The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a set of guidelines that set federal standards to ensure that people who have disabilities can have access to public facilities. Part of this involves those individuals being able to use public swimming pools, including those at hotels.
Any establishment that has a pool must ensure that all visitors can get to the pool. This includes having accessible entryways and passageways. Businesses should look from the parking lot to the pool to ensure that there is a way for someone using a walker or a wheelchair to move easily between them.
What kinds of accessible entry points are required for the pool?
Every public pool must have at least one accessible entry option. More accessible entry points might be required for larger pools. Two possible options include having at least one sloped side or having a fully functional lift. The provided entryways must remain in working order and fully available for anyone who needs them during the time when the pool is open.
Property owners or management can face civil penalties, lawsuits and other issues if they fail to comply with the requirements for ADA regulations for pool entries. Even having to put the only available accessible entry method out of service for a few hours while leaving the pool open can lead to this trouble.
Any business that has a public pool and is being accused of failure to comply with accessibility regulations should ensure they have someone on their side who can fight the claims. These problems can be costly, so having a defense strategy set as early in the case as possible is critical.