in the referenced ANSI/NSPI 5 where entry stairs are required to have visible markings along the edges of the treads at the risers.

Is ... bench and offset required to have visible marking?

Not quite sure what you are meaning when you say "offset", however underwater seats, benches and swimouts are permitted in the deep end of a pool if they are visually set apart from the surrounding pool, see reference to this in the code in my previous post - ANSI/NSPI 5, 6.7.2 in that code previously quoted and here:
- - 6.7.2 Underwater seats, benches and swimouts shall be permitted in the deep area of a pool if they are visually set apart and located outside the require Minimum Diving Water Envelope if the pool is designed for used with manufactured diving equipment.

I have seen many pool have marking and many have not.

Many older pool codes used around the state did contain such a requirement, this is an example (and there are many such examples) where codes have been weakened due to going to the Florida Building Code based on the ICC code series of codes.

Codeman