Washington Administrative Code
Title 246 - Health, Department of
RECREATIONAL WATER
Chapter 246-262 - Recreational water contact facilities
Section 246-262-010 - Definitions, abbreviations, and acronyms

(1) "Advanced first aid" means a course of instruction recognized by the American Red Cross, department of labor and industries, the U.S. Bureau of Mines, or fire services training program.

(2) "ANSI" means American National Standard Institute.

(3) "Approved" means the department or local health officer has stated in writing that the design plans and specifications are in accordance with chapter 246-262 WAC.

(4) "ARC" means American Red Cross.

(5) "Architect" means a registered architect currently licensed under chapter 18.08 RCW in Washington state.

(6) "APSP" means Association of Pool and Spa Professionals.

(7) "ASTM" means American Society for Testing Material.

(8) "Attendant" means a person trained to operate an attraction and control the users in a safe orderly manner.

(9) "Attraction or ride" means any of the specific types of recreational facilities involving partial or total immersion or intentional contact with the water designated for public recreational use.

(10) "Biomechanics" means the study of the human body as a system operating under the laws of Newtonian mechanics and the biological laws of life.

(11) "Board" means the state board of health.

(12) "Boogie or mini-surf board" means any semirigid device used in a wave pool for flotation or as a riding device.

(13) "Branch line" means suction piping between a junction fitting and a suction outlet.

(14) "Centerline" means the path defined by geometric midpoints of a component or structure, generally used in consideration of the slide path in flume rides.

(15) "CNCA" means Council for National Cooperation in Aquatics.

(16) "Communication system" means any combination of devices permitting the passage of or exchange of messages between park operating personnel and between operating personnel and users. Systems can include, but are not limited to, two-way radios, hardwired intercoms, horns, whistles, hand signals, direct voice, signs, or equivalent.

(17) "Contaminant" means any physical, chemical or biological substance present in the RWCF water which may adversely affect the health or safety of the user and/or the quality of the water.

(18) "Cross-connection" means any physical arrangement connecting:

(19) "Department" means the Washington state department of health.

(20) "Discharge section" means the component or components making up the exit of the water slide, water tube, inner tube ride, speed slide, ramp slide, drop slide or drop tube, or kiddie flume. These components are the elements controlling the final direction and speed of the user.

(21) "Diving envelope" means the minimum dimensions of an area within the pool necessary to provide entry from a diving board, platform, or attraction segment where users enter above pool water level.

(22) "Drop slide or drop tube ride" means a sloped trough, chute, or tube exiting the user above the pool operating water level.

(23) "Engineer" means a registered professional engineer currently licensed under chapter 18.43 RCW in Washington state.

(24) "Entry access points" means the areas where users enter an attraction.

(25) "Entry rate" means the frequency at which users are permitted access to the attraction.

(26) "Equalizer line outlet" means a suction outlet located on the pool wall below the waterline and connected by pipe to the body of a skimmer to prevent air from being drawn into the pump if the water level drops below the skimmer weir.

(27) "Ergonomics" means a multidisciplinary activity dealing with the interactions between humans and their environment plus the traditional environmental elements atmosphere, heat, light, and sound, as well as objects with which the user comes in contact.

(28) "FINA" means Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur.

(29) "Flume or tube entry" means the area at which users enter a water slide, water tube, inner tube ride, speed slide, drop slide, drop tube, or kiddie flume.

(30) "fps" means feet per second.

(31) "gpm" means gallons per minute.

(32) "IAAPA" means International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions.

(33) "Injury or illness report" means the written record of all facts regarding an injury or illness associated with the RWCF.

(34) "Inner tube ride" means an attraction where users ride inner tube-like devices through a series of chutes, channels, flumes, and pools.

(35) "Innovative recreational water contact facility" means any type of RWCF currently unregulated.

(36) "Intermediate pool" means any pool between the entry and exit pools in attraction using a series of pools.

(37) "Junction fitting" means a pipe fitting in the shape of a "T" or a "Y" used to connect suction outlets to a pump or a balancing tank, and provides two branch line connections and one trunk line connection.

(38) "Kiddie flume or tube attraction" means a flume, chute, or tube designated for and restricted to use by small children.

(39) "Lifeguard" means an individual currently certified by red cross in advance lifesaving or lifeguard training, or YMCA senior lifesaver, or equivalent certification through the royal Canadian lifeguard services.

(40) "Lifeguard station" means the designated work station of the lifeguard.

