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Pool Fence Gate

Exactly. I am trying to ascertain what I am required to do and it ain’t easy. I just found this on my county website. They say out of reach of children. What does that mean? Hopefully my township and/or fence contractor will know the answer.

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Thinking about my county info, if a child enters pool, by definition they could reach the latch. So, the only safe approach would be 54”. BTW, our clubhouse has keypad locked doors so that could be an option. A card reader will not cut it. Residents would go bonkers dealing with cards.
 
artbuc said:
Thinking about my county info, if a child enters pool, by definition they could reach the latch. So, the only safe approach would be 54”. BTW, our clubhouse has keypad locked doors so that could be an option. A card reader will not cut it. Residents would go bonkers dealing with cards.
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Safety over accessibility. The taller latch with a gate that swings outward, away from the pool is the priority. If an inspector wants to write an accessibility violation that results in you making your pool less safe, I'd be surprised. Call your Building Official.
 
artbuc said:
Thinking about my county info, if a child enters pool, by definition they could reach the latch. So, the only safe approach would be 54”. BTW, our clubhouse has keypad locked doors so that could be an option. A card reader will not cut it. Residents would go bonkers dealing with cards.
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The issue with keypad locks, readers and other devices, they all have their good and bad. However, the keypad must be at the 54 in height because a child could see the numbers hit, and then open, as the keys are the latch release.

The majority of todays card readers and systems have the ability to have smart phone apps for credentials.

Thus, you no longer need to issue a card, just a code for the application they download to their phone.

This technology has become very common place, as the phone becomes more and more the only thing one needs.

However, just ask the building department what they will allow and install it.
 
tbz said:
The majority of todays card readers and systems have the ability to have smart phone apps for credentials.
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The property in question is a senior citizen complex. My mother answers the phone with the TV remote control. I gave her an iPhone, she gave it back.
 
ICE said:
The property in question is a senior citizen complex. My mother answers the phone with the TV remote control. I gave her an iPhone, she gave it back.
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I want to do the laugh emoji, but I'm not laughing at your mom - - I'm laughing at remembering the technology struggles I had with my own mom.
 
ICE said:

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§ 18.86. Grounding requirements.​


(a) Grounding shall conform with the following:

(1) Metal fences or railings on which a broken electrical conductor might fall shall be effectively grounded.

(2) A driven ground rod shall be placed at two locations close to and on either side of each crossing.

(3) A ground shall be provided for parallel exposure, near each end of the exposure and at intervals of not more than 300 feet within the exposure.

(b) Water and other piping to and from the public bathing place, including inlet and outlet pipes, shall be metallically bonded together and adequately connected to the same grounding electrode used to ground the neutral conductor of the electrical system. This shall be in addition to the grounding requirements for electrical equipment and circuits as required by the National Electrical Code.



Source



The provisions of this § 18.86 adopted September 18, 1971, effective September 18, 1971, 1 Pa.B. 1921.

PA swimming pool code is here.
There are rules on bathing suits and towels but I didn't find anything related to a barrier. I posted the electrical portion just because it seems strange and that's all there is. Apparently each township has it's own regulations and the County has none. I could be wrong about that but getting information is not easy.

Then there's the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act which mentions children but not a barrier.

The US Access Board on pools with a lot except any mention of a gate.

Last and least is the publication Pool Safety. It mentions a gate and says that it should be self closing and self latching. The barrier to the pool is also mentioned and is a minimum 4 ft. high... so one wouldn't expect the gate latch to be any higher than 4 ft. and in fact there is no regulation for the latch.

This was all found at the PA State Dept. of Health.

So apparently artbuc and his HOA can do whatever suits them.... as long as they store their suits in a sanitary manner.

§ 18.54. Bathing suits and towels.​


Bathing suits and towels shall be thoroughly cleaned and dried each time they are used in a manner that precludes the transmission of disease, and they shall be stored in a clean and sanitary manner.
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I do a 3 year electrical inspection for public pools in PA. Electrical only, the state has someone to check everything else. So I don't know what they check.
Besides the fence stuff I check bonding from the pump to all metal within 5' of the pools and heaters, etc.. I have a 200' spool of wire I use and sometimes it is not enough like in a pool park. Also check GFI's, and make sure light bulbs are covered in pool area and dressing rooms. Over half the pools I inspect had a new pump installed without the bonding wire attached.
 

§ 18.86. Grounding requirements.​


(a) Grounding shall conform with the following:

(1) Metal fences or railings on which a broken electrical conductor might fall shall be effectively grounded.

(2) A driven ground rod shall be placed at two locations close to and on either side of each crossing.

(3) A ground shall be provided for parallel exposure, near each end of the exposure and at intervals of not more than 300 feet within the exposure.

(b) Water and other piping to and from the public bathing place, including inlet and outlet pipes, shall be metallically bonded together and adequately connected to the same grounding electrode used to ground the neutral conductor of the electrical system. This shall be in addition to the grounding requirements for electrical equipment and circuits as required by the National Electrical Code.

This is difficult to understand. The part of it that I do understand seems strange. However just because the CEC has a different approach to swimming pools doesn’t mean that Pennsylvania has it wrong. I wouldn’t do it that way.
 
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