NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
| Office of Information and Public Affairs |
Washington, DC 20207 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 15, 2008
Release #09-065 |
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908 |
Pool And Spa Safety Law Aimed At Preventing Drain
Entrapments of Children Goes Into Effect This Week
Failure to comply with
Congressionally-enacted law can result in closure
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
is again reminding public pool and spa owners and operators
nationwide that the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act
becomes effective on December 19, 2008. This law requires
installation of anti-entrapment drain covers and other systems as
outlined in the Act.
The Pool and Spa Safety Act was enacted by Congress and signed by
President Bush on December 19, 2007, and is designed to prevent the
tragic and hidden hazard of drain entrapments and eviscerations in
pools and spas. Under the law, all public pools and spas must have
ASME/ANSI A112.19.8-2007 compliant drain covers installed and a
second anti-entrapment system installed, when there is only a single
main drain. Congress gave all affected pool and spa operators one
year to comply with this law.
Public pools and spas that operate year-round are expected to be
in compliance by December 19, 2008. CPSC staff has taken the
position that seasonal public pools and spas that are currently
closed must be in compliance with the law on the day that they
reopen in 2009.
“Our mission at the CPSC is to keep American families safe,” said
Nancy Nord, CPSC Acting Chairman. “CPSC will enforce the
requirements of this pool and spa safety law with a focus on where
the greatest risk of drain entrapment to children exists, such as
wading pools, pools designed specifically for toddlers and young
children, and in-ground spas, particularly where these types of
pools and spas have flat drain grates and single main drain
systems.”
Nord added, “State health and enforcement agencies share the
responsibility to ensure this law is properly enforced. I recommend
these agencies take the same approach as CPSC concerning enforcement
priorities.”
Pool and spa operators are encouraged to continue working as
diligently as possible to come into compliance, as the agency and
state Attorneys General are empowered to close down any pool or spa
that fails to meet the Act’s requirements.
For more information about the Pool and Spa Safety Act, how to
comply, and which companies have been certified to manufacturer
drain covers and safety vacuum release systems, please log on to:
www.cpsc.gov/whatsnew.html#pool
