Steven J. Cain  -  President SJC Architecture, Inc.
ICC Certified Accessibility Inspector/Plans Examiner
AIA, CSI, CCS, CCCA, NCARB

As a new feature of the Indianapolis Chapter CSI Newsletter, real life questions and answers to accessibility issues will be presented based on observations in my practice of architecture and accessibility consulting. With your submitted questions, this will be regular monthly feature in the Chapter Newsletter. Feel free to send your questions for possible inclusion in future articles to Steve Cain at scain@sjcarch.com.

Question: How do we locate the placement of the ADA pool lift?  Any requirements on where around the pool to install?

Answer: There is a new provision in the 2010 ADA Standard for Accessible Design which requires most public access swimming pools to be provided with at least two accessible means of entry (2010 ADA Section 242.1). Small pools can have just one accessible entry, however one accessible entry must be a pool lift or ramp. Swimming pools built prior to the new 2010 ADA are NOT exempt from this provision. Since an ADA compliant ramp is typically not feasible to add to an existing pool, many older pools are now being equipped with a lift. In most cases, this lift must be permanently installed and operational at all times the pool is open.

The 2010 ADA Section 1009.2 provides all the requirements for the ADA Pool Lift. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1) Maximum water depth at location of the lift in water is 48".

2) The seat must be able to submerge 18". The required foot rest will extend down at least an additional foot or so below the seat. So the minimum water depth should be at least 30", although the ADA does not state this as a requirement.

3) The centerline of the seat must be a minimum of 16" from the edge of the pool when the seat is raised and turned parallel to the pool edge for loading and unloading. A 36" x 48" clear deck area is required at the side of the seat for loading and unloading. With a typical seat being about 20" wide a minimum pool deck width of 62" will be required at the pool lift location. [16+(20/2)+36=62]

4) The 36"x48" clear deck loading area must be sloped no more than 2% is all directions. At the same time, the typical "Pool Code" will require the deck to be sloped to drain. Care must be taken to ensure the deck slopes, but not more than the ADA 2% maximum. That is a little less than a 1/4" per foot.

5) An accessible path to and from the seat loading area must also be provided. Make sure there is a 36" minimum width path that does not have a cross slope of more than 2%. It is probably a good idea to limit the slopes of pool deck to no more than 2% everywhere.

6) Portable pool lifts cannot be shared between multiple bodies of water. If there is a swimming pool and a separate diving pool or even a separate spa, accessible means of entry must be provided for each separate body of water.