Cal. Health & Safety Code § 115922
The Swimming Pool Safety Act
Redline — January 1, 2011 → current.View current text →
Current — January 1, 2025
As of January 1, 2011
(a) Commencing January 1, 2007, except as provided in Section 115925, whenever a building permit is issued for construction of a new swimming pool or spa, or any building permit is issued for remodeling of an existing pool or spa, at a private, single-family home, it shall be equipped with at least one of the following seven drowning prevention safety features: (1) The pool shall be isolated from access to a home by an enclosure that meets the requirements of Section 115923. (2) The pool shall incorporate removable mesh pool fencing that meets American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Specifications F 2286 standards in conjunction with a gate that is self-closing and self-latching and can accommodate a key lockable device. (3) The pool shall be equipped with an approved safety pool cover that meets all requirements of the ASTM Specifications F 1346 . (4) The residence shall be equipped with exit alarms on those doors providing direct access to the pool. (5) All doors providing direct access from the home to the swimming pool shall be equipped with a self-closing, self-latching device with a release mechanism placed no lower than 54 inches above the floor. (6) Swimming pool alarms that, when placed in pools, will sound upon detection of accidental or unauthorized entrance into the water. These pool alarms shall meet and be independently certified to the ASTM Standard F 2208 “Standards Specification for Pool Alarms” which includes surface motion, pressure, sonar, laser, and infrared type alarms. For purposes of this article, “swimming pool alarms” shall not include swimming protection alarm devices designed for individual use, such as an alarm attached to a child that sounds when the child exceeds a certain distance or becomes submerged in water. (7) Other means of protection, if the degree of protection afforded is equal to or greater than that afforded by any of the devices set forth above, and have been independently verified by an approved testing laboratory as meeting standards for those devices established by the ASTM or the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
(a) Except as provided in Section 115925, subject to subdivision (b), and consistent with Section 1596.814, 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 the ASTM International F2286 standard in conjunction with a gate that is self-closing and self-latching and can accommodate a key lockable device. (3) A manually operated or power-operated safety pool cover that is accompanied by a label verifying that the cover meets the specifications of the ASTM International F1346-23 standard. (4) Exit alarms on the private single-family home’s doors and windows that provide direct access to the swimming pool or spa without any intervening enclosure. Whenever any door or window is opened or left ajar, exit alarms shall make either an audible, continuous alarm sound or a repeating verbal warning, such as a notification that “the door to the pool is open.” An exit alarm may be battery operated or connected to the electrical wiring of the building. (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 in good repair and operable as designed 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 International F2208 standard that 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 ASTM International, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, or another nationally recognized standards development organization, and the feature is accompanied by a label verifying that the protection meets those standards.
(b) The requirements of subdivision (a) are not satisfied by any of the following:
(1) An exit alarm and a self-closing, self-latching device on the same door.
(2) An exit alarm and a door latch on separate doors.
(3) A safety pool cover and an alarm described in paragraph (6) of subdivision (a).
(c) 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.
Official source: California Legislative Information. Reproduced from public-domain California statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.