Swimming Pool Safety Standards for Oklahoma

When summer arrives people throughout the country turn to their local swimming pools for recreation and relief from the heat. People who go to public pools expect that the pools will adhere to rules and regulations that will keep them safe and healthy. In Oklahoma, the Department of Health regulates public swimming pools throughout the state.

Responsible Manager

• Every public pool or bathing area must have a responsible individual who will maintain the safety and sanitation of the area. The manager will monitor the condition of the pool area, its equipment and the shower area. The manager bears responsibility for ensuring that people with communicable diseases or those who seem to be under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs do not enter the pool area. The manager must immediately file a report regarding any drownings or accidents in the pool area that require hospitalization within seven days of the incident. The individual must file the report with the Environmental Services Office of the State Health Department, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The manager must submit records of the pool operation to the local health department or, in absence of a local health department, to the State Health Department.

Safety

• The pool manager must keep doors and gates to the pool area locked whenever the pool doesn’t have a lifeguard on duty and post a sign saying “Pool Closed” next to all entrances. Oklahoma requires that the pool personnel conduct two emergency water rescue drills every year. The pool must maintain a fully equipped (meeting the requirements of the American Red Cross) first aid kit and must post emergency telephone numbers near the pool telephone.

Sanitation

• Public pools in Oklahoma may not allow animals to enter the pool area, nor may pool users bring food or drinks into the pool enclosure. Walkways, gutters, counters, equipment, furniture, walls and counters must remain in good repair and clean. Toilet rooms, dressing rooms and shower stalls must receive a daily cleaning and disinfecting with detergent and hot water. All skimmers and strainers must work properly, and dirt or sediment may not build up on the pool floor or walls. Bathers may not have access to any rooms with chemicals or other cleaning materials. Bathers must shower before entering the pool and bathers with open wounds must dress their wounds before entering the pool.

Lifeguards

• Certified lifeguards must pass first aid, CPR and Life Guarding instructional courses. The American Red Cross, the YMCA and other community centers and colleges offer these courses for lifeguards-in-training in Oklahoma.