RESIDENTIAL SWIMMING POOL SAFETY ACT (CHAPTER 515, F.S.)

Requirements

To pass final inspection and receive a certificate of completion, new residential swimming pools must meet at least one of the following requirements relating to pool safety features:

• The pool must be isolated from access to a home by an enclosure that meets the pool barrier requirements (see next section).
• The pool must be equipped with an approved safety pool cover.
• All doors and windows providing direct access from the home to the pool must be equipped with a "hardwired" exit alarm (not battery-powered) that has a minimum sound pressure rating of 85 decibels at ten feet.
• All doors providing direct access from the home to the pool must be equipped with a self-closing, self-latching device with a release mechanism placed no lower than 54 inches above the floor.

Residential Swimming Pool Barrier Requirements

A residential swimming pool barrier must have all of the following characteristics:

• The barrier must be at least four feet high on the outside.
• The barrier may not have any gaps, openings, indentations, protrusions, or structural components that could allow a young child to crawl under, squeeze through, or climb over the barrier.
• The barrier must be placed around the perimeter of the pool and must be separate from any fence, wall, or other enclosure surrounding the yard unless the fence, wall, or other enclosure or portion thereof is situated on the perimeter of the pool, is being used as part of the barrier, and meets the barrier requirements of this section.
• The barrier must be placed at least 20 inches away from the water's edge to prevent a young child or medically frail elderly person who may have managed to penetrate the barrier from immediately falling into the water.

Gates that provide access to swimming pools must open outward away from pools and be self-closing and equipped with self-latching locking devices, the release mechanisms of which must be located on the pool sides of the gates and so placed that they cannot be reached by a young child over the top or through any opening or gap.

Pool Drain Requirements

New pools must have two main drains with antivortex covers that reduce the chance of entrapment. Older pools can be retrofitted with antivortex covers over the main drains. Another option to meet the requirement is a mechanism that turns off the pump if a change in suction pressure is detected.

 

 

HIRING AN UNLICENSED CONTRACTOR

The contractor's law allows unlicensed persons to perform any work of a minor nature in which the total contract prices for labor, materials, and all other items are less than $1,000. The exemption does not apply if the construction or repairs are part of a larger operation with several bills from the same or a different person for the purposes of evading this limitation. The unlicensed worker may not do work that requires a contractor's license or building permit.

One should be aware that unlicensed workers generally do not carry liability insurance or workers' compensation insurance. This could expose the owner to substantial liability in case of an accident. [489.103(9), F.S.]

It is highly recommended that a licensed contractor be retained even when the foregoing exceptions apply. Workmanship, quality and timeliness may be sacrificed if an unlicensed worker is hired to perform work on your home. Further, consult an attorney should there be any question regarding the applicability of the exceptions above.