Installing accessibility lifts: Best practices for selecting the ideal choice for a project

by brittney_cutler_2 | October 23, 2021 8:00 am

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By Mike Fowler

Today’s aquatic designers are tasked with designing beautiful and inviting aquatic environments while adhering to the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility requirements.

Designers, builders, and installers need to be aware of specific ACA and ADA regulations for pools and spas, while also paying close attention to intended clientele and market demographics of the population using pool and spa lifts, specifically weight capacities of the lifts.

The type, placement, and number of lifts may change based on whether they will be used at larger competition or recreational pools like those at universities, versus smaller pools like those found at senior centres, hotels, condominiums, apartment complexes, or smaller athletic clubs. Knowing the legal accessibility requirements and taking the time to understand the intended clientele of the pool or spa will help determine the best lift placement, type, and number of lifts (or alternate/additional methods of access) to ensure aquatic facilities remain compliant.

It is important to remember the ADA is a civil rights law that was passed in 1990; the laws were updated in 2011. ADA requires both new and existing facilities to be compliant, regardless of when they were originally constructed. Like the ADA, the ACA not only applies to the construction of new spaces and buildings, but it also governs organizations that offer goods and services, employ Canadian workers, provide accommodation, use a building, and/or operate a business.

In terms of pools and spas, the legislation states an ADA-compliant lift is considered a primary access choice. This article will focus on several areas to consider when evaluating how to make pools and spas more accessible with an access lift. There are several best practices to consider for installation and maintenance to ensure long-term success.

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Compliance and best practices

ADA regulations are specific in their indications for compliant pools and spas. Bruce Giffin, a manufacturer of ADA-compliant pool and spa lifts in Montana, says he recommends contacting a consultant to come in and evaluate the facility for accessibility improvements, and to develop a short- and long-term plan.

Giffin explains the ADA indicates pools under 91.4 m (300 ft) require only one form of access which can be a lift or a sloped entry (zero entry or ramp) while pools larger than 91.4 m require two forms of access. Lifts and sloped entries are the only two primary means of access, according to the act.

“The United States Access Board[3] issued a clarification to the law on the use of portable lifts in January of 2012 indicating a portable lift is only allowed if installation of a ‘fixed’ lift would be an undue burden to the facility. It goes on further to indicate a portable lift could not be used to service multiple bodies of water as each body of water needs to be readily accessible at all times the pool is open,” says Giffin. “The Access Board also clarified that even a portable lift needed to be ‘affixed’ to the pool deck which led manufacturers to create a ‘fixing’ anchor to secure the portable lift to the deck so as to not allow someone to easily move it.”

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This affixing of the portable lift to the deck simply meant a tool is required to remove the lift from the pool deck. Another ADA update from the initial requirements states the pool lift installed must be self-operable by users without assistance from the deck or the water level. This means users must be able to get themselves into and out of the water without assistance so facilities with older access lifts that may not be self-operable must be upgraded, presenting an ideal opportunity to replace access lifts on the pool/spa deck.

A new access lift should be third-party tested and verified, constructed of 304/304L stainless steel, which can be powder-coated to match the surrounding décor, and have a warranty on the electronics, specifically the battery, which is now a requirement for self-operable lifts.

For those looking for a good ‘rule of thumb’ regarding pool and spa lift choice and location, Giffin suggests facilities have ADA clear access to the location and provide at least one lift for each pool. Always have the lifts ready and accessible when the pool is open. When choosing the best access lifts, Giffin also says there are some key considerations:

1. Is the lift going to go up and over a curb or wall?

2. How far does the lift need to reach over the deck/gutter to get to the edge of the water?

3. Is there an existing anchor that might be used to secure the lift to the deck?

4. Be sure the deck does not have a slope greater than 6.35 mm (0.25 in.) per 0.3 m (1 ft).

After these key questions are considered, the location of the pool lift is determined primarily by ADA standards stating it must be in a position where the water level does not exceed 1.2 m (4 ft). If there are multiple lifts in place, only one needs to be installed in an area where the water level has a maximum depth of 1.2 m. The amount of clear deck space required for the lift must be an area to the side of the seat measuring 0.91 m (3 ft) by 1.2 m long. The length needs to be measured from 305 mm (12 in.) behind the seat to allow for easy and safe transfers from wheelchairs.

“Always think about how someone is going to reach the lift and if there is enough space to get to it,” says Giffin. “Each body of water is looked at as independent and will require its own form of access.”

Jim Sankey, an aquatic facility consultant, designer, and builder with offices in several states, says in addition to access, facilities need to consider weight and lifting capacity plus bather traffic around the pools and spas. The ADA requires a minimum lifting capacity of 136 kg (300 lbs). Depending on the market and user demographics, Sankey recommends a minimum lifting capacity of 181 kg (400 lbs). This applies not only to assisting a lift user, but also to the installation of a lift.

“This is particularly important especially on an elevated spa. Specific attention must be on the design of the imbed and requisite supporting structure,” says Sankey. “We augment the installation with #5 rebar and 5000 psi gunite (or shotcrete) to achieve the counterweight requirement on the pantographic lift so it is safe and functional.”

