SWIMMING POOLS (URBAN COUNCIL) BYLAWS

SWIMMING POOLS (URBAN COUNCIL) BYLAWS

SWIMMING POOLS (URBAN COUNCIL) BYLAWS

ARRANGEMENT OF BYLAWS

Bylaw Page
1. Citation .............................CA2
2. Application ..........................CA 2
3. Interpretation .......................CA 2
4. Prohibition of unlicensed swimming pools, etc . CA 3
5. Application for licence ..............CA3

6. Conditions for issue of licence ..................................................................... CA 4
7. Restriction on alterations after grant of a licence CA 5
8. Safety precautions relating to electrical equipment CA 5
9. Changing of water ....................CA 5
10. Quality of water . ..................CA 6
11. Annual emptying of swimming pools ...CA 6
12. Life saving and first aid attendants CA 6
13. General repair and cleanliness of pool, equipment and premises CA 6
14. Prevention of spitting ..............CA 7
is. Sterilization of bathing costumes and towels CA 7
16. Exclusion of persons suffering from certain diseases CA 7
17. Fees ................................CA7
18. Offences and penalties ..............CA 8
19. Name in which proceedings for offences may be brought CA 8





SWIMMING POOLS (URBAN COUNCIL) BYLAWS

(Cap. 132, section 42)
[3 March 19611

G.N.A. 31 of 1961 - G.N.A. 119 of 1961, L.N. 40 of 1963, 21 of 1973, L.N. 283 of 1975, L.N. 89 of
1979, L.N. 77 of 1980, L.N. 96 of 1981, L.N. 96 of 1983, L.N. 58 of 1985, 10 of 1986, R. Ed.
1986, L.N. 318 of 1987, LN. 381 of 1987, L.N. 123 of 1988, 1_pi -.% 140

1. Citation

These bylaws may be cited as the Swimming Pools (Urban Council)
Bylaws.
(10 of 1986 s. 32(2)

2. Application

(1) These bylaws apply to the Urban Council area only.
(2) These bylaws do not apply to any swimming pool-
(a) which is owned or managed by the Council; or
(b)which serves not more than 20 residential units and to which the
public have no access.
(L.N. 123 of 1988)

3. Interpretation

(1) In these bylaws, unless the context otherwise requires-
communicable disease' includes amoebiasis, cerebrospinal meningitis, cholera,
diphtheria, dysentery, enteric fever, gastroenteritis, acute inflammation of
the throat, infectious hepatitis, leprosy, any form of tinea infection,
tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, pediculosis, scabies, scarlet fever, smallpox,
any venereal disease or any generalized skin infection, trachoma, acute
conjunctivitis and any other disease which the Council may, from time to
time, declare to be a communicable disease for the purposes of these
bylaws;
'Council' means the Urban Council;
residential uniC means a separate household unit in a building constructed,
used or intended to be used wholly for the purpose of human habitation;
(L.N. 123 of 1988)
swimming pool' and 'pool' means any artificially constructed pool used for
swimming or bathing and to which the public have access (whether on
payment or otherwise) or which is operated by any club, institution,
association or other organization. (L.N. 40 of 1963)





(2) Whenever the Council declares any disease to be a communicable
disease for the purposes of these bylaws, a notification of such declaration shall
be published in the Gazette.

4. Prohibition of unlicensed swinuning pools, etc.

(1) Save under and in accordance with a licence granted by the Council,
no person shall establish or maintain a swimming pool.
(2) No person shall take any part in the management of a swimming pool
the establishment or maintenance of which has not been licensed.

5. Application for licence

(1) Every application for any such licence shall be made in writing,
addressed to the Secretary of the Council, and shall be accompanied by 3 copies
of a plan, as nearly as may be to scale, of the swimming pool and the whole of
the precincts thereof, and such plan shall include the following particulars-
(a) the size and design of the pool;
(b) the depth of water in all parts of the pool;
(c) the position and size of all scum gutters;
(d) all drainage and intake vents;
(e) the position of any filtration or purification plant;
the position of any permanent steps or ladders leading into the
pool and any hand rails or like fittings of a permanent nature
provided for the use of bathers;
(g)the position, height and type of any diving boards, chutes, rings
or like fittings of a permanent nature provided for the use of
bathers;
(h)the layout of any paths or open spaces surrounding or adjacent
to the pool, together with the means of entry to and exit from the
immediate precincts of the pool;
(i)the layout of any dressing rooms, wash rooms, showers, foot
baths, latrines, canteens, stalls or other structures ancillary to the
swimming pool; and
(j) every part of the drainage system.
(2) Every plan submitted for approval pursuant to the provisions of
paragraph (1) shall be accompanied by a statement in writing declaring-
(a) the source of the water with which the pool will be filled;
(b)the type and capacity of any filtration or purification plant which
is provided; and
(c)the material used for surfacing the internal surfaces of the pool
and any sidewalk or standing space immediately adjoining the
rim of the pool.





