SP2 - Pool Tanks

Purpose

To provide guidance on the safe design and maintenance of swimming pool tanks.

Description

The safe design of swimming pool should be dependent on the profile of the potential aquatic users within a catchment area and the intended objectives of the aquatic facility.

For safety reasons the following minimum requirements should be considered as part of the design of a swimming pool:

• Depth
• Gradient
• Surface
• Walls
• Tank Edges and Gutters
• Length and Width for 25m and 50m pools

Water Depths

The depth of a pool may vary depending upon the intended use of the pool. The following depths for intended activities should be as follows:

When a specific water depth is not nominated, the following calculation may be used to determine the minimum water depth for an activity:

Floor Gradient

The gradient for the pool floor should not be steeper than 1:14.

When there are changes in the gradient:

• The pool floor should be highlighted with a contrasting colour such as contrast tiles or painted lines that do not reduce the visibility of a body on the bottom of the pool and/or;
• Signage should be displayed and visible from within the pool and the surrounding concourse

Abrupt changes in water depth should be avoided at all costs in water less than 1.6m or where bathers can stand. Where there is an abrupt change in waters less than 1.6m:

• Slip resistive surfaces should be provided. (See Pool Concourse)
• The pool floor should be highlighted with a contrasting colour such as contrast tiles or painted lines that do not reduce the visibility of a body on the bottom of the pool and/or;
• Signage should be displayed and visible from within the pool and the surrounding concourse

Where a diving pool is provided in the main pool, the transition from shallow to deep water may need to be steeper than 1:14. Where this occurs, special markings and appropriate signage should highlight this abrupt change in depth.

Floor Surfaces

All areas where bathers enter the pool or congregate during activities need to have a slip-resistive and non-abrasive surface conforming to the recommendations of Standards Australia Handbook “HB 197 - An Introductory Guide to the Slip Resistance of Pedestrian Surface Materials” and AS 4586-2013.

As a guide, it is recommended that slip-resistant tiles are used anywhere where the pool depth is less than 1.6m

These include:

• Steps and ramps
• Beach entry
• Pool floor at shallow end of competition/lap pools where bathers can stand.
• Learner's pool
• Toddler's pool.

Floor and Wall Colours

The colour of the pool wall and floor finished should be no darker than the colours below as specified within AS 2700-1996: Colour standards for general purposes. This does not include lane markings, safety markings, hand holds, copings and step edges or Spa pools with a surface area of less than 10m2 or Spa pools greater than 10m2 that have a maximum water depth of 800mm and providing that access will be restricted to adult use only.

The walls and floors should also not incorporate designs that are shaped in the form that may be reasonably mistaken for a human form or that may inhibit the detection of submerged persons.

Pool Walls

End walls should be vertical, parallel and form 90 degree right angles to the swimming course and to the surface of the water. In pools used for competition the walls should extend to 300mm above the water line.

They should be constructed of solid material, with a slip-resistive and non-abrasive surface extending 0.8m below the water surface conforming to the recommendations of Standards Australia Handbook “HB 197 - An Introductory Guide to the Slip Resistance of Pedestrian Surface Materials” and AS 4586-2013.

The pool tank should have no sharp edges or projections that could cause injury to bathers, especially below the water level. Careful consideration will need to be given to the design of recesses, ledges, or rails so as to ensure that they are not a hazard.

Any fixture or fitting in the pool wall (e.g. lane rope anchors) and the pool floor (e.g. inflatable tie downs) should be fitted flush and have no sharp protruding edges.

Where fittings and fixtures are located in a tiled surface, the tiles should be flush with the fitting and have no sharp and protruding edges.

Wave machine openings, sumps, or inlets and outlets of the pool water circulation system should have suitable protective covers or grilles. They should be designed to prevent limbs and fingers getting trapped. Undue suction should not be created, which could result in a body being held against a grille, and there should be no exposed sharp edges. This is particularly important in areas of moving water;

There should be at least two outlets per suction line at a sufficient distance apart to prevent a body being drawn or trapped by two suction line outlets. The amount of suction produced at any single outlet position should not be sufficient to result in a body being drawn towards it and held in position or entangle hair;

Where handrails are provided, they should be recessed into the pool tank in such a way that it is not possible for limbs to become trapped between the grab-rail and the rear wall of the recess or the tank wall;

If a resting ledge is to be provided this should be recessed into the pool wall. If, for some reason, this is not possible, the ledge should be colour-contrasted and warning signs displayed to alert bathers, who are entering the water, to its presence.

Pool Tank Edges, Gutters and Wet Decks

The pool tank edge should be colour contrasted with the pool water so as to render it clearly visible to aquatic users in the water and on the pool concourse. This is particularly important for deck-level pools where the pool edge may be partially submerged.

Fixed raised pool ends are recommended for main pools with deck-level edge channels, where a pool is predominately for training and/or racing. The raised ends help the swimmer to easily identify the end walls of the tank.

In a leisure pool where the pool tank bottom slopes gently from a beach area to deeper water there is no need to highlight the water’s edge providing there are no abrupt gradients or steps between the pool and its surrounds

Where a wet deck gutter system is used, it should:

1. Not allow water to flow on to the pool concourse.
2. The grate should be neat fitting with no gaps between adjoining grate sections and no raised or buckled slats so as to prevent any possible injury to patrons.
3. In wave pools the grate should be fixed to prevent dislodging during wave motion.
4. All grating systems should be flush fitting.
5. All grating should be installed & maintained with sufficient strength to support the weight of normal traffic.
6. All grating used should be of a slip resistive nature.

Length and Width

25m Pool

The length of a 25m Pool shall be 25m from end to end. When touch panels of Automatic Officiating Equipment are used the pool should be of a length that ensures that 25m is achieved between the two panels.

The width of a 25m pool may vary depending on the number of lanes. This should be as follows:

50m Pool

The length of a 50m Pool shall be 50m from end to end. When touch panels of Automatic Officiating Equipment are used the pool should be of a length that ensures that 50m is achieved between the two panels.

The width of a 50m pool may vary depending on the number of lanes. This should be as follows:

Dimension Tolerance

A tolerance of plus 0.030 metres in each lane minus 0.00 on both end walls at all points from .300 metres above to 0.800 below the surface of the water is allowed. These measurements should be certified by a building surveyor as part of the build. Tolerances cannot be exceeded when touch panels are installed.

Signage

Aquatic Signage should be in place for all pools in accordance with the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations – Aquatic Signage.

References

• FINA Handbook, Part IX, FINA Facilities Rules 2015 – 2017.
• Australian Standards Handbook HB 197 - 1999; An Introductory Guide to the Slip Resistance of Pedestrian Surface Materials
• AS 4586-2013 Slip resistance classification of new pedestrian materials
• AS 1428.1 - 2001; Design for access and mobility Part 1: General requirements for access - New building work.
• Building Code of Australia - 2006. Australian Building Code Board.
• Managing Health & Safety in Swimming Pools - February 2003; Health & Safety Commission, England.
• Pool Operations Manual - The Royal Life Saving Society Canada.
• Aquatic Facility Management - 2005; Paul Faucet of Human Kinetics, U.S.A
• Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations – Aquatic Safety Signage

Previous Versions

• FD1 Design of Pool Tanks November 2007 Issue 4
• FD3 Pool Depth Marking, Issue 3 November 2007
• FD4 Advisory Signs Issue 3, November 2007