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The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act

On December 19, 2007, the President signed into law the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, named after the daughter of Nancy Baker and the granddaughter of former Secretary of State James Baker. Virginia Graeme Baker drowned in a tragic incident in June 2002 after the suction from a spa drain entrapped her under the water.

The Act specifies that on or after December 19, 2008, all operating public swimming pools, wading pools, spas and hot tubs must meet requirements for installation of compliant drain covers.

What we do and how we can help:

_{We conduct on-site, compliance verifications. The compliance verifications include a site visit to review your current installation and determine if the location meets the requirements of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act. A detailed report will be assembled and provided outlining the findings and indicating compliance. If the existing items are not in compliance, options for retrofit or replacement to meet requirements will be provided. Additionally, in certain instances, pools and spas must have additional devices or systems designed to prevent suction entrapment. Complete, detailed instructions will be provided, indicating items that need to be corrected, purchased and installed. Component options, depending upon availability, will be provided.}

^{Is my pool safe?}

^{What do I need to do?}

^{It depends. The Act specifies that on or after December 19, 2008, all existing public swimming pools, wading pools, spas and hot tubs}^{must meet requirements for installation of compliant drain covers. A public pool is generally considered any} ^{body of water that is used for swimming, diving, aquatic sports, or other aquatic activity and that is operated by an owner, lessee, operator, licensee or concessionaire, regardless of whether a fee is charged for use. The pool may be either publicly or privately owned and includes: any pool used for accredited competitive aquatic events; any pool used for public recreation and open to the general public with or without a fee; lodging such as hotels, motels, apartments, condominiums, or mobile home parks; property owner associations, private organizations, or clubs; or a school, college or university . If you are associated with a public pool then the drains must meet the requirements of the Pool and Spa Safety Act. Contact DesignRI for further information and what needs to be done to comply. See Public Pools - Commercial for further information.}

^{If you are a home owner you also may need to comply very soon to the requirements of the Pool and Spa Safety Act. The}^{U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission}^{(CPSC) is currently providing assistance to States that may be enacting statutes (or amending existing statutes), regarding the technical requirements of the Pool and Spa Safety Act. These requirements could be required as soon as December 20, 2008.}

^See^{Home Owners - Residential Pools for further information.}

Is your pool safe?

Does your pool have an outdated, non-conforming main drain cover? Chances are it does. Of injury-related deaths, drowning is the second leading cause of death in children aged 1 to 14 in the United States.