Infinity Edge Pool Liability

[August Bateman]

I am interested in hearing if anyone has run into liability issues with infinity edge pools. We are working on a residential project with an infinity edge pool that drops off about 8′ on the “infinity” side. This edge of the pool is part of a longer wall that has planter areas on top. (level with, and adjacent to the pool deck, coping, etc.) We have non-climbable fencing on top of the wall where the planters come to the edge of the wall, but want to leave the “coping edge” of the pool where it falls off un-fenced. I see great infinity edge pools all the time in both residential and commercial settings, but wonder what your experience has been.

Thanks in advance for your insight!

[Andrew Garulay, RLA]

All the infinity edge pools that I’ve had anything to do with had a short drop to the catch trough. I never thought about whether it was necessary because of the drop over the coping edge, but we were always avoiding railings closing in from both sides because of the drop off next to the pool.

 

Can you terrace the wall so that there is only a two foot drop into the trough (or an intermediate trough before going over the big wall) so that the drop from the coping would not require a rail? You might be able to move the other railing to a lower wall as well in order to keep the pool area view less caged in. If the top of the lower wall is 3′ below the pool decking (assuming a 3:1 slope between walls), the railing would not be above the pool decking at all. … and you’d have at least a 3′ planting bed to screen the railing as well. I don’t think you’d need to rail the drop off from the upper trough as it is not a place where people are likely to be.

 

A moot point if you don’t have the room.

 

[Jason T. Radice]

In theory, if your pool floor is 42″ or more below the infinity edge you should be fine as the pool wall is acting as the code required guard for a drop of more than 30″. If the drop is less than 30″ then you don’t need anything at all from the deck or the pool, or the pool itself.

Be sure to check with your local health department and building code department when dealing with a pool for any local regulations, but the 42″ guard on a drop more than 30″ is IBC code, which applies in this instance.

[Andy Kaner]

The infinity edge pool wall acts as a barrier itself and as long as you are around 42″ of water depth than the wall is the barrier and an 8′ drop off should not be an issue.  There are balconies on high rises that have only railings 42″ tall.  Have you seen the vanishing edge pool at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore? Its 50 stories high on the edge of the building with no barrier.  Your  8′ drop should not be an issue.  We design vanishing edge pools every day and have not heard of any issues, especially with an 8′ drop.   If someone wants to climb over the edge and fall off than they probably deserve it. 

[August Bateman]

Andrew, Jason, and Andy-

Thank you for your comments. They have really helped me figure out what to do in our situation, and have stimulated some creative solutions we hope the client will go for. In this situation we hope to be moving the fence down the hill from the edge and possibly terracing/planting to hide the wall from below. Thank you again for your helpful comments!

I checked out the vanishing edge pool in Singapore. Wow! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boOnV30CtZc&feature=related

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