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Chapter 31B — PUBLIC POOLS

Section 3119B

California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2019 edition · updated 2026-09-12 · California

Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.

3119B.1 Enclosure.

The pool shall be enclosed by one or a combination of the following: a fence, portion of a building, wall, or other approved durable enclosure. Doors, openable windows, gates of living units or associated private premises shall not be permitted as part of the pool enclosure. The enclosure, doors and gates shall meet all of the following specifications:

1. The enclosure shall have a minimum effective perpen- dicular height of 5 feet (1524 mm) as measured from the outside as depicted in Figure 31B-4; and

2. Openings, holes or gaps in the enclosure, doors and/or gates shall not allow the passage of a 4-inch (102 mm) diameter sphere. The enclosure shall be constructed over a hard and permanent material equivalent to con- crete; and

3. The enclosure shall be designed and constructed so that it cannot be readily climbed by small children. Horizontal and diagonal member designs which might

Copyright © 2019 ICC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Accessed by Kevin Day (kevin.day@dgs.ca.gov), (California Building Standards Commission) Order Number #100735044 on Jul 24, 2019 03:54 PM (PDT) pursuant to License Agreement with ICC. No further reproduction or distribution authorized. Single user only, copying and networking prohibited. ANY UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION IS A VIOLATION OF THE FEDERAL COPYRIGHT ACT AND THE LICENSE AGREEMENT, AND SUBJECT TO CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES THEREUNDER.

100735044

PUBLIC POOLS

serve as a ladder for small children are prohibited. Horizontal members shall be spaced at least 48 inches (1219 mm) apart. No planters or other structures that can be climbed shall be permitted within 5 feet (1524 mm) of the outside of the pool enclosure or within a 5 foot (1524 mm) arc as depicted in Figure 31B-5. The area 5 feet (1524 mm) outside of the pool enclosure shall be a common area open to the public; and

4. Chain link may be used, provided that the openings are not greater than 1 3 /4 inches (44 mm) measured horizon- tally.

3119B.2 Gates.

Gates and doors opening into the pool enclo- sure also shall meet the following specifications:

1. Gates and doors shall be equipped with self-closing and self-latching devices. The self-latching device shall keep the gate or door securely closed. Gates and doors shall open outwardly away from the pool except where otherwise prohibited by law. Hand activated door or gate opening hardware shall be located at a height no lower than 42 inches (1067 mm) but no higher than 44 inches (1179 mm) above the deck or walkway; and

2. Gates and doors shall be capable of being locked during times when the pool is closed. Exit doors which comply with Chapter 10, Title 24, California Code of Regulations shall be considered as meeting these requirements; and

3. The pool enclosure shall have at least one means of egress without a key for emergency purposes. Unless all gates or doors are so equipped, those gates and/or doors which will allow egress without a key shall have a sign in letters at least 4 inches (102 mm) high stating EMERGENCY EXIT; and

4. The enclosure shall be constructed so that all persons will be required to pass through common pool enclo- sure gates or doors in order to gain access to the pool area. All gates and doors exiting the pool area shall open into a public area or a walkway accessible by all patrons of the pool.

3119B.3 Retroactivity.

Sections 3119B.1 and 3119B.2 shall apply only to public pool enclosures constructed on or after July 1, 1994. Notwithstanding the foregoing effective date, no fence enclosure shall be less than 4 feet (1219 mm) in height.

3119B.4 Enclosure of pools constructed prior to July 1, 1994.

1994. The enforcing agent may allow the installation of an enclosure which reduces the pool deck to less than 4 feet (1219 mm) in width when the physical characteristics of a site preclude providing a 4-foot (1219 mm) wide deck around the perimeter of an existing pool.

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▸Contents — California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
  1. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
  2. Appendix G — FLOOD-RESISTANT
  3. Appendix L — EARTHQUAKE RECORDING
  4. Appendix M — TSUNAMI-GENERATED
  5. Chapter 1 — SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION
  6. Chapter 3 — OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE
  7. Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED
  8. Chapter 5 — GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
  9. Chapter 6 — TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
  10. Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
  11. Chapter 7A — MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION
  12. Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISHES
  13. Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS
  14. Chapter 10 — MEANS OF EGRESS
  15. Chapter 11A — HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY
  16. Chapter 11B — ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC ACCOMM…
  17. Chapter 12 — INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
  18. Chapter 14 — EXTERIOR WALLS
  19. Chapter 15 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES
  20. Chapter 16 — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  21. Chapter 16A — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  22. Chapter 17 — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  23. Chapter 18 — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  24. Chapter 19 — CONCRETE
  25. Chapter 20 — ALUMINUM
  26. Chapter 21 — MASONRY
  27. Chapter 22 — STEEL
  28. Chapter 23 — WOOD
  29. Chapter 24 — GLASS AND GLAZING
  30. Chapter 25 — GYPSUM BOARD, GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS AND PLASTER
  31. Chapter 26 — PLASTIC
  32. Chapter 27 — ELECTRICAL
  33. Chapter 28 — MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
  34. Chapter 30 — ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
  35. Chapter 31 — SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION
  36. ▸Chapter 31B — PUBLIC POOLS
    Overview
    1. Section 3101B
    2. Section 3102B
    3. Section 3103B
    4. Section 3104B
    5. Section 3105B
    6. Section 3106B
    7. Section 3107B
    8. Section 3108B
    9. Section 3109B
    10. Section 3110B
    11. Section 3111B
    12. Section 3112B
    13. Section 3113B
    14. Section 3114B
    15. Section 3115B
    16. Section 3116B
    17. Section 3117B
    18. Section 3118B
    19. Section 3119B
    20. Section 3120B
    21. Section 3121B
    22. Section 3122B
    23. Section 3123B
    24. Section 3124B
    25. Section 3125B
    26. Section 3126B
    27. Section 3127B
    28. Section 3128B
    29. Section 3129B
    30. Section 3130B
    31. Section 3131B
    32. Section 3132B
    33. Section 3133B
    34. Section 3134B
    35. Section 3135B
    36. Section 3136B
    37. Section 3137B
    38. Section 3138B
    39. Section 3139B
    40. Section 3140B
    41. Section 3141B
    42. Section 3142B
    43. Section 3143B
    44. Section 3144B
    45. Section 3145B
    46. Section 3146B
    47. Section 3147B
    48. Section 3148B
    49. Section 3149B
    50. Section 3150B
    51. Section 3151B
    52. Section 3152B
    53. Section 3153B
    54. Section 3154B
    55. Section 3155B
    56. Section 3156B
    57. Section 3157B
    58. Section 3158B
    59. Section 3159B
    60. Section 3160B
    61. Section 3161B
    62. Section 3162B
  37. Chapter 31C — RADIATION
  38. Chapter 31D — FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
  39. Chapter 31F — MARINE OIL TERMINALS
  40. Chapter 32 — ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
  41. Chapter 33 — SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
  42. Chapter 35 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  43. Appendix A — EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS
  44. Appendix B — BOARD OF APPEALS
  45. Appendix C — GROUP U – AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS
  46. Appendix D — FIRE DISTRICTS
  47. Appendix F — RODENTPROOFING
  48. Appendix H — SIGNS
  49. Appendix I — PATIO COVERS
  50. Appendix J — GRADING
  51. Appendix K — GROUP R-3 AND GROUP R-3.1 OCCUPANCIES
  52. Appendix N — REPLICABLE BUILDINGS
  53. Appendix O — EMERGENCY HOUSING

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