PART 1207—SAFETY STANDARD FOR SWIMMING POOL SLIDES Authority: Secs. 2, 7, 9, 14, 30, Pub. L. 92-573; 86 Stat. 1207, 1212, 1215, 1220, 1236; (15 U.S.C. 2051, 2056, 2058, 2063, 2079). Source: 41 FR 2751, Jan. 19, 1976, unless otherwise noted. § 1207.1 Scope, purpose, and findings. (a) Scope and purpose. (b) Findings. 1 1 Aqua Slide ‘N’ Drive Corporation CPSC, (2) The Commission finds that the types or classes of products that are subject to this standard are those swimming pool slides manufactured, constructed, or imported for use in connection with all swimming pools, whether in-ground, on-ground, or above-ground, regardless of the materials of manufacture or structural characteristics of the slides. It is estimated that 350,000 of these slides are currently in service and that each year the number of slides in use may increase by 5 to 10 percent. (3) The Commission finds that the public uses swimming pool slides in recreation at both public and private swimming pools, and it is estimated that 75% of these slides are located at residential pools. It is anticipated that public demand for the products will decline slightly for a time following issuance of this standard as a result of consumer awareness of hazards associated with the product caused by the mandatory signs placed on the slides and as a result of recommendations regarding the installation and intended use of the products. The decline in demand is expected to be short-term. It is anticipated that the utility of the slides as a recreational device will be increased to the extent that injury or death associated with the use of the product is eliminated or reduced. (4) The Commission also finds that manufacturing cost increases as a direct result of this standard and promotional cost increases as an indirect result of this standard are expected to be modest for the industry as a whole. Any resulting increase in the cost of slides to consumers attributable directly or indirectly to the requirements of this standard will be small. No adverse effect on the availability of the product to consumers is expected. (5) The Commission has considered other means of achieving the objective of the standard, but has found none that would have fewer adverse effects on competition or that would cause less disruption or dislocation of manufacturing and other commercial practices, consistent with the public health and safety. (6) The Commission also finds that this standard, including its effective date, is reasonably necessary to eliminate or reduce the unreasonable risks of injury associated with swimming pool slides and that promulgation of the standard is in the public interest. [41 FR 2751, Jan. 19, 1976; 41 FR 9307, Mar. 4, 1976, as amended at 41 FR 23187, June 9, 1976; 43 FR 58813, Dec. 18, 1978] § 1207.2 Effective date. This part 1207 shall become effective July 17, 1976. All swimming pool slides manufactured after that date must meet the requirements of this part 1207. [41 FR 23187, June 9, 1976] § 1207.3 Definitions. (a) As used in this part 1207: (1) Aboveground pool slide ladder (2) Abrasion hazard (3) Assembled product (4) Bracing (5) Casual contact (6) Center of gravity (7) Curved slide (8) Cutting hazard (9) Designated waterline (10) Edge guards (11) [Reserved] (12) Freestanding slide (13) Friction (14) [Reserved] (15) Intended use (16) Ladder angle (17) Ladder platform (18) Operational strength (19) Performance test (i) Observations and measurements of the slide's functioning in the “intended use” mode, installed according to the manufacturer's installation instructions, and/or (ii) Observations and measurements of the slide's response to dynamic and static loads. (20) [Reserved] (21) Pinching hazard (22) Puncture hazard (23) Runway (24) Runway rail (25) Runway length (26) Slide width (27) Straight slide (28) Swimming pool slide (29) Tamperproof (30) Trajectory (31) [Reserved] (32) Tread contact surface [41 FR 2751, Jan. 19, 1976, as amended at 43 FR 58813, Dec. 18, 1978] § 1207.4 Recommended standards for materials of manufacture. (a) General. (b) Effects of environment. (c) Materials selection. (d) Toxicity. (e) Chemical compatibility. [41 FR 2751, Jan. 19, 1976, as amended at 43 FR 58813, Dec. 18, 1978] § 1207.5 Design. (a) Strength. (b) Edges. (c) Ladders, steps, stairs, or ramps General. (2) Angle. (Note: To convert the English system values given in the figures to metric values, the following conversion factors should be used: 1 inch = 2.54 cm., 1 foot = 30.48 cm., 1 square inch = 6.452 sq. cm., 1 lb. (mass) = 0.4536 kg., 1 lb. (force) = 4.448 newtons, and 1 ft.