Swimming pools and health and safety

[MadDogWoman]

Hello
Does anyone know the definitive rules on what is required (apart from AFNOR conforming pool security) with regard to pools if you have a gite with a pool? Someone has now indicated that they are classed as public pools and therefore must have foot baths and showers too. I have spent a vast fortune on installing a pool with an automatic chlorination system, automatic security cover, landscaped grounds and tiled terrace and the last thing I want to have to do is dig it all up to install footbaths and showers.
My pool is for guests use only (while we have guests) and is only ever used by a maximum of 5 people at any one time.
They have also said that pools will be inspected with regard to water quality but how do they know which pools are "public" if the "gite" is not registered?

[Alan Knighting]

Anyone telling you that your pool is classified as a public pool and therefore must have foot baths and showers is talking out of the back end of the thing he’s sitting on.

It is complete and utter rubbish and you can tell him so. If he wants to argue let him ring me on 05 53 41 69 40 - I’ll be happy to acquaint him with the facts.

In the meantime, relax. Don’t waste your time with such people.

Alan

[aillis]

I don't know bureaucrats are weird we got hammered by them 7yrs ago insisted on facilities for handicaps,footbath 2m long ,access into the pool ( we had some stairs made never used them ,handicap toilet and shower, no grass had to be paved and the only wall for hyienge was 20cm high but we did 1.20 and gated it. We had to comply as were in process of getting permission for more gites and had site meeting with the head of DHAS ( who was a complete b*******.) so we complied and after inspection made toilet more of a handicap by putting in a sauna!

[la vache!]

Aillis,
I'm impressed, you seem to have upset quite a few fonctionnaire departments - they really seem to have picked on you and your business over the last few years!

[aillis]

It was a misunderstanding we built the pool and then had to ask permission so at time we said it was for private use to exempt it from the regs it was Ok for a few years until the site meeting with the boss of DHAS

[MadDogWoman]

Aillis

Your pool is for a fairly large group of gites, yes? So I can understand why it probably falls under the rules concerning pulbic pools. I only have one. The pool is for the sole us of the gite when guests are here. There will be a maximum of 5 pople using it at any one time.

It seems that if there is more than one gite the pool may fall under these rules too and the quality of the water may need to be tested on a monthly basis. I am hearing this from sveral different sources so I think there must be something in it. I just need to find a definitve text that defines what is considered to be a public pool.

[Alan Knighting]

I suspect you are being influenced by Web Sites which contain sales talk about DDASS requirements relating to gite complexes.

If you have any doubts go to your departmental DDASS office and ask.

[aillis]

It depends on how the bureaucrats are feeling . Our pool was deemed to be public but private total hypocracy its probably irrelevent how many gites you have if the public use it ie paying guests its public so you are obliged to follow the regs. As a private pool you have to have security the only extra I can think of is testing of the water in JUly and August which is about 160€

[la vache!]

Is it up to the gite owner to contact DDASS for the tests, or do they find you, or is it down to how individual departments decide to interpret/implent the law (as so much French bureauracy seems to be based on this!)I have never had any tests done.

[aillis]

I think its how zealous the " crats " are in each department as in Finesterre handicap regs don't apply it seems to be a Brussels directive but its completely rubbish as handicaps vary enormously and the only solution is a hoist. As for tests you should be tested but let sleeping dogs lie

[Alan Knighting]

I think this is yet another example of how regulations are interpreted and enforced in individual Departments and Communes. Some take a very relaxed attitude, some do not. Mine appears to take the attitude that since private pools and gite pools are subject to entirely different regulations with regards to things like safety, so they do with regards to showers, footbaths, water quality testing, etc. Others appear to want to apply the regulations across the board.

I sometimes think that the regulations coming out of Paris to the Departments must have a little footnote which says something like “interpret this any old way you like and you can ignore it if you wish�

In any case, I volunteer nothing I don’t have to.

Alan

[la vache!]

I intend to do just that, volunteer nothing. The tax office know I have gites and a pool, so I'll wait for them to contact me. Out of interest, what exactly do they test for? If you maintain your pool correctly with regard to chorine levels, ph etc, is there any possibilty of something dreadful like Legionnaires disease being present in it?

[Ju]

I can't see why it would be classed as a public pool if it was for one gite.

We applied for permission for the pool on the same Planning permission as the gite. It was clearly stated that the pool was for the use of the gite, and yet no special requirements were applied.

I would certainly want to see details in writing (in triplicate) before I spent my hard earned on such measures.

Ju

[MadDogWoman]

I believe they test water quality. Thankfully I invested in a fully automatic chlorine injection system of the type favoured by the authorities (more by accident than design) so the water is constantly tested while the filter is running and chlorine adjusted accordingly. It means I do not have to worry about testing the water for pH and chlorine as it's done by machine. I know it's far more difficult to regulate levels manually and can be a bit of a nightmare in pools in a warmer climate with a lot of use.

[MadDogWoman]

I found this http://www.jardin-glanum.com/loi-piscine.htm
One part indicates that the rules apply

"B - SWIMMING POOL PRIVEE A COLLECTIVE USE

The law n° 78.733 of July 12, 1978, allows a general action of protection of the users of the swimming pools and arranged bathes others that family....

On the other hand the swimming pools and bathes of the residential sets, being used by several families, are subjected to the law and its texts d.application, like that was envisaged at the time of the parliamentary debates relating to the vote of this law....

In the same way, the swimming pools of private but "paying" use (even indirectly) such as lodgings, rooms d.hôtes, restaurants, rented houses... are subjected to the above mentioned obligations (standards d.hygiene and of safety related to the quality of l.eau, the products d.entretien.).

* Article L. 1332-1 (e.g. L. 25-1) Code health. "


then, they don't!


"D - SWIMMING POOL PRIVATE COMMUNITY

The swimming pools d.hôtels, camp-sites, village holidays, joint ownership... whose l.usage is exclusively reserved to the customers or to the residents, are of a nature deprived not public and so are subjected to any particular rule concerning the monitoring.

* Circular of August 04, 1981.

An opinion of the council d.Etat during the meeting of January 26, 1993 confirms that this type of swimming pools whose l.accès is reserved to the clean customers should not be regarded as swimming pools open to the public within the meaning of the law n° 51-662 of May 24, 1951 (in l.absence of the delivery d.un paying ticket d.entrée).

Consequently, they are not subjected to monitoring by graduate personnel, even qualified. "

What the blazes?