Alaska Statewide Rule
Alaska Public Swimming Pool Safety Rules Statewide
Key Facts
- Enforcing agency
- Alaska DEC
- Ring buoy
- 20-inch, 60-foot rope
- Reach pole
- 12+ feet, blunt ends
- Certified operator
- Required within one year
- Before opening
- Plan review + inspection
Summary
Alaska requires every public swimming pool and spa to carry specific lifesaving equipment, keep the water clear enough to see a test disk on the bottom, employ a certified operator, and pass plan review plus a pre-occupancy inspection before opening. The Department of Environmental Conservation enforces the standards.
18 AAC 30.547. Lifesaving equipment. (a) The following lifesaving equipment must be provided: (1) a 20-inch outside diameter ring buoy with 60 feet of 3/16 -inch rope attached; and (2) a life pole, or a shepherd's crook-type pole, with blunt ends and at least 12 feet long. ... [18 AAC 30.545](i) Water clarity must permit a one-inch black disk on a three-inch white field to be clearly visible on the bottom of the pool at the deepest point. If the test disk cannot be seen, the pool must be closed immediately until the disk can be seen.
Full Breakdown
Under 18 AAC 30.547, every public pool must keep a 20-inch outside-diameter ring buoy with 60 feet of rope and a blunt-ended life or shepherd's-crook pole at least 12 feet long. 18 AAC 30.545 forces immediate closure whenever a one-inch black disk on a three-inch white field is no longer visible at the pool's deepest point, and requires at least one operator certified by the National Swimming Pool Foundation or an equivalent program within one year of hire. No pool may open without DEC plan review, approval, and a pre-occupancy inspection.
Violations & Penalties
A pool violating any provision of 18 AAC 30 is subject to closure by the Department of Environmental Conservation, which may shut it down without a prior hearing when an imminent health hazard exists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Alaska require lifeguards at public pools?
When must an Alaska public pool close for water clarity?
Sources
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