ABC's of the ADA For Public Pools and Spas

Wading through the Americans With Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines can be confusing. For this reason, Aquatic Access offers this ADA Advisor, with quotations from the actual guidelines, explanations of the meaning, and the ease of compliance with the help of Aquatic Access products.

The technical requirements for public pools and spas are found in section 15.8 of the guidelines document, but there are some important additions in the addenda to the overall document. When reading the complete set of guidelines, regulations with additional information about them in the addenda are marked with an asterisk. It is important to check on the additional data for these regulations. There are some pool lift companies alleging that their lifts are compliant, when they are not. Unfortunately there is no government program to prevent false claims at this time. Therefore, a careful reading of the regulations AND the associated addenda is the only way one can be certain that the lift they purchase is in complete compliance.

You can find the entire document online at www.access-board.gov/recreation if you care to review it in its entirety. We have extracted the main points regarding pool lifts from the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, 36 CFR Parts 1190 and 1191for your reference. We will add updates as they become available.

The text in red is extracted verbatim from the guidelines.

The text in black is an explanation of the requirement.

The text in blue tells you how the Aquatic Access IGAT-180, IGAT-180/135, and IGAT-180AD pool lifts provide the best solution to your accessibility needs.

The recommendations for public pools require that at least two means of entry and exit be provided for each public and common use swimming pool. A sloped entry or lift must be the primary means of access. The secondary means of access is not permitted to duplicate the primary means and also allows transfer walls, transfer systems, stairs, or moveable floors as a means of access. An exception permits swimming pools with less than 300 linear feet of swimming pool wall to have only one means of access, but that means of access must be either a lift or sloped entry. When more than one means of access is provided into the water, it is recommended that the means be different. Providing different means of access will better serve the varying needs of people with disabilities in getting into and out of a swimming pool. It is also recommended that where two or more means of access are provided, they not be provided in the same location in the pool. Different locations will provide increased options for entry and exit, especially in larger pools. Wave action pools, leisure rivers, sand bottom pools, and other pools where user access is limited to one area, shall provide at least one accessible means of entry that complies with 15.8.5 (Swimming Pool Lifts), 15.8.6 (Sloped Entries) or 15.8.8 (Transfer systems). Sections 15.8.2 and A15.8.2

The secondary means of access must be different than the primary means and could include a pool lift, sloped entry, transfer wall, transfer system, or pool stairs.

The Aquatic Access Models IGAT-180, IGAT-180/135, and IGAT-180AD offer a perfect solution to a pool owner's dilemma as a cost-effective and space-saving improvement to a pool measuring less than 300 feet in length. A lift can be either primary or secondary access to a large (more than 300 linear feet) pool. Aquatic Access ADA-compliant lifts can be easily installed on an existing pool, or incorporated in the design of a new facility.

The first technical requirement states that pool lifts need to be located where the water level does not exceed 48 inches. There are two exceptions to this rule. One states that it can be placed where the water level is greater in pools where all depths exceed 48 inches. The other exception states that if multiple lifts are used in one pool, only one must be located where the water depth does not exceed 48". Section 15.8.5.1

Because of the ease of installation, Aquatic Access lifts can be placed in almost any pool area. Check with our engineering team to determine the best location at your pool.

The centerline of the seat, when in the raised position, must be located over the deck and a minimum of 16" from the edge of the pool and not on a slope any greater than 1:48. There are a variety of seats available on pool lifts ranging from sling seats to those that are preformed or molded. Pool lift seats with backs will enable a larger population of persons with disabilities to use the lift. Pool lift seats that consist of materials that resist corrosion and provide a firm base to transfer will be usable by a wider range of people with disabilities. Sections 15.8.2 and A15.8.5

In order for an individual to move safely from wheelchair to lift and lift to wheelchair, there needs to be a comfortable distance from the edge of the pool to the place where the transfer will occur. A significant slope would increase the danger of the wheelchair rolling away.

The properly installed Aquatic Access IGAT-180, IGAT-180/135, and IGAT-180AD with standard seats meet these space requirements. While some models of Aquatic Access lifts can be built with sling seats, the IGAT-180, IGAT-180/135, and IGAT-180AD have a standard seat of molded polypropylene on a sturdy stainless steel frame.

There must be at least 36" of clear deck space on the side of the seat opposite the water. That clear deck space is not to be on a slope any greater than 1:48. Section 15.8.5.3

In order for an individual to bring a wheelchair alongside the lift and slide safely onto the lift seat (and return to the wheelchair after a swim), there must be enough space for positioning the chair. Again, a significant slope would increase the danger of the wheelchair's rolling.

Again, the Aquatic Access engineering team is well trained in ADA regulations and can take the guesswork out of lift placement.

The height of a lift seat needs to be designed to allow a stop between 16" and 19" from the surface of the deck to the top of the seat surface when the seat is in the raised position. Additional stops at other heights are acceptable as long as one stop falls between 16" and 19". Section 15.8.5.4

The height of the seat was determined as a compromise to accommodate the needs of an adult or a child in a standard wheelchair.

The Aquatic Access Seat has a standard stop at 19" from the pool deck, which meets this requirement. Further, standard Aquatic Access seats can be adjusted to stop at 19" or 21" or 23"and can be customized when ordered to stop at any desired height.

