(a) Fence or barrier required. All pool yards and spa yards must be completely enclosed by a fence, wall, or equivalent barrier that is durable and is not easily climbed. An enclosure can surround multiple pools and spas within an aquatic facility.
  (1) Planters, light poles, and other structures and site furnishings must not be permitted within 36 inches, as measured horizontally, outside of the enclosure.
  (2) Planters, light poles, and other structures and site furnishings inside the pool or spa enclosure must be constructed and placed such that the fence is not made easily climbable from outside the pool or spa enclosure.
  (3) Tree limbs must be kept trimmed to prevent a tree or the limbs of the tree from being used by children to climb over the enclosure.
  (4) Solid barriers that do not have openings must be smooth and not have any indentations or protrusions that could be used as a handhold or foothold except for normal construction tolerances and tooled masonry joints on the side away from the pool or spa.
(b) Enclosures for Class A and Class B pools and spas and resident youth camp pools and spas. Enclosures for Class A and Class B pools and spas and resident youth camp pools and spas must meet the following requirements.
  (1) Class A and B pools and spas and pools and spas at resident youth camps must have an enclosure consisting of a fence, portion of a building, wall or other durable enclosure, or an equivalent structure. Chain link material with a maximum opening of 1-3/4 inch mesh may be used for fencing at Class A, Class B, and residential youth camp pools and spas.
  (2) A building that serves as part of the enclosure must have doors or gates that open into the pool or spa yard only if:
    (A) any doors or gates between the building and the pool or spa yard are for entry into a storage room, restroom, shower room, dressing room, or mechanical room adjacent to the pool or spa; and
    (B) the room does not have any door or gate openings to the outside of the pool yard or spa yard enclosure.
  (3) The enclosure, including doors and gates, must be designed and constructed so that it cannot be easily climbed and:
    (A) have a minimum effective perpendicular height of at least 6 feet as measured from the ground surface on the outside of the enclosure;
    (B) have no openings in the enclosure, either through or under it, which would allow passage of a 4-inch sphere;
    (C) have no horizontal mid-rail and be designed and constructed so that it cannot be readily climbed;
    (D) have all doors and gates in the enclosure directly and continuously supervised by staff at the pool during hours of operation or locked to prevent unauthorized entry; and
    (E) have no windows in the enclosure lower than 6 feet from the ground as measured from outside of the enclosure that can be opened.
  (4) Gates and doors of Class A, Class B, and resident youth camp pool and spa enclosures must open outward away from the pool or spa, be capable of being locked, and must be locked if the pool or spa is not open for use. The gate or door must be locked if the pool or spa is closed for repairs, hazards, weather related hazards, adding chemicals by hand, or any other condition that warrants closure of the pool or spa.
(c) Enclosures for pools and spas subject to Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 757. A pool or spa that is in a multiunit rental complex or owned, controlled, or maintained by a property owners association and subject to Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 757, must have an enclosure as required in Chapter 757.
(d) Enclosures for all other Class C and day camp pools and spas. A Class C or day camp pool or spa not subject to Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 757 must have an enclosure that complies with this subsection and, if applicable, subsection (h) of this section.
  (1) The pool yard or spa yard enclosure must consist of one or a combination of a fence, portion of a building, wall, or other durable enclosure that meets the requirements of this section. The enclosure must comply with the following:
    (A) The enclosure must have a minimum perpendicular height of at least 48 inches as measured from the ground surface on the outside of the enclosure.
    (B) An enclosure with horizontal and vertical members constructed or replaced on or after January 1, 2021, must have no horizontal mid-rail and be constructed so that it cannot be easily climbed. The distance between horizontal members of the fence that is 48 inches in height must not be less than 45 inches.
    (C) Openings in, under, or through all enclosures at Class C and day camp pools and spas must not allow the passage of a 4-inch diameter sphere.
    (D) Chain link fencing material is prohibited for Class C pools and spas constructed on or after October 1, 1999. Pool and spa fences at Class C pools and spas constructed before October 1, 1999, that replace a chain link fence are prohibited from using chain link fencing material.