(3) Every plan, or any modification thereof, which is approved by the
Council shall be endorsed to that effect by the Secretary of the Council, and 1
copy shall be returned to the applicant and the remaining 2 copies shall be
retained by the Council.

6. Conditions for issue of licence
(1) No such licence shall be granted unless the Council is satisfied in
relation to the swimming pool in respect of which the application for such
licence was made, and in relation to the premises pertaining to such swimming
pool, that-
(a)the plan referred to in bylaw 5 has been approved by the Council
and the swimming pool conforms thereto;
(b)the source of the water with which the pool will be filled is
suitable;
(c)the underwater surfaces of the pool are made of impervious
material and sufficiently smoothed to prevent undue accumula-
tion of dirt;
(d)every junction between a horizontal surface and a vertical surface
inside the swimming pool is coved;
(e)the pool is fitted with scum gutters of suitable size and adequate
drainage;
sidewalks, not less than 1.2 m in width and paved or covered with
suitable non-slip material, are provided on all sides of the pool,
and such sidewalks are laid with falls away from the edge of the
pool and drained to channels laid to falls; (L.N. 89 of 1979)
(g)all parts of the floor of any dressing room and any room
containing any shower, bath, foot bath or latrine are readily
accessible for cleaning and are surfaced with impervious material
and coved at their junction with any wall;
(h)not less than one watercloset is provided for every 25 persons
who may be accommodated in the pool and not less than one
urinal, fitted with a splash plate, is provided for every 50 such
persons:
Provided that, where the Council is satisfied that sufficient
water for flushing purposes is not available or cannot reasonably
be obtained, the Council may accept equivalent dry latrine
accommodation;
(i)the pool is provided with filtration or purification plant, or other
means of purifying the water therein, capable of maintaining the
purity of such water at all times to a standard not less than B.
coliabsentin 100 CM3 of water;
(j)the filtration or purification plant, or other means provided for
purifying the water in the pool, is capable of changing the water





in the pool, either by circulation through a filtration system or by
renewing the water from source, not less than once in every 4
hours in the case of a covered pool or once in every 6 hours in the
case of an open air pool; and
(k) where underwater electric lighting is provided-
(i) all underwater lights are supplied at a voltage not exceeding
25;
(ii) such low voltage supply is given by a double wound
transformer in an earthed metal casing, with the centre point
of the low voltage winding earthed and the transformer
located at a safe distance from the pool and completely
inaccessible to bathers; and
(iii) all wiring from the transformer to the underwater lights
is carried out in screwed galvanized conduit or mineral
insulated copper covered cable.
(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(h), the number of persons who may
be accommodated in any swimming pool shall be based on the maximum
capacity of the pool and determined at the rate of one person for every 3 m' of
the water surface of the pool. (L.N. 89 of 1979)

7. Restriction on alterations after grant of a licence
After the grant or renewal of any such licence, no licensee shall, save with
the permission in writing of the Council, cause or permit to be made in respect
of the swimming pool to which the licence relates-
(a)any alternation or addition which would result in a material
deviation for the plan approved under bylaw 5; or
(b)any material alteration in respect of any matter referred to in
bylaw 6.

8. Safety precautions relating to electrical equipment
No person shall place, or permit to he placed, any electrical equipment,
fitting or wiring in such a position that it is likely to-
(a) come into contact with the water in any swimming pool; or
(b)be accessible to any person bathing in any swimming pool or
standing on any part of the sidewalk surrounding any swimming
pool or on any diving board, chute or other like structure used by
bathers.

9. Changing of water
Every licensee of a swimming pool shall, at all times during which the
swimming pool is in use by bathers, cause the water therein to be completely
changed by circulation through a filtration system or by renewal from source-





(a)in the case of a covered pool, not less than once in every 4 hours;
and
(b)in the case of an open air pool, not less than once in every 6
hours.

10. Quality of water

Every licensee of a swimming pool shall cause the water therein to be
maintained at all times to a standard-
(a) of purity, not less than B. coli absent in 100 cin' of water; and
(b)of clarity, such that a black and white object, not less in size than
100 mm square or, if such object is round, 100 min in diameter,
placed on the bottom of the swimming pool at the deepest point
is clearly visible from the surface of the water; and (L.N. 89 of
1979)
(c) of hydrogen-ion concentration, not greater than pH 7.0.

