Access lifts
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.
Similar to rails, some designers want lifts to be an integral component of the pool that simply blends in to co-ordinate with the facility’s design. Manufacturers have listened in this regard, as designers can specify and pool builders and facility owners can select access lifts made of roto-moulded plastic in colours (e.g. granite tan and grey) which match the materials used to build today’s aquatic facilities.
Rob Staples with Cimaron Circle builders in Tucson, Ariz., recently renovated a Hilton Hotel Resort pool in which the project incorporated the latest designer rails and ladders, as well as an access lift in a colour that co-ordinated with the pool.
“We chose a colour scheme for the pool that matched the natural tones of the materials used to construct the facility and its surrounding environment,” said Staples. “We did not want the deck equipment to interrupt the line of sight, so we installed rail goods with a tan-granite, powder-coated finish along with a matching access lift that co-ordinated with the pool’s coping stone and deck, which helped to blend everything together.”
Over the years, many different types of access lifts have been developed to provide a means of entry/exit for all pool/spa users. The various options that have been made available are all a reflection of what the CSA and ADA standards have required. However, these standards have changed over time and, in some cases, have created some confusion for facility operators with respect to what type of lift they can use, how many they need to have, and where they need to be placed. Today, these answers are different than they were 10 years ago.
The location of a pool lift is determined primarily by ADS and ADA standards which state 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 (4 ft). The amount of clear deck space required for the lift must be an area to the side of the seat that measure 0.9-m wide x 1.2-m long (3-ft wide x 4-ft long). The length needs to be measured from 305 mm (12 in.) behind the seat. Additionally, the slope of the deck in the ‘clear space’ cannot exceed more than 1:48 (two per cent).
The lift must be able to be operated by users without assistance from both the deck and water levels. That said, those facilities that are equipped with older access lifts, which may not be self-operable, need to be upgraded. This presents an ideal opportunity to replace older access lifts with those that co-ordinate with the facility’s design—especially if there are multiple lifts on the pool/spa deck. When choosing a new access lift, it 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 that covers the electronics, specifically the battery, which is now a requirement for self-operable lifts.
According to the updated ADA standards, previously approved portable access lifts can no longer be used/shared for more than one body of water (i.e. pool/spa), nor can they be stored and pulled out for use upon request. In fact, the ADS encourage existing facilities without ramps to secure a fixed access lift to support client needs.
The standards grandfathered existing portable lifts, which most manufacturers now offer a way to attach these units to the pool deck.
David Monk is the director of commercial sales and marketing at ICA Aquatics, a division of Inter-Fab. He has spent more than nine years specializing in the commercial aquatic industry having worked the past two years at Inter-Fab. Monk has a master’s degree in business administration from Florida Gulf Coast University. He can be reached via e-mail at dmonk@inter-fab.com.