With respect to pool access lifts, it is best to err on the side of caution and go the extra mile with installation compliances. Sankey cautions against internet purchases of lifts as they often do not offer on-site product assistance, service, or warranty support.

“It is far cheaper to do it right the first time than to go back to correct issues in the future,” says Sankey. “Be sure you choose a pool access lift manufacturer that offers support both before and after the sale.”

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Choosing the right lift for the clientele

It is critical to consider the clientele and demographics of the population that will be using the pool or spa when selecting the type and location of one or more access lifts. Sankey says he emphasizes the importance of knowing the market demographics and the intended use of the pool and spa when determining the type and location of the access lift.

“Our clients are in the hotel, motel, apartment, and condominium (HMAC) market and senior living market and find that a lift is more apropos than a ramp…as the necessity to provide wheelchairs that can be submerged is problematic,” says Sankey.

When recently working on a high-end senior living community, Sankey says he encountered a small pool with a ramp; he asked the general contractor how their residents in wheelchairs were going to access the pool.

“I asked him, do you think they will be able to drive their electric or manual chair down the ramp into the pool? They had never thought of it,” he says. “What about parking in the pool for the wheelchairs?”

This is the type of pragmatic planning that needs to take place to provide useful and compliant access and design.

Retirement and resort communities have a growing population of active, aging adults who use the pool for exercise and need easy access to and from the water. Pool and spa access in a rehabilitation centre, retirement community, or YMCA facility (where many bathers use the pool/spa for daily physical therapy) cannot be limited to one access lift. The accessibility method would not suffice based on the number of people who use these facilities. Accessibility options for hotel and motel pools/spas typically seeing fewer bathers might be planned differently.

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Compliant lifts and aquatic facility esthetics

Aquatic consultants and designers act as an intermediary between the product manufacturers and the project owner. They are tasked with designing beautiful and inviting environments while following building codes and requirements for placing pool lifts in appropriate locations.

“Designers would joke with manufacturers asking how we, as manufacturers could make lifts invisible,” says Giffin. “As funny as it sounds, we did take this feedback to heart and created more minimalistic, low-profile lifts in custom colours to minimize the medical/sterile look and instead co-ordinate better with the esthetics of the facility.”

Sankey offers a retrofit design service in his market area and can create computer-aided design drawings and modelling for the intended client in the retrofit market. With respect to new designs/construction, the same level of detail is provided.

According to Giffin, the improvements in pool lifts have allowed designers to work within the confines of the codes and regulations while still achieving the desired vision for the facility. Sankey says he agrees lifts are somewhat sterile in appearance, but his company designs and engineers pool and spa lift placement and installation to make them look as esthetically appealing as possible.

He says he can strategically place one lift to be used between two bodies of water; for example, one lift could be placed in such a way that it can help users get into both the pool and the space, while remaining within ADA requirements.

Access lifts have seen dramatic changes in the last 10 to 15 years—not only to comply with updated accessibility requirements but also to meet the esthetic goals of aquatic facility designers. The goal is to minimize how the lift will interrupt the line of sight and bather traffic area around the pool to help blend everything together.

In many cases, designers come up with a creative placement that keeps them out of the line of sight of the overall pool. Additionally, choosing a lift that is removable allows a facility to take the lift off the pool when the pool is closed.

Access lift maintenance

One of the biggest things to keep in mind is maintenance of the access lift. Pool access lifts without fully charged batteries can cause an unnecessary risk. The user may have had enough of a battery charge to get into the pool but not enough charge to get out. Users and facility managers should always be checking the battery safety alarm lights on the pool lifts.

“At the end of the day, (facility managers) should remove the pool lift battery and place it on the charger then place it on the lift again at the beginning of the day,” says Giffin. Sankey recommends facilities have a second battery on hand as well.

Additionally, the frame of the pool lift requires a degree of regular maintenance: “Most of the lifts in the marketplace are made of stainless steel which are not impervious to caustic environments like pools,” says Giffin. Sankey concurs and says chloramines are very destructive in indoor environments and can destroy a lift.

Cleaning and checking the lift, even if it is not used regularly is important. Lifts can begin to rust, and connection points get weaker, so it is important to have a regular inspection procedure in place to ensure the safety and functionality of the lifts. Placing covers over lifts that are not being used regularly is also important as it can deter people from using the lift as a climbing rock or diving board.

When speaking to aquatic consultants and facility managers, most agree that knowing the clientele at the facility is one of the most important parts of determining the type and placement of lifts around pools and spas. Additionally, working with an aquatic consultant that specializes in ADA requirements can be very helpful before choosing a lift. Not only do consultants help with creative placement and ideas to match facility décor, but they also make sure lifts are properly installed at an aquatic facility to ensure compliance.

Mike Fowler is a commercial sales manager for Pentair in Sanford, N.C. He has been with the company since 1992, starting his career in the technical services department at Purex Pool Products. Fowler has held many managerial roles within the company, including marketing, accounting, and products. He can be reached via email at mike.fowler@pentair.com.

 

Source URL: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/features/best-practices-for-selecting-the-ideal-choice-for-a-project/

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