Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 120-3-27-.27 - Water Flumes, Structural Design
(1) Structural Design. The slides structural
design and materials shall be in accord with generally accepted good structural
engineering practices and shall provide a durable structure which will safely
sustain all weights and pressures (dead load, live load, liquid, hydrostatic
and earth pressures) for the expected operating life of the structure. The
flumes and pools shall be watertight and their surfaces shall be inert,
nontoxic, smooth and easy to clean. The flumes shall be designed or ventilated,
or both, to prevent a possible hazardous concentration of toxic disinfectant
fumes.
(2) Dimensional Design: All
curves, turns and tunnels within the path of a slide flume shall be designed so
that body impact with the walls of the flume or ceiling of a tunnel does not
present a hazard. The slide flume shall be banked to keep the slider's body
safely inside the flume or curve under all foreseeable circumstances.
(3) All slopes within the path of the slide
flume shall be designed so that the slider's speed does not exceed a level
where a safe equilibrium of dynamic forces cannot be maintained on any curve or
turn within that path, as specified by (2) above.
(4) In sections of the elevated flumes where,
contrary to intended use, a slider may stop, there shall be safety walls or
other provisions to keep the slider from falling out of the flume.
(5) The construction, the dimensions and the
mechanical attachment of slide flume bed components shall be such that the
surface of the slide flume is continuous and smooth for the entire
length.
(6) Wall thickness of
flumes should be designed so that the continuous and combined action of
hydrostatic, dynamic and static loads and normal environmental deterioration do
not cause structural failures which could result in injury.
(7) Flume exit sections shall be designed to
assure safe entry speeds, angles and stopping distances.
(8) The distance between the centerline of a
flume exit and a splash pool side wall shall be at least 5 feet. The distance
between sides of adjacent flume terminuses shall be at least 6 feet center line
to center line. The distance between a flume exit and the opposite side of the
splash pool, excluding steps, shall be at least 20 feet.
(a) High-Speed Slides: Special provisions
shall be made in flume exit design, pool depth and pool width, measured from
flume exit, to safely accommodate slide specifically designed with greater
slopes or other special features which allow an unusually rapid
descent.
(b) Multiple-exit slides:
Multiple-exit slides shall have parallel exits or be constructed so that their
centerlines do not intersect for a distance of at least 20 feet from the exists
of each flume. If slides with nonparallel exits discharge bathers at a high
speed, the centerlines should not intersect for at least 30 feet.
(9) A flume exit system shall
provide safe entry into the splash pool. Present practices for safe entry
include a water backup, a deceleration distance and an altitude control. Other
methods are acceptable as long as safe exit velocities and proper user
attitudes are assured under normal use.
(10) Splash pool depth at the end of a flume
shall be at least 3 feet. This depth shall be maintained in front of the flume
for a distance of at least 20 feet, from which point the splash pool floor may
have a constant slope upward to the minimum water depth. These slopes shall be
no more than 1 foot in 7 feet. If special exit systems that assure safe exit
from the flume and safe entry to the splash pool are used, the 3-foot depth and
minimum maintenance distance for this depth can be waived.
(11) Decks along the exit side of the splash
pool which have the function of providing an exit route only for sliders, shall
be a minimum of 5 feet in width. If the deck is utilized by both sliders
exiting the plunge pool and observers, the said deck shall be a minimum of 10
feet in width. All deck surfaces shall have a slip-resistant surface and shall
be sloped away from the plunge pool so as to prohibit surface water from
entering the plunge pool.
The said slope shall not exceed 1 foot in 7 feet.
(a) Provisions shall be made to eliminate
standing water at all deck areas adjacent to the entrance at the top of the
flume.
(b) Decks along the side
opposite the pump reservoir shall be at least 4 feet wide and shall have the
same slip resistance and drainage requirements as top and splash pool
decks.
(c) The pump reservoir area
shall be accessible, for cleaning and maintenance, by a 3-foot minimum width
walkway deck.
(12) A
4-foot minimum width walkway, walkway steps, or stairway shall be provided
between the plunge pool and the top of the flume. Walkways and steps shall be
well drained, non-slippery and separated from the flume by a physical barrier,
set back far enough from the operating flume so that users cannot contact it on
the way down.
(13) All stairways
used as part of a slide shall not retain standing water and should conform to
the requirements of local building codes.
(14) Visitor and Spectator Areas: The spaces
used by visitors and spectators shall be distinctly and absolutely separated
from those spaces used by sliders. Visitors and spectators in street clothes
may be allowed within the perimeter enclosure if they are confined to an area
separated from the space the sliders use.
(15) Typical Posted User Safety Warnings for
Slide Operational Use:
(a) No running,
standing, kneeling, rotating, tumbling, or stopping in flumes or
tunnels.
(b) No diving from flume
at any time.
(c) Never use this
slide when under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
(d) Only one person at a time. Obey
instructions of top pool supervisor and lifeguard at all times.
(e) Never form chains unless authorized by
slide manager or by posted instructions.
(f) Keep hands inside the flume.
(g) Leave the landing pool promptly after
exiting from slide.
(h) Keep all
glasses, bottles and food away from pools.
Notes
State regulations are updated quarterly; we currently have two versions available. Below is a comparison between our most recent version and the prior quarterly release. More comparison features will be added as we have more versions to compare.
No prior version found.