ASSEMBLY, No. 1552

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 15, 1996

 

 

By Assemblyman IMPREVEDUTO

 and Assemblywoman QUIGLEY

 

 

An Act concerning certain swimming pools and supplementing P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.).

 

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. As used in this act:

    "Bonding and grounding certificate" means a document issued by a nationally recognized testing agency, a licensed engineer or registered architect that verifies the electrical continuity of the bonding and grounding system of a commercial swimming pool.

    "Commercial swimming pool" means a swimming pool on any property other than single family residential property and includes but is not limited to swimming pools open for the use of tenants or the public or both.

    "Electrical certificate of approval" means a document issued by the municipality's electrical subcode official that verifies that all wiring located in or about the pool pump house or similar structure and associated electrical equipment is in compliance with the National Electrical Code.

 

    2. a. A commercial swimming pool shall not be opened for use or occupied in whole or in part by any person until a valid bonding and grounding certificate and electrical certificate of approval are issued. The bonding and grounding certificate shall be evidence of a bonding system that connects all the metal non-electric parts of the swimming pool, including any metal fence within 10 feet of the water line, measured in a direct line. The electrical certificate of approval shall not be issued unless a valid bonding and grounding certificate has been issued.

    b. The bonding and grounding certificate shall be valid for a period of five years from the date of issuance. The electrical certificate of approval shall be renewed annually on the basis of a pre-season inspection by the code enforcement department of the municipality for a fee of no more than $50.

    c. Any electrical condition found to be defective on the pool premises shall be repaired by an electrical contractor licensed in the State of New Jersey.

    d. The bonding and grounding certificate and the electrical certificate of approval shall be posted in or about the pool pump house or structure that encloses the pool wiring.

 

    3. This act shall take effect immediately and be applicable to inspections preceding the opening of swimming pools during the 1996 summer season.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    This bill establishes a basic level of electrical standards for swimming pools open to tenants or the public. It supplements the "State Uniform Construction Code Act" to require the issuance of two documents prior to pool use, a bonding and grounding certificate geared to the electrical continuity of the bonding and grounding system, and an electrical certificate of approval, which would verify that the wiring conforms to requirements in the current edition of the National Electrical Code.

    The bonding and grounding certificate, valid for five years, would be issued by a nationally recognized testing agency, a licensed engineer or registered architect. However, the annual electrical certificate of approval must be issued by the municipality's electrical subcode official after payment of a fee not to exceed $50.

    The bill is designed to improve the life safety conditions of workers and the public at large. It is intended to prevent electrocutions associated with swimming pool use such as occurred at an apartment complex in North Brunswick in the summer of 1994 when a lifeguard touched a pump with faulty wiring.

    During the summer of 1995, the Department of Health issued a Health Alert Bulletin which contained a warning to the employees and owners of public swimming pools concerning the potential life safety dangers of electrical systems associated with pools.

 

 

 

Requires electrical inspections of swimming pools open for tenants or the public.