SP14 - Spa Pools

Purpose

To establish safety guidelines for the design of spa pools.

Definition

A Spa pools is a water-retaining structure fitted with filtration and sanitizing equipment, a heater, equipment for creating turbulent water and a skimmer system, normally filled with water except for maintenance purposes, and normally used for passive recreation and relaxation rather than swimming.

Description

The design of spa pool tanks should be consistent with the Pool Tanks Guideline. Additionally, spa inlets, outlets and piping should comply with AS2610.1 - 2007

Spa pools should be located where supervision can be undertaken.

Spa pools should be considered in conjunction with the same level of supervision as swimming pools.

Indoor spa pools should be provided with adequate ventilation, taking into account high evaporation and condensation rates, in accordance with AS 1668.2.

Ceilings, walls and pedestrian traffic flow surfaces should be of a moisture impervious finish.

The maximum recommended water depth is 1.1m.

The maximum recommended seat depth is 600mm from the waterline.

Consideration should be given to the displacement of water by users of the spa.

Design of steps and ladders should be in accordance with AS 2610.1.

Steps and ladders should also comply with SD 8.3.

The location of underwater obstacles such as steps and ladders may not be visible in the turbulent water and so should be clearly indicated through the use of handrails and signage.

An adjustable thermostat may be used to control the temperature of the water within a range not exceeding 38 -40 degrees Celsius.

Additionally a safety system should be provided, which has a manual reset, and prevents users from being exposed to temperatures in excess of 45 degrees Celsius.

An emergency stop alarm device should be located adjacent to the spa which on activation will stop all circulation (blowers and filtration) in the spa pool.

The device should rapidly alert staff to its activation by way of audible and visual signals, and should be clearly labelled to indicate its purpose.

This device should only be able to be reset by staff.

At all times, water filtration plant should be capable of turning over the volume of the spa pool at least once every 30 minutes.

Water quality should be maintained within local statutory requirements.

Air blowers and jets used to create turbulence in the water should have a ‘shut down’ period a maximum of every 15 minutes. This is to reduce excessive use of the spa, and to assist in supervising the full spa tank.

Signage relating to guest usage should comply with the Guidelines for Aquatic Safety Signage.

Children under 10 years should be under the active supervision of a person 16 years or older whilst in spa pool area.

Drainage

The spa pool should be fitted with drain(s) to allow the tank to be completely emptied.

The drains and filter returns should be fitted with lint traps.

Automatic Shutdown - Entrapment Prevention

The filtration plant and equipment should have fitted a pressure-monitoring device that activates an automatic shutdown of all pumps. The limit of the pressure-monitoring device should be set to avoid injury from entrapment of foreign objects (such as people’s hair and clothing and parts of their body such as limbs, etc.) in suction points. Each spa pump should be connected to a minimum of two suction points from the spa pool by means of a common line. The suction points shall not be closer than 600mm.

There should also be no residual suction on automatic shutdown.

Entrapment prevention may be further improved by the use of specially designed inlet covers as detailed in AS2610.1 - 2007

References

• AS2610.1 – 2007 Spa Pools
• Pool Operators Handbook - 2000; Department of Human Services, Victoria.
• Managing Health & Safety in Swimming Pools - 1999; Health & Safety Commission, England.
• Aquatic Facility Management - 2005; Paul Faucet of Human Kinetics, U.S.A.

Previous Versions

• FD22 Design of Spa Pools, Issue 2, November 2007