Swimming Pool Main Drain Regulations

Main drain entrapment occurs when the suction is so great through a single main drain that a person can become stuck on or in the drain.

Swimming pool main drain regulations.

The check a drain initiative reminds both homeowners as well as professionals to make sure pool spa and hot tub drain covers are replaced per the manufacturer s time requirement stamped on the cover in accordance with federal mandates in the virginia graeme baker vgb pool spa safety act. Depths at the shallow end wall depths at any beginning or ending in breaks in slope and depth at the main drain. Indicate depth markers on the pool deck to match depth markers on the wall. The pool water is drawn through both main drains simultaneously which removes the possibility of being held down by strong suction or stuck on the drain cover.

Guidance documents unblockable drain interpretation october 2011 vgb guidelines. If a successor standard is proposed the american society of. It is title 14 of the u s. Texas laws health and safety code.

Energy independence and security act of 2007 eisa title 14 pub l. Section 341 0645 pool safety. The virginia graeme baker pool and spa safety act vgba is a united states law named after graeme baker who died in an accident in june 2002 when the suction from a spa drain entrapped her under the water. When constructing a new swimming pool if you are going to use a main drain it is required that you use two.

This is due to safety regulations to help prevent main trap entrapment. Therapeutic pool means a pool used for physical therapy including but not limited to post operative and pre operative strength training assistance of buoyancy of water and other one on one training. Effective 1 year after december 19 2007 each swimming pool or spa drain cover manufactured distributed or entered into commerce in the united states shall conform to the entrapment protection standards of the asme ansi a112 19 8 performance standard or any successor standard regulating such swimming pool or drain cover. Free online training virginia graeme baker pool spa safety act online course now available.

Section 341 0695 interactive water features and fountains. Profile view longitudinal section 1. 110 140 baker was the daughter of james and nancy baker and the granddaughter of former. The new federal safety regulations for pool drains are part of the virginia graeme baker pool safety act named for the daughter of former secretary of state james a.

Commercial pools or public pools around the country were required to retrofit older pools with dual main drains. Exclusively for swimming recreative bathing or wading and includes appurtenances used in connection with the swimming pool. And side view see the pool code for dimension requirements for pools with diving boards d.