On and after January 1, 2009, a wave pool in this state shall comply with all of the following:
(a) (1) A wave pool operator shall provide a United States Coast Guard-approved Type II or Type III lifevest that is free and available for use by a nonswimmer or a child under 48 inches in height. A wave pool operator shall also provide a United States Coast Guard-approved Type II or Type III lifevest that is free and available for use to any other patron at the request of the patron.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a patron, including a nonswimmer and child, may use his or her own lifevest if that lifevest is a United States Coast Guard-approved Type II or Type III lifevest.
(b) (1) Children under 48 inches in height, regardless of whether the child is accompanied by an adult, shall wear a properly fitting United States Coast Guard-approved Type II or Type III lifevest to gain access to a wave pool.
(2) A child under 42 inches in height shall be accompanied by an adult in order to gain entry into the park. A wave pool operator shall deny entrance into the park of a child under 42 inches in height if that child is not accompanied by an adult.
(3) Any person or child who refuses to comply with paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) or paragraph (1) of this subdivision shall be removed from the park by the wave pool operator.
(c) In all cases where wave action is suspended for any reason, an audible signal shall be used prior to resuming wave action to warn patrons of impending waves. That audible signal may be of any duration, but shall sound within 15 seconds immediately prior to resuming the breaking wave action. The audible signal shall be loud enough so that it can be heard by all patrons of the wave pool, but shall not exceed 90 decibels.
(d) (1) Lifeguards shall be assigned to guard a wave pool.
(2) The wave pool operator shall ensure that there are a sufficient number of lifeguards on duty to recognize, respond, and provide care to swimmers in distress or passive or active drowning persons within, but no longer than, 30 seconds of the onset of their peril.
(3) A lifeguard subject to this subdivision shall have an unobstructed view of, and be able to completely observe, in its entirety, his or her defined zone of protection in the wave pool.
(4) A wave pool operator shall ensure that conditions in a wave pool are continually reevaluated for safety and shall adjust lifeguard staffing accordingly.
(e) An emergency stop for the wave equipment shall be easily accessible to the lifeguards and other pool officials, as required by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health.
(f) A wave pool operator shall ensure that the wave pool has regular periods without breaking waves being produced; to accomplish this, the wave pool operator shall ensure that continuous breaking wave cycles in a wave pool shall not exceed 15 minutes.
(g) Signs with clearly legible letters and, if appropriate, symbols, indicating the requirements described in subdivisions (a) to (c), inclusive, shall appear at the ticket booth or entrance gate to the park or other facility where the wave pool is located.
(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 335, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2009.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018