11. Annual emptying of swimming pools

Every licensee of a swimming pool shall cause the pool to be emptied of
water and thoroughly cleaned not less than once in every year and at such other
times as the Council may require by notice in writing served upon the licensee.

12. Life saving and first aid attendants

Every licensee of a swimming pool shall cause to be in attendance at the
pool, at all times during which such pool is open to bathers, not less than 2 life
saving attendants possessing valid certificates of competency in life saving and
first aid issued by an association approved by the Council for that purpose and
certifying a standard of competency not less than that of a holder of the bronze
medallion of the Royal Life Saving Society:
Provided that the Council may upon application modify or waive all or
any of the requirements of this bylaw in any particular case. (G.N.A. 119 of
1961)

13. General repair and cleanliness of
pool, equipment and premises

(1) Every licensee of a swimming pool shall cause the pool, all machinery,
equipment and fittings ancillary thereto, all sidewalks or open spaces
surrounding the same and all dressing, shower, bathing, washing or latrine
accommodation provided thereat to be, at all times, maintained in proper
repair, in a clean condition and free from noxious matter.





(2) If, in the opinion of the Council, any swimming pool has become, or is
likely to become, injurious to health by reason of any structural defect or want
of repair or by reason of defective filtration or purification plant, the Council
may cause a notice in writing to be served upon the licensee thereof requiring
him-
(a)to carry out, within such time as may be specified in the notice,
such work as may be necessary to remove the risk of injury to
health; and
(b)if it appears to the Council to be necessary, to close such
swimming pool until such work has been carried out to its
satisfaction.

14. Prevention of spitting
(1) No person shall spit in any swimming pool or on any part of the
premises pertaining thereto, except into a drain or latrine or into a spittoon or
other receptacle provided for the purpose.
(2) Where spittoons or receptacles are provided, the licensee of the
swimming pool shall cause each such spittoon or receptacle to contain a
disinfectant fluid and to be cleansed, and the fluid renewed, not less than once
in every 24 hours.
(3) Save as otherwise permitted in writing by the Council, every licensee
of a swimming pool shall cause one or more notices, prohibiting spitting and
written in English and Chinese, to be continuously displayed in a conspicuous
place near the pool and in or near any changing room.

15. Sterilization of bathing costumes and towels
Every licensee of a swimming pool at which bathing costumes or towels are
supplied to bathers shall cause each such costume or towel to be sterilized, by
immersion for not less than 30 seconds in boiling water, after each occasion
upon which it is used by any bather.

16. Exclusion of persons suffering from certain diseases
(1) No person shall enter any swimming pool while knowingly suffering
from any cutaneous or communicable disease.
(2) Save as otherwise permitted in writing by the Council, every licensee
of a swimming pool shall cause the provisions of paragraph (1) to be
continuously displayed in the form of a notice, written in English and Chinese,
in a conspicuous place near the pool.

17. Fees
(1) Every licence issued under these bylaws shall be renewable annually
on 1 April.





(2) The grant or renewal of any such licence shall be subject to the
payment in advance to the Council of a fee of
Provided that, where any such licence is isweed after 30 September in any
year, the fee shall be one-half of the fee prescribed. (21 of 1973 s. 20, L.N. 283
of 1975; L.N. 77 of 1980; L.N. 96 of 1981; L.N. 96 of 1983; L.N. 58 of 1985)
(3) Where the Council is satisfied that any such licence has been lost or
destroyed, the Council may upon payment of a fee of-' issue a duplicate
thereof, (L.N. 96 of 1983; L.N. 381 of 1987) ~ 1 e-c

18. Offences and penalties

(1) Any person who-
(a) contravenes any of the provisions of bylaw 4, 8, 14(1) or 16(1); or
(b)fails to comply with any of the requirements of a notice served
upon him under the provisions of bylaw 13(2),
shall be guilty of an offence.
(2) In the event of any contravention of any of the provisions of bylaw 7,
9, 10, 11, 12, 13(1), 14(2) or (3), 15 or 16(2), the licensee of the swimming pool
shall be guilty of an offence.
(3) Any person who is guilty of an offence under these bylaws shall be
liable on summary conviction to a fine of $1,500 and, where the offence is a
continuing offence, shall be liable in addition to a fine of $25 for each day
during which it is proved to the satisfaction of the court that the offence has
continued. (L.N. 318 of 1987)

19. Name in which proceedings for
offences way he brought

Without prejudice to the provisions of any other enactment relating to the
prosecution of criminal offences and without prejudice to the powers of the
Attorney General in relation to the prosecution of such offences, prosecutions
for an offence under any of the provisions of these bylaws may be brought in
the name of the Council.

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