Officials Need Help Enforcing New Pool Drain Law
Published: July 6, 2009
COLUMBUS, Ohio —In 2008, the federal government passed the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool Safety Act which mandated all public pools in the country replace flat drain covers with new safer ones by the end of the year.
Those new drains are now available through several manufacturers.
It’s been reported that drains can pack up to 800 pounds of suction