Wave Pool Safety Act - Safe Recreational Water Use - Health & Safety - CA

Section § 115950

This section establishes the official title of 'Wave Pool Safety Act' for the article. It doesn’t go into specifics but sets up the name for the legal framework focused on safety aspects in wave pools.

This article shall be known and may be cited as the Wave Pool Safety Act.

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Section § 115951

This section provides definitions for terms related to wave pools. A 'nonswimmer' is someone who is not good at swimming or cannot swim at all. A 'patron' is anyone, swimmer or nonswimmer, using a wave pool. A 'rest period' is when the wave-making equipment is turned off and no waves are being made. A 'wave pool' is a specific type of swimming pool made to create waves, particularly for recreational use, and not for surfing or bodyboarding.

For purposes of this article, the following definitions shall apply:

(a) “Nonswimmer” means a person who is a weak or inexperienced swimmer or a person who cannot swim.

(b) “Patron” means a swimmer or nonswimmer using a wave pool.

(c) “Rest period” means a period of time that the wave generating equipment for the wave pool is not producing breaking waves.

(d) “Wave pool” means a swimming pool designed for the purpose of producing breaking wave action in the water and that is not primarily designed for standup surfing or bodyboarding.

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Section § 115952

If you're operating a wave pool in California after January 1, 2009, there are several safety rules to follow. Wave pools must provide free life vests for children under 48 inches and non-swimmers, and children under 42 inches must be accompanied by an adult to enter. All children under 48 inches must wear a life vest. An audible signal should warn patrons when waves will resume. Lifeguards should be on duty, ensuring they can see and rescue patrons within 30 seconds if needed. The lifeguards and pool officials must have easy access to an emergency stop button for the waves. Wave cycles shouldn't last longer than 15 minutes without a break, and signs must be posted to inform patrons of these rules.

On and after January 1, 2009, a wave pool in this state shall comply with all of the following:

(a)

(1) A wave pool operator shall provide a United States Coast Guard-approved Type II or Type III lifevest that is free and available for use by a nonswimmer or a child under 48 inches in height. A wave pool operator shall also provide a United States Coast Guard-approved Type II or Type III lifevest that is free and available for use to any other patron at the request of the patron.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a patron, including a nonswimmer and child, may use his or her own lifevest if that lifevest is a United States Coast Guard-approved Type II or Type III lifevest.

(b)

(1) Children under 48 inches in height, regardless of whether the child is accompanied by an adult, shall wear a properly fitting United States Coast Guard-approved Type II or Type III lifevest to gain access to a wave pool.

(2) A child under 42 inches in height shall be accompanied by an adult in order to gain entry into the park. A wave pool operator shall deny entrance into the park of a child under 42 inches in height if that child is not accompanied by an adult.

(3) Any person or child who refuses to comply with paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) or paragraph (1) of this subdivision shall be removed from the park by the wave pool operator.

(c) In all cases where wave action is suspended for any reason, an audible signal shall be used prior to resuming wave action to warn patrons of impending waves. That audible signal may be of any duration, but shall sound within 15 seconds immediately prior to resuming the breaking wave action. The audible signal shall be loud enough so that it can be heard by all patrons of the wave pool, but shall not exceed 90 decibels.

(d)

(1) Lifeguards shall be assigned to guard a wave pool.

(2) The wave pool operator shall ensure that there are a sufficient number of lifeguards on duty to recognize, respond, and provide care to swimmers in distress or passive or active drowning persons within, but no longer than, 30 seconds of the onset of their peril.

(3) A lifeguard subject to this subdivision shall have an unobstructed view of, and be able to completely observe, in its entirety, his or her defined zone of protection in the wave pool.

(4) A wave pool operator shall ensure that conditions in a wave pool are continually reevaluated for safety and shall adjust lifeguard staffing accordingly.

(e) An emergency stop for the wave equipment shall be easily accessible to the lifeguards and other pool officials, as required by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health.

(f) A wave pool operator shall ensure that the wave pool has regular periods without breaking waves being produced; to accomplish this, the wave pool operator shall ensure that continuous breaking wave cycles in a wave pool shall not exceed 15 minutes.

(g) Signs with clearly legible letters and, if appropriate, symbols, indicating the requirements described in subdivisions (a) to (c), inclusive, shall appear at the ticket booth or entrance gate to the park or other facility where the wave pool is located.

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