    (E) Windows that are capable of being opened are not allowed as a part of a pool or spa enclosure unless those windows are above the required enclosure height as measured from the ground level outside of the pool enclosure, and have a maximum opening of 4 inches, or are provided with a non-removable screen.
    (F) Doors or gates of a building that are capable of being opened are not allowed as part of an enclosure unless:
      (i) the doors or gates between the building and pool yard or spa yard are for entry into a storage room, restroom, shower room, dressing room, or mechanical room adjacent to the pool or spa;
      (ii) the room does not have any door or gate openings to the outside of the pool yard or spa yard enclosure; or
      (iii) the pool yard or spa yard is indoor and complies with the requirements of subsection (h) of this section.
  (2) Gates and doors of a pool or spa enclosure subject to this subsection must:
    (A) be equipped with self-closing and self-latching devices meeting the definition in §265.182(62) of this subchapter (relating to Definitions);
    (B) be designed to close and to keep the gate or door securely closed and latched whenever the gate or door is not in use;
    (C) open outward away from the pool or spa;
    (D) be capable of being locked and be locked if the pool or spa is not open for use; and
    (E) be locked if the pool or spa is closed for repairs, hazards, weather-related hazards, adding chemicals by hand, or any other condition that warrants closure of the pool or spa.
  (3) Self-closing and self-latching devices on gates and doors of a pool or spa constructed on or after January 1, 2021, must:
    (A) have hand-activated door- or gate-opening hardware located at least 3-1/2 feet above the deck or walkway; or
    (B) have hand-activated door- or gate-opening hardware located on the pool yard side of the gate that is at least 3 inches below the top of the gate;
    (C) have a gate or enclosure with no opening greater than 1/2 inch in any direction within 18 inches from the latch including the space between the gate and the gate post to which the gate latches; and
    (D) have a gate latch that may be located 42 inches or higher above the ground if the gate cannot be opened except by key, card, or combination on both sides of the gate.
(e) Entry into pool yard or spa yard. Pool yard and spa yard enclosures must be constructed so that all persons will be required to pass through an enclosure gate or door to gain access to the pool or spa. All gates and doors exiting a pool or spa yard must open into a public area or walkway accessible by all users of the pool or spa.
(f) Propping open gates prohibited. No gate or door into a pool yard or spa yard may be propped open or remain propped open unless an agent, employee, or contractor of the owner is present and doing construction, maintenance, or repair work in the pool yard or spa yard or on its enclosure that reasonably requires the gate to be propped open.
(g) Service gates or doors. Service gates or doors at a Class A, Class B, or Class C facility used only by service personnel are not required to be self-closing and self-latching. Service gates and doors must not be used as a user entry or exit and must be kept securely closed and locked when not in actual use by service personnel entering or exiting the pool or spa yard. A service gate or door may include:
  (1) a gate or door used by chemical delivery services, facility maintenance services, and lawn and landscaping services; or
Cont'd...
(2) a door or service window used solely by food service staff from a food preparation area, bar, or snack bar.
(h) Enclosures for pools and spas in a building. For pools and spas that are in a building, the interior or exterior building walls may be designated as the enclosure.
  (1) Entry and exit gates or doors into the pool or spa located in a building must comply with the requirements for entry and exit gates and doors for Class A, Class B, or Class C pool and spa gates and doors in subsections (b), (c), and (d) of this section, as applicable.
  (2) Elevator doors are not to be used as an entry or exit into the pool yard or spa yard when the pool or spa is inside a building or accessed from the interior of a building.
  (3) Where separate indoor and outdoor pools and spas are located at the same site, a door or gate may be provided between them if they comply with all the requirements in subsections (b), (c), and (d) of this section for Class A, Class B, and Class C pool and spa gates and doors, as applicable, except that if the gate or door between the indoor and outdoor pool or spa does not provide an exit from the pool or spa yard, that gate or door may open inward into the outdoor pool or spa yard.

Source Note: The provisions of this §265.192 adopted to be effective January 1, 2023, 47 TexReg 8668