Webcast Notes: Understanding and Compliance: The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act

In case you missed the webcast: Understanding and Compliance: The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act brought to you by Aquatics International and Sponsored by Hayward Pool Products, there were a few standout points which need repeating.

Two items kept coming up. One being: The CPSC highly recommends the assessment and installations be done by a trained, CERTIFIED Professional. Their concern being companies doing some work and moving on to the next job, leaving the owner/operator thinking they are in compliance, when actually they very well may not be. The other being "layers of protection". The new federal law allows for these layers, and when assessed and installed correctly, each owner/operator of the pool and spa will have these layers in place.

Remember ALL MAIN DRAINS MUST BE CHANGED to conform to the entrapment protection standards of the ASME/ANSI A112.19.8 performance standard.

Below are a few points I took away from the webinar:

1. With a single main drain: You MUST retrofit the drain cover and do one of the following:

a. Incorporate a Safety Vacuum Release System (SVRS) or

b. Install an automatic pump shut-off system or

c. Disable the drain (be mindful to check local and state codes for this option. It may violate them.)

2. With dual main drains: You MUST change the drain covers. If the covers are less than 36" apart, center of drain to center of drain, then you must also incorporate one of the choices from above. (1.a, 1.b, or 1.c)

3. The CPSC has a "working list" of approved main drain covers and SVRSs at the following link: www.CPSC.gov/phth/draincman.html .

4. Any pool or spa closed seasonally prior to December 19, 2008, has until opening day to comply at the CPSC's discretion. (This is to help with the demand for compliant covers for year round pools and spas.)

5. All pools and spas must be in compliance, whether or not the state enforces it. It is a Federal Law.

6. There is no layer of protection against a cover which is broken or missing.

7. A gravity drainage system is not exempt, but only one layer of protection. You must have minimum of two layers of protection.

8. Trained Certified Personel is best defined by the State and Local authorities.

9.The new ANSI-7 has been adopted into the ICC building codes for 2009.

10. 9 X 9, 12 X 12, and 18 X 18 covers are expected to be on the market by mid-November 2009.

I hope this short synopsis is helpful. There was much more covered during the webinar, which was very informative. The participants really want us to help get the word out to all owner/operators. There are relativly very few which actually know about it, yet will be held liable, and could be shutdown for non-compliance.

I encourage you to watch the entire webinar at the following link: http://w.on24.com/r.htm?e=118798&s=1&k=B869DCAB52EFA5F50E89243D8E86AC80 . If you did not registar to watch it prior to its broadcast, you may need to registar to do so now. Expect it to take about 1.25 hours to view.

Of course, should you have any questions regarding the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, please feel free to contact me at: service@callthepoolguy.com . I will do my best to answer your question. Should you want a Professional Written On-site Assessment, I am available for this too.

Remember, the deadline for compliance is fast appraoching. We have only until December 19, 2008 to comply, and none of us wants to be closed, not for a single day.