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Step 1
Provide safety measures first. Restrict pool access to children without adult supervision. A secure fence, installed around an outdoor pool with a self-closing gate will help prevent accidental drowning. Inside, a locked door is necessary. Use a keypad to make adult entry easier.
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Step 2
Plan to install steps, with a security railing, that extend into an in-ground pool for controlled entry. Consider a railing on both sides if the people entering the pool need extra security on the wet steps.
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Step 3
Slant an entry ramp into the pool to allow easy access for water wheelchairs. The slope should not exceed a 1:20 grade, meaning that for every 20 feet horizontally, it can drop 1 foot in depth. Additionally, the final depth must be between 24 and 30 inches. Both sides must feature guardrails.
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Step 4
Research automated wheelchair lifts as an alternative to a ramped entry. A lift will serve to lower a disabled person safely into the water. (See Resources)
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Step 5
Place additional stairs around the pool. For an in-ground pool, stairs are considered secondary, after steps or a graduated ramp. For an above-ground pool, stairs may be the only entry but many communities require a fenced area around the stairs if one does not exist around the raised pool.
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Step 6
Discourage unauthorized access to your pool by constructing your fence at least 48 inches high. Make sure your pool access and safety measures clear your community's building codes inspections before you fill the pool with water.
