Current through Register Vol. 24-18, September 15, 2024
(1) Owners shall provide specific design,
construction, and equipment for the various types of RWCF
attractions.
(2) Owners and
manufacturers shall ensure adherence to recognized design and construction
standards including, but not limited to:
(a)
ASTM F-24 Standards on Amusement Rides and Devices;
(b) "Suggested Health and Safety Guidelines
for Recreational Water Slide Flumes" U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia, 30333;
(c) "World Waterpark Association
Considerations for Operating Safety" published by the World Waterpark
Association, 7474 Village Drive, Prairie Village, Kansas, 66208; and
(d) Department recognized or approved
guidelines, criteria, or standards.
(3) Owners shall ensure design and
construction for water slides or tubes, inner-tube rides, kiddie flumes, or
ramp slides meet the following minimum standards:
(a) Flume or tube entry access points shall
have:
(i) Means to control unauthorized
entrance;
(ii) Handrails or
slip-resistant surfaces provided to assist users; and
(iii) Attendant stations which provide:
(A) User entry spacing control;
(B) Attendant line of sight to the
attraction; and
(C) Attendant
access to a communication system.
(b) Receiving pools shall have:
(i) Clearances and minimum distances as noted
in Figure 3 [4] of this section for tube or flume entrances into pools.
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FIGURE 4
MINIMUM CLEARANCES FOR FLUME OR TUBE ENTRY
TO
RECEIVING POOLS
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MINIMUM
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VALUE
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DISTANCE
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DESCRIPTION
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A
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5 feet
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Minimum distance from edge of flume to side of
pool.
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B
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6 feet
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Minimum distance between sides of parallel
flumes.
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C
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20 feet
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Minimum distance between two flumes or tubes that
are not parallel shall be so constructed so that the intersecting lines of each
closest side does not intersect for a distance of at least twenty feet from the
end of each flume.
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D
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20 feet
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Minimum distance where flume terminates to opposite
side of pool.
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(ii)
Flume or tube sliding surface ending below the pool operating water level when
users ride unaided or on mats;
(iii) Flume or tube perpendicular for a
minimum of ten feet to the wall of entry;
(iv) Handrails, when steps are provided for
exiting; and
(v) Attendant and/or
lifeguard stations with:
(A) Unobstructed
access to users; and
(B) Ready
access to communication system for contacting control station attendant and
first-aid personnel.
(4) Owners shall design and construct
barriers to prevent unauthorized entry or exit from any intermediate
pool.
(5) Owners shall ensure
design and construction of speed slides meet the following minimum standards:
(a) Entry points conforming with subsection
(3)(a) of this section;
(b) Roller-
or sled-type slides designed to prevent accidental flipping of the sleds or
coasters when entering the water;
(c) Provision of sufficient transition zones
for deceleration preventing unsafe user impact; and
(d) Maintenance of critical water operation
levels providing proper braking action of the user.
(6) Owners shall ensure design and
construction of wave pools meet the following minimum standards:
(a) Walls of wave pools shall be vertical
with minimum six inch radius of curvature between wall and pool
bottom;
(b) Pool bottom sloped:
(i) Not exceeding one foot of drop in twelve
feet of run where pool depths range from zero to three and one-half feet;
or
(ii) Not exceeding one foot of
drop in nine feet of run where depths range from three and one-half feet to six
and one-half feet.
(c)
Recessed ladders or step holes with vertical grab bars at depths above three
and one-half feet:
(i) For emergency exit
only;
(ii) Spaced at intervals of
fifty feet or less where pool water depths are greater than three and one-half
feet. Pool water depths are measured without wave action.
(d) Deck width of at least ten feet along the
shallow end;
(e) A fence or
restrictive barrier a minimum of forty-two inches in height and at least two
feet out from the pool/deck interface at the side walls of wave pools, with
emergency exit openings.
(f)
Lifeguard station locations appropriate to prevailing conditions;
(g) A push-button system to shut off the
wave-making equipment with:
(i) Shut offs
installed on sidewall decks and spaced at intervals no greater than one hundred
feet, readily accessible to the lifeguards; and
(ii) Shock hazard protection.