The width of the lift seat is to be 16" wide minimum. Section 15.8.5.5

The standard Aquatic Access seating surface is 16" wide, with 18" between the arms for further seating comfort. A number of adaptations can be made to suit particular customer needs.

Footrests that move in conjunction with the seat are required to be provided except for pool lifts that provide access to some spas. Footrests are encouraged on lifts used in larger spas, where the foot well water depth is 34 inches or greater. Additional options such as armrests, head rests, seat belts, and leg support will enhance accessibility and better accommodate people with a wide range of disabilities. Sections 15.8.5.6 and A15.8.5

An adjustable padded footrest is standard equipment for the Aquatic Access Models IGAT-180 and IGAT-180AD. Although it is not required by the ADA, the Aquatic Access footrest easily flips up to a vertical position so it will not interfere with the transfer to the seat. The accessories available for the IGAT-180, IGAT-180/135, and IGAT-180AD lifts include a flip-up arm, seat belts that can be positioned at hip and chest levels, and a headrest.

If provided, the armrest opposite the water needs to be either removable or fold clear of the seat when the seat is in the raised position. This provision is included to guarantee an easy side-to-side transfer from wheelchair to lift seat. Sections 15.8.5.6 and A15.8.5

The Aquatic Access Optional Flip-Up Arm rotates 115° from horizontal to past vertical, placing it well out of the way of a bather sliding into the lift seat from a wheelchair.

It is required that a pool lift be capable of unassisted operation from both the deck and water levels. The controls and operating mechanisms must be unobstructed when a lift is in use and not require tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist to operate. Further, pressure to the operating mechanism cannot exceed 5 lbs. Pool lifts must be capable of unassisted operation from both the deck and water levels. This will permit a person to call the pool lift when the pool lift is in the opposite position. It is extremely important for a person who is swimming alone to be able to call the pool lift when it is in the up position so he or she will not be stranded in the water for extended periods of time awaiting assistance. The requirement for a pool lift to be independently operable does not preclude assistance from being provided. This section stipulates that the lift must have controls at the deck level and at water level all of the time. This guarantees that a person in the water does not become stranded in the water, and allows multiple individuals to utilize the lift within a swimming session. It is important that a lift buyer consider carefully whether or not this requirement is met. The regulation also implies in its final sentence that, while total independence is desirable, prudence must be exercised in any potentially dangerous situations. Sections 15.8.5.7 and A15.8.5.7

The Aquatic Access Models IGAT-180, IGAT-180/135, and IGAT-180AD feature controls at deck and water levels that require less than 5 lbs. of pressure to operate. Unlike some other products on the market, the Aquatic Access IGAT-180, IGAT-180/135, and IGAT-180AD have controls that are always in reach at both levels, so that once the lift has delivered a swimmer to the pool, it can be recalled to the deck for another swimmer's use. Similarly, if the seat has been recalled to the deck, the swimmer in the pool can call the seat back to underwater level to exit the pool. The implications of this ruling cannot be overstated, and it is unfortunate that some lifts are being marketed as "ADA-compliant" that do not have stationary controls at both the deck and water levels and could potentially leave a handicapped individual stuck in the water for extended periods of time.

Another requirement is that the lift be designed so that the seat will submerge to a water depth of 18" minimum. This depth is deemed necessary to ensure that natural buoyancy assists the individual in moving from the lift into the pool. The standard models of the IGAT-180, IGAT-180/135, and IGAT-180AD fulfill this requirement. Section 15.8.5.8

The versatile design of the Aquatic Access IGAT-180, IGAT-180/135, and IGAT-180AD is such that these lifts can accommodate any depth requirement. The swimmer totally controls the seat's travel, stopping and starting wherever and whenever desired. This important feature allows children or shorter adults to stop before they are submerged to an uncomfortable level.

Single person pool lifts shall have a minimum weight capacity of 300 lbs. (136 kg) and be capable of sustaining a static load of at least one and a half times the rated load. Pool lifts should be provided to meet the needs of the population it is serving. Providing a pool lift with a weight capacity greater than 300 pounds may be advisable. This requirement serves to guarantee that the lift can provide access to the majority of the population and has been tested with weights exceeding the rated load by 50%. Sections 15.8.5.9 and A15.8.5.9

The Models IGAT-180 and IGAT 180/135 have a 400 lb. weight capacity at 55-60 PSI (normal city water pressure), and the Model IGAT-180AD has a 350 lb. weight capacity. All Aquatic Access lifts models are available as custom heavy-duty units. Some custom heavy-duty units can lift individuals up to 600 pounds in weight.

If you have further questions about the Americans with Disabilities Act or about how Aquatic Access lifts can help you make your pool ADA-compliant, please send us an e-mail or call us at (800)325-5438. We will be glad to assist you in making the best choice of a lift for your pool.

Aquatic Access currently has three models of water-powered lifts that comply with all of these regulations. The IGAT-180 and the IGAT-180/135 provide access to most in-ground pools, and with the use of a recessed socket plate, can provide that access to above-ground pools with decks around them as well. The IGAT-180AD provides access to in-ground pools equipped with an automatic pool cover or with a raised lip around the edge of the pool. Click on the button below to see details about each of these lifts.

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Rev.12/20/07