Okla. Admin. Code § 310:315-7-7

Current through Vol. 42, No. 7, December 16, 2024

Section 310:315-7-7 - Bathhouse

(a)General bathhouse requirements for all pools.

(1)Separate facilities. Bathhouses to be used simultaneously by both sexes shall be divided into two parts, each appropriately designated for men and women and separated by a tight partition. The entrances and exits shall be screened to break the line of sight. If pools are to be used by one sex only, then all of the required plumbing facilities shall be provided for that sex.

(2)Wash water temperature. An adequate supply of warm water within the temperature range of 95 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit is required for all showers and lavatories. On all new construction or the remodeling of present public bathing places, all shower heads shall be provided with fully automatic control valves to prevent scalding of persons under the shower. Control of shower water temperature by hand-operated mixing valves will not be considered as being in compliance with this safety requirement.

(3)Bathhouse construction details.

(A)Walls and ceilings. All interior walls and partitions shall be smooth, impervious, and of non-corrosive material, free of open cracks, kept in good repair, and painted a light color, with painted surfaces refinished when necessary. Walls and ceilings of showers shall be constructed of materials which are not adversely affected by water or heat.

(B)Floors. All floors of showers, toilets, and dressing rooms of public bathing shall be constructed with a proper slope of one-fourth (1/4) inch per foot so that they can be readily flushed with a hose. Floors shall be of a smooth, non-slip finish, impervious to moisture, and without open cracks or joints. Walkways shall be so constructed that they will readily drain. Junctions between walls and floors shall be of coved, or equivalent sanitary construction.

(C)Shower stalls. The floor drains in shower rooms or stalls shall be so arranged, and of sufficient number, and with floors constructed and graded, so that wastewater from individual shower heads will not flow over the floor of another shower stall. Floors of the shower stalls shall be slightly depressed below surrounding floor areas. Raised curbs between shower stalls and walks are, however, not acceptable.

(D)Baskets, lockers, furniture. Baskets, lockers, and all furniture used in the bathhouse and the pool area shall be constructed of non-absorbent, easily cleanable material. Lockers shall be set either on solid masonry bases at least four (4) inches high or on legs with bottom of locker at least ten (10) inches above the floor. Lockers shall be properly ventilated.

(E)Soap. Liquid soap with suitable dispensers shall be provided and be easily available to all persons using the showers and lavatories. Glass-type dispensers are not allowed.

(F)Emergency fire exit. An emergency fire exit, other than the entrance, shall be provided in the bathhouse and in the fencing or structure enclosing the pool area, and such exit shall be plainly marked. No fire traps shall be established in the meaning of adequate exits as provided for in the current edition of the National Fire Prevention Association, National Fire Codes, Vol. 9, Section 101, Life Safety Code for Assembly Occupancies. Exits shall be plainly marked.

(G)Fire extinguishers. A fire extinguisher of a type suited to the structures, wiring, and equipment to be protected shall be provided and located where readily available. Carbon tetrachloride extinguishers are not acceptable.

(b)Bathhouse requirements for facilities open to the general public.

(1)Facilities and fixtures. All public bathing places open to the general public shall be provided with adequate toilet facilities, hot water showers, lavatories, drinking fountains, and other required appurtenances. Since the number of each type of plumbing fixture required is based on the maximum number of persons likely to be in the pool area at one time, based on the formulas in 310:315-7-3, or otherwise approved, the engineer, in designing new public pools intended for swimming, should determine the number of such fixtures based on design load.

(2)Facilities and fixtures accessibility. Shower controls, toilet facilities, and lavatories shall be provided at all bathing places open to the general public such that they can be easily reached by small children and the handicapped.

(3)Minimum toilet facilities.

(A)Men. A minimum of one (1) water-flush toilet and two (2) water-flush urinals shall be provided in the men's division of all bathing places open to the general public. This minimum number of toilet fixtures is considered sufficient for the first one hundred (100) males. In addition to the above, one (1) water closet and one (1) urinal shall be provided for each additional one hundred (100) males or major fraction thereof. A number less than twenty-five (25) will necessitate only one (1) additional urinal. For pools of less than sixteen hundred (1600) square feet surface area in size, used simultaneously by both sexes, this requirement may be reduced by one (1) urinal.

(B)Women. A minimum of three (3) water-flush toilets shall be provided in the women's division of all bathing places open to the general public. This minimum number of toilet fixtures is considered sufficient for the first one hundred (100) females. In addition to the above, one (1) water closet shall be provided for each additional fifty (50) females or major fraction thereof. For pools of less than sixteen hundred (1600) square feet surface area in size, used simultaneously by both sexes, this requirement may be reduced by one (1) flush closet.

(4)Showers and lavatories. The minimum number of shower and lavatory fixtures shall be as follows:

(A)Men.

(i) One (1) lavatory for each one hundred (100) men

(ii) One (1) shower head for each forty (40) men

(B)Women.

(i) One (1) lavatory for each one hundred (100) men

(ii) One (1) shower head for each forty (40) women.

(5) At least three (3) shower heads for men and two (2) shower heads for women shall be provided. It is recommended that all shower stalls and dressing booths in the women's shower room be arranged so that privacy may be obtained while dressing and undressing and while under the shower, a minimum design recommendation being that one (1) such shower stall and dressing booth be provided.

(c)Bathhouse requirementsfor institutional pools. The number of toilet facilities necessary for indoor pools at schools, colleges, and similar institutions where it is intended that the swimmers be in groups or classes at regular intervals shall be based on institutional needs, and methods of operation, the number of persons permitted in each swimming class, and time allowed for bather's preparation. As a general guide, it is recommended that one (1) water closet be provided for each ten (10) females and one (1) toilet and two (2) urinals for each twenty-five (25) males.

(d)Bathhouse requirements forfacilitiesnot open to the general public.

(1) For motels , hotels, apartment complexes constructed after November 1, 2022 where all units are less than 300 ft away from the pool or spa, and similar establishments, pool side bath or sanitary facilities are not required, providing the following conditions are met:

(A) All lodging units include bath and toilet facilities.

(B) Use of bathing facilities is restricted to tenants and their guests.

(C) Nothing in this section shall be construed to allow openings directly into the pool enclosure without a suitable effective barrier as per 310:315-7-2.

(2) Bathing places not open to the general public, such as Home Owner Associations and apartments, constructed after November 1, 2022 where units are more than 300 ft away from the pool or spa, shall have a bathhouse located adjacent to the pool walkway with the following items separately provided for each sex: one (1) water-flush toilet, one (1) lavatory, and one (1) shower. At least one (1) drinking fountain located so that it is available to both sexes, shall be provided.

Okla. Admin. Code § 310:315-7-7

Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 39, Issue 24, September 1, 2022, eff. 9/11/2022