(h) A communication system for use
by authorized personnel which is clearly audible to all portions of the
pool;
(i) A communication system
for interaction between authorized personnel; and
(j) Maximum bathing load (users) not to
exceed a value equal to S/12+ D/68 where:
(i)
"S" equals surface area in square feet where depth is less than three and
one-half feet;
(ii) "D" equals
surface area in square feet where pool depth is three and one-half feet deep or
greater; and
(iii) Pool depths are
measured without wave action.
(7) If inner tubes, boogie boards, or surf
boards are used, the owner shall ensure the design and operation of the wave
pool provides for such activity, including:
(a) The establishment of rules for
use;
(b) Operating and emergency
procedures; and
(c) Crowd
control.
(8) Owners
shall ensure design and construction of any wading activity pool meets the
following minimum standards. Wading activity pool areas are:
(a) Built with maximum water depth of two
feet;
(b) Constructed with pool
walls so that distance from deck to water level is six inches or less for at
least seventy-five percent of the pool perimeter;
(c) Equipped with floors uniformly sloped to
drain with a maximum slope of one foot of drop in twelve feet of run;
(d) Separated by at least a four foot high
barrier when distance to any water area greater than four feet in depth is less
than ten feet; and
(e) Protected
from water areas greater than two feet by providing:
(i) A float line separating the two
areas;
(ii) A six inch contrasting
color line on pool bottom and side walls at float line; and
(iii) A transition zone with a maximum floor
slope not exceeding one foot of drop in twelve feet of run.
(9) Owners shall ensure
design and construction of drop slides or drop tubes meet the following minimum
standards:
(a) Entry in accordance with
subsection (3)(a) of this section;
(b) Receiving pool envelope:
(i) Conforming to CNCA standards noted in WAC
246-262-060(5)(c)(vi)(A) if the point of exit is less than one-half
meter (or twenty inches);
(ii)
Conforming to FINA standards noted in WAC
246-262-060(5)(c)(vi)(B) if the point of exit is one-half meter (or
twenty inches) or greater.
(iii)
Increasing in size to ensure user safety if warranted by angle of entry or
speed of the user.
(c)
Sufficient distance between slides or tubes to prevent collisions of users.
Parallel exits are recommended.
(d)
Direct line of sight and direct communication between entry access point and
receiving pool.
(10)
Owners shall provide signs for specific RWCF attractions. Words, pictures, or
symbols may be used to convey the following as appropriate:
(a) Prohibition of running, standing,
kneeling, tumbling, horseplay, or stopping in the flumes or tubes;
(b) Failure to follow directions of attendant
or failure to obey posted rules may result in removal from the RWCF;
(c) Prohibition of diving from
flume;
(d) Prohibition of multiple
user chains if applicable to ride;
(e) Requirement to leave the landing area
promptly after exiting;
(f)
Recommended minimum or maximum age or height for using this attraction;
and
(g) Prohibition of head first
sliding if applicable to ride.
(h)
Additional information on wave pools including:
(i) Warning that wave pools can be very
tiring;
(ii) Warning for small
children and poor swimmers to use personal flotation devices in designated
areas;
(iii) Requirement for adult
supervision for children;
(iv)
Prohibition of diving, jumping, or entering from sides of pool; and
(v) Prohibition of using surf boards during
periods of general public use.
(11) If the proposed attraction design is not
addressed by or exceeds limitations of standards and guidelines specified by
this section, owners shall submit:
(a)
Justification to the department or local health officer prepared by an
engineer; and
(b) Information on
the construction, maintenance, and operation of the proposed
attraction.
Statutory Authority:
RCW
70.90.120. 10-20-131, § 246-262-070,
filed 10/5/10, effective 11/5/10; 92-02-020 (Order 226B), § 246-262-070,
filed 12/23/91, effective 1/23/92. Statutory Authority:
RCW
43.20.050. 91-02-051 (Order 124B), recodified
as § 246-262-070, filed 12/27/90, effective 1/31/91. Statutory Authority:
RCW
70.90.120. 88-13-125 (Order 311), §
248-97-080, filed 6/22/88.
