What Are the Standards for Diving Boards?

Diving accidents can be both devastating and permanent. Unfortunately, most states have not passed legislature that outlines specific regulations for diving board installation. However, safety experts and pool manufacturers strongly recommend certain diving board safety precautions.

  1. Board Regulations

    • The diving board should have a permanent label that indicates the manufacturer, the year the diving board was produced, weight limitations and the required depth for safe diving from that specific board. The diving board also should be made of a textured, nonslip surface to reduce falls when the board is wet. Diving boards that are more than one meter above the water must have a rail that extends to the end of the diving board. All boards should have steps or ladders with handrails.

    Pool Depth

    • Another crucial factor in diving board safety is the depth of the pool. For competitive diving boards, water depth must be at least 12 feet. A depth of 10 feet is recommended for all other diving boards, although some sources believe that 7.5 feet is sufficient.

    Pool Width

    • Pools with diving boards also must contain enough water on each side of the diving board to facilitate safe diving. As a general rule, there should be at least 10 feet of water on either edge of the diving board.

    Pool Slope

    • A large number of diving accidents occur when divers hit their heads on the upward-sloping bottom of the pool. In order to prevent this, the diving end of the pool should extend at least 16 feet from the edge of the diving board before it begins to slope up. The pool should not slope up more than 1 foot for every 3 horizontal feet.

    Labeling

    • Another important factor in maintaining safe diving is to ensure that the pool depth is clearly labeled. According to a study published on visualanalysis.com, 83 percent of diving accidents occur in water that is less than 3.25 feet in depth. In order to prevent these accidents, the area of the pool that is safe for diving should be sectioned off by a rope. Alternatively, some facilities choose to install a separate pool for diving.

    Installation and Adjustment

    • Diving boards should only be installed and adjusted by a trained professional and according to the manufacturer's instructions. Always have a professional inspect your pool before having a diving board installed or changing the fulcrum of the diving board.