Alabama Administrative Code
Title 420 - ALABAMA STATE BOARD OF HEALTH
Chapter 420-3-11 - CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE, AND OPERATION OF HOTELS
Section 420-3-11-.16 - Premises

Universal Citation: AL Admin Code R 420-3-11-.16

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 5, February 29, 2024

(1) General

(a) Hotels and all appurtenances of the property used in connection with their operations shall be kept free of litter.

(b) The walking and driving surfaces of all immediate exterior areas of hotels shall be surfaced with concrete or asphalt, or with gravel or other approved material to minimize dust. These surfaces shall be graded to prevent pooling of water and shall be kept free of litter.

(c) Only articles necessary for the operation and maintenance of the hotels shall be stored on the premises.

(d) The traffic of unauthorized persons through the laundry and utensil washing and/or wrapping areas is prohibited.

(2) Living Areas - All laundry facilities, linen storage areas, utensil washing and/or wrapping areas, single-service article storage and ice machines or ice storage facilities shall be separated from any permanent living quarters by complete partitioning and solid, self-closing doors.

(3) Equipment Storage - Maintenance and cleaning tools such as brooms, mops, vacuum cleaners and similar equipment and all equipment used in maintaining the building, swimming pool/spa, or landscape shall be maintained and stored in a way that does not contaminate ice, utensils, single-service items, linens, roll-away beds, cribs or extra bedding and shall be stored in an orderly manner to facilitate the cleaning of that storage location.

(4) Animals

(a) Animals shall be excluded from within the laundry, linen storage, utensil washing and/or wrapping areas, single-service article storage and ice machine areas of hotels.

(b) Patrol dogs accompanying security or police officers, or guide animals aiding the physically impaired, shall be permitted in all public areas of the building.

(5) Swimming Pools and Spas

(a) Hotel swimming pools/spas shall be constructed, operated, and maintained in accordance with the following minimum requirements, provided that where there are local rules or regulations for swimming pools enforced by the county health department and applicable to hotel swimming pools, those local rules or regulations shall control.
1. Water Supply: All water used in swimming pools shall be from sources approved by the Health Officer. No piping arrangements shall exist which, under any conditions, will permit sewage, waste water, or water from an unapproved source to enter the swimming pool/spa water system or water from the swimming pool/spa to enter the make-up water supply. Fresh water inlets shall be at an elevation above the deck level of the pool.

2. Construction: All swimming pools/spas shall be structurally sound and constructed of an inert and enduring material, nontoxic to humans, such as but not limited to concrete and tile.

3. Swimming Pool/Spa Inlets and Outlets: Swimming Pool/Spa inlets and outlets shall be provided and arranged to produce a uniform circulation of water so that a uniform disinfectant residual is maintained throughout the swimming pool/spa.

4. Recirculation and Filtration: All swimming pools/spas shall have and maintain adequate recirculation and filtration equipment approved by the Health Officer for water disinfection.

5. Water Treatment: Satisfactory means of disinfecting which provides a residual of disinfecting agent in the swimming pool/spa water shall be used. Adequate, dependable automatic chemical feeding equipment and equipment for testing disinfection residual and pH must be provided. Chlorinating equipment shall be operated at such a rate and for such time as is necessary to maintain a free chlorine residual of not less than 1 ppm when the pH measures 7.2 to 7.6. If the pH is greater than 7.6, the free chlorine residual shall be no less than 1 ppm. (At no time shall the pH read less than 7.2.) If other halogens are used, residuals of equivalent strength shall be used. Daily records of test results shall be recorded and shall be kept on file for three years and retained at the hotel, and shall be made available to the Health Officer upon his/her request.

6. Algae Accumulations: Walls and floors of swimming pools/spas and surrounding walks and scum gutters shall be kept free from algae and other accumulations. No compounds shall be used for algae control which may be injurious to the guests' health under use conditions.

7. Life Saving Equipment: Every hotel shall have life saving equipment readily accessible to the swimming pool. This item shall not apply to spas and/or wading pools. Life saving equipment shall include a shepherd's crook and an approved life buoy with sufficient rope attached to reach at least one-half the width of the swimming pool.

(b) Immediate Closures - If an imminent health hazard exists, the hotel shall immediately cease operation of the swimming pool/spa. These imminent health hazards shall include, but are not limited to the following:
1. Swimming Pool/Spa pump recirculation and filtration equipment not operating.

2. Turbidity is at a point where the main drain cover can not be plainly seen.

3. The residual disinfectant in the swimming pool/spa is below minimum acceptable level.

4. Absence of an approved test kit.

(c) When the authorization to operate a swimming pool/spa is suspended, the permit owner may make application for the authorization to operate a swimming pool/spa to be reinstated. When a written application stating that, in the opinion of the permit holder, the conditions causing suspension of the authorization to operate have been corrected, the Health Officer shall, as soon as practical, make a reinspection of the swimming pool/spa. If the applicant is complying with the requirements of these rules, the authorization to operate shall be reinstated.

Authors: Ronald Dawsey, Tim Hatch

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 22-2-2, 34-15-3.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Alabama may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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