(41) "Local health officer" means the health office of the city, county, or city-county department or district or a representative authorized by the local health officer.

(42) "Main drain" means a submerged suction outlet for transferring water from a recreational water contact facility.

(43) "mg/l" means milligrams per liter.

(44) "Multiactivity pool" means a pool with more than one type of attraction (i.e., an adult activity pool with a series of tubes, chutes, cable rides, etc., intended for use by individuals with specific swimming abilities).

(45) "NSF" means National Sanitation Foundation.

(46) "NSPI" means National Spa and Pool Institute.

(47) "Operating levels" means water levels maintained within attractions during use for proper operation of facility and for controlling safety and sanitation.

(48) "Operations" means all aspects of a RWCF, which must be controlled to make the facility safe, healthy, and usable for the purpose intended.

(49) "Owner" means a person owning and responsible for a RWCF or authorized agent.

(50) "Person" means an individual, firm, partnership, co-partnership, corporation, company, association, club, government entity, or organization of any kind.

(51) "Ponding" means a condition where water fails to drain from walking surfaces.

(52) "ppm" means parts per million.

(53) "Primary zone of visual coverage" means the area assigned to a lifeguard or attendant for primary visual surveillance of user activity.

(54) "Radius of curvature" means the radius arc which denotes the curved surface from the point of departure from the vertical sidewall (springline) of the pool to the pool bottom.

(55) "Ramp slide" means a slide allowing one or more users to slide in unison down a straight incline to a runout or a receiving pool.

(56) "Recirculation filter water" means water which is recirculated by the RWCF for treatment purposes, i.e., filtration and disinfection.

(57) "Response time" means elapsed time between bather distress and initiation of rescue assistance by a lifeguard (or attendant where applicable).

(58) "RWCF" means recreational water contact facility which is an artificial water associated facility with design and operational features that provide patron recreational activity which is different from that associated with a conventional swimming pool and purposefully involves immersion of the body partially or totally in the water and includes, but is not limited to, water slides, wave pools, and water lagoons.

(59) "Secretary" means the secretary of the department.

(60) "Serious injury" means any injury requiring admission to a hospital.

(61) "Speed slide or speed tube" means a sloped trough, flume, tube, or roller track having long straight and/or steep drops where users sustain speeds of 20 miles per hour or more.

(62) "Springline" means the point from which the pool wall breaks from vertical and begins its arc in the radius of curvature (for coved construction) to the bottom of the pool.

(63) "Suction fitting standard" means the ANSI/APSP-16 2011, Suction Fittings for Use in Swimming Pools, Wading Pools, Spas, and Hot Tubs or the ANSI/APSP/ICC-16 2017, American National Standard for Suction Outlet Fitting Assemblies (SOFA) for Use in Pools, Spas and Hot Tubs.

(64) "Suction outlet" means a fitting; fitting assembly and related components, including the sump or bulkhead fitting, cover, and hardware that provides a localized low pressure area for the transfer of water from a recreational water contact facility. Types of suction outlets include main drains and equalizer line outlets.

(65) "Surfboard" means a rigid device used in a wave pool for riding.

(66) "Tail coverage" means providing insurance coverage for a given period of time for discovery of claims made after the policy term for "claims made" type of insurance.

(67) "Total turnover" means the time it takes for the pool attraction water volume to be recirculated as a sum of the flows from treatment turnover and attraction recirculation systems turnover.

(68) "Treatment turnover" means the minimum time necessary to circulate the entire attraction water volume through the recirculation filter system.

(69) "Trunk line" means suction piping between a junction fitting and a pump or a balancing tank.

(70) "T.U." means turbidity unit as measured by the nephelometric method.

(71) "Wading activity pool" means a pool or area less than 24 inches in total water depth with activities intended for younger children.

(72) "Walking surface" means any direct access surface to the attractions or change rooms where the user will be in bare feet. Areas set aside for picnicking, sunbathing, and lounging are excluded.

(73) "Water slide or water tube" means a sloped trough-like flume or tube structure of varying slope and direction using water as a lubricant and/or method of regulating the rider speed.

(74) "Water treatment operator" means the person appointed to operate the mechanical equipment and perform related water quality monitoring for proper operation of the physical facility.

(75) "Wave pool" means a recreational pool producing waves which usually begin at the deep end and proceed toward and dissipate at the shallow end.

(76) "WWA" means World Waterpark Association.