§ 165.42 — General Requirements for Spray Grounds

§ 165.42 General Requirements for Spray Grounds.

(a) General. All bathing establishments with a spray ground shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the requirements contained in this Code. All spray grounds shall be located at a site free from contamination and conducive to good operation, maintenance, and public safety. The designing architect or engineer shall certify the structural stability and safety of the spray grounds. The strength of the assembled and installed components and accessories to be used in and around the pools spray grounds should be such that no structural failure of any component part shall cause the failure of any other component part. All spray grounds shall further comply with all of the following provisions: (b) Construction materials and finishes. (1) Construction materials. Spray pads shall be constructed of materials which are inert, stable, nontoxic, watertight and enduring. Sand or earth bottoms are prohibited. (2) Finish. Spray pad surface must be slip resistant and easily cleanable surface. (c) Spray Pad. (1) Slope. The spray pad shall be sloped to drain. The slope shall be sufficient to prevent water collecting on the pad. (2) Drainage. The size, number and locations of the spray pad drains shall be determined and specified so as to assure water does not accumulate on the spray pads. Flow through the drains to the spray pad treatment tank shall be under gravity; direct suction outlets from the spray pad are prohibited. (3) Valves and Piping. Valves and piping shall be provided in the spray pad drainage system to allow for discharging spray pad water to waste prior to returning to the spray pad treatment tank. (4) Grating. Openings in the grates covering the drains shall not be over one-half inch wide. Gratings shall not be removable without the use of tools. (d) Decks. (1) A continuous deck at least five feet (5') wide shall extend completely around the entire spray pad perimeter. The deck shall be of a uniform, easily cleaned, impervious material with a slip-resistant surface. (2) Slope. The deck shall be sloped at least one-fourth inch per foot (1/4 in/ft) to deck drains or grades. (3) Drainage. Deck drains, when used, shall be spaced and arranged so that not more than four hundred square feet (400 ft2) of area is tributary to each drain, and drains shall not be spaced more than twenty-five feet (25 ft) apart. There shall be no direct connection between the spray pad deck drains and the sanitary sewer system or treatment tank, or between the treatment tank and recirculation system. The deck for outdoor spray ground shall be sloped away from the spray pad or to the deck drains to prevent surface runoff from entering the spray pad. (4) Carpeting. Carpeting shall not be permitted on the spray pad or desk. (5) Hose bibbs. At least one hose bibb shall be provided to facilitate flushing of the spray pad and deck areas and each bibb shall be provided with an anti-siphon device. (e) Spray Features. Spray features should be designed and installed so as not to pose a tripping hazard, a hazard to due water velocity from the spray features, or other possible safety hazards. (f) Foot Showers. Showers shall be provided at the entry to the spray pad to allow for rinsing debris from patrons' feet prior to entering the spray pad, except such showers are not required at indoor spray grounds or those within the enclosure of an aquatic amusement park. The use of foot baths is prohibited. Wastewater from the foot showers shall be discharged to an approved waste disposal system to prevent standing water on the ground surface, and/or contamination of spray ground and adjacent areas. The foot shower area shall be free of puddle water. (g) Spray Ground Enclosures. All spray grounds shall be protected by a fence, wall, building, other solid barrier, or any combination thereof. A wall of a building may serve as part of the enclosure, provided that there is no direct access from the wall to the spray ground. A spray ground located on a roof, where there is no access to the roof except through doors where access can be prevented when the spray ground is unsupervised, does not require additional enclosure. All spray grounds shall be provided with an enclosure which shall have the following characteristics: (1) No external handholds or footholds. (2) Made of materials which are durable. (3) At least four feet (4') in height, (4) Maximum vertical clearance above grade of two inches (2"). (5) The entrance into the spray ground enclosure shall be equipped with a door or gate that is self-closing and has a positive self-latching closure mechanism at least forty inches (40") above grade. Doors and gates at all entrances shall be equipped with hardware that permits secure locking of the entrance and prevents access when the spray ground is not supervised. (6) Where a chain-link fence is provided, the openings between links shall not exceed 2 3/8 inches and chain link twists shall extend above the upper horizontal bar. The enclosure shall have railings and posts within the enclosure, which shall be capable of resisting a minimum lateral load of one hundred fifty pounds (150 lb) applied midway between posts and at top of posts, respectively. Enclosures, fence material or fabric shall be capable of withstanding a concentrated lateral load of fifty pounds (50 lb) applied anywhere between supports on an area twelve square inches (12 in2), without failure or permanent deformation. (7) Where a picket-type fence is provided, space between pickets shall not exceed 4 inches and pickets shall extend above the upper horizontal bar. (h) Warning Signs. A durable plate bearing the following wording in 24-point type (letters 0.25 inches in height) or more permanently marked thereon in colors contrasting with the background, shall be prominently affixed at spray pad or enclosure/entrance and in the bathhouse or bather preparation facilities at eye level containing the following: (1) The hours that spray pad is open. (2) The hours that spray pad use is prohibited. (3) Individuals with diarrhea shall not use the spray pad. (4) Spray features use recirculated water – do not drink. (5) Children who are not toilet trained must wear a swim diaper covered by rubber pants. (6) No animals allowed on or near spray pad. (7) Pollution of the spray pad area is prohibited. Urinating, discharge of fecal matter, expectorating or nose blowing in any spray pad area is prohibited.