-lb. = 1.356 newton-meters.) (3) Steps Dimensions. (ii) Tread curvature. (iii) Slip resistant surfaces General. (B) Performance test. 1/4 1/8 The tests shall be carried out on a slide assembled and installed according to the manufacturer's instructions. The block shall be soaked in pool water for at least 3 minutes and placed at the midpoint of the wet step with the centroid of load of the block on the longitudinal axis of the step. The block shall be loaded symmetrically on its upper bearing surface with a weight of 300±2 pounds (136.1±.9 kg). A controlled and measured force shall be applied at the tangential load ring of the block tangent to the horizontal and increased at a rate of no more than 20 pounds (88.96 newtons) per second. If the block does not move at the point that the tangential load is equal to 105 pounds (467.1 newtons), the tread surface passes this performance test. Other force-creating means that produce equal forces on the block (300±2lbs, 1,334 newtons) may be substituted for weights if they result in substantially identical slip-resistance measurements. (iv) Fastener requirements. (v) Aboveground pool ladders. (vi) Ladder platforms. (vii) Static load performance test. (d) Handrails. 1 (1) Size. (2) Extent of handrails Maximum angle ladder. 2 (ii) Extent of handrails for ladders, steps, stairs, or ramps. l Table 1—Variations of l Ladders: 15°<θ<40° L rad rad Stairs: 40°<θ<70° l Ramps: θ<70° l (3) Bracing of handrails. (4) Attachment and strength of handrails. (i) Sockets performance test. (ii) Side forces. (iii) Performance tests Strength for climbing and falls. 1 ( 2 (B) Transition handrail strength. (e) Lubrication. (f) Runways Curvature. (2) Dynamic equilibrium. (ii) Performance test Direct measurement. (B) Test. (3) Runway side rails. (4) Runway side-rail heights. Table 2 ψ = Maximum slide-slope angle Runway side-rail height inches (centimeters) <60° 2 (5.08) 60-70° 3 (7.62) 70-75° 3 1 2 (5) Slide geometry. (i) Performance tests. 1 1 (A) Motion picture cameras (36 frames per second or more). (B) Still cameras with strobe lights and reflectors on the head and hip of the slider. (C) Still cameras with rotating shutters and lights on the head and hip of the slider. (D) Video tape recorder. (ii) Measurements shall be made from the still water level as the horizontal. The path angle shall be determined by measuring the angle between a tangent to the path of the center of gravity (line X) and the horizontal taken through the center of gravity (line Y). At least five consecutive runs with the same subject shall be made in order that an average may be computed. 2 Z X 2 (6) Runway exit lips. 1/4 (7) Runway exit vertical angle. (8)(i) Runway exit ramp lateral curvature and exit lip horizontal angle. (ii) Performance tests. (9) Strength of slide runways and supports Static loads. (ii) Dynamic loading. 3 (iii) Performance tests Static loads. (B) Dynamic loads. 1 ( 2 ( 3 ( 4 [41 FR 2751, Jan. 19, 1976; 41 FR 9307, Mar. 4, 1976; 41 FR 10062, Mar. 9, 1976, as amended at 41 FR 12638, Mar. 26, 1976; 41 FR 13911, Apr. 1, 1976] §§ 1207.6-1207.8 [Reserved] § 1207.9 Product certification. (a) Certification shall be in accordance with section 14(a)(1) of the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2063(a)(1)). (b) A certificate shall accompany the swimming pool slide (in the form of a permanent label on the shipping container(s) or in the form of a separate certificate) to all distributors and retailers to whom the material is delivered certifying that the slide conforms to this part 1207. The certificate or permanent label issued under this section shall be based upon either a test of each product or a reasonable testing program, shall state the name of the manufacturer or private labeler issuing the certificate, and shall include the date and place of manufacture. (c) Any certificate shall be based upon the test procedures and requirements specified in this part 1207. § 1207.10 Handling, storage, and marking. (a) Marking. (b) Shipping, handling, and storage. § 1207.11 References. (a) “Statistical Abstract of the United States 1973,” U.S. Dept. of Commerce, pp. 181-185, 192. (b) “Human Engineering Guide for Equipment Designers,” Woodson and Conover, pp. 2-166 through 2-169 published by the University of California Press, 2223 Fulton St., Berkeley, California 94720. (c) “Human Engineering Guide to Equipment Design,” Van Cott and KinKade, published by U.S. Dept. of Defense, 1972, Library of Congress Card No. 72-600054, pp. 457-465. (d) “The Measure of Man—Human Factors in Design,” by Henry Dreyfuss, published by Watson-Guptill Publications, Inc., 1 Astor Plaza, New York, New York, 10036. (e) “Medical Tribune”, Wed., 8/15/73, p. 21. (f) “Technical Rationale in Support of A Safety Standard for Swimming Pool Slides,” 5/30/75. National Swimming Pool Institute, 2000 K Street NW., Washington, D.C. 20006. § 1207.12 Stockpiling. (a) Definitions. (1) Stockpiling Federal Register (2) Base period (3) Rate of production (or importation) (b) Prohibited acts. (c) Manufacturers and importers shall maintain appropriate documentation to be able to substantiate to the Commission that they are in compliance with the provisions of this section. [41 FR 2751, Jan. 19, 1976, as amended at 41 FR 15003, Apr. 9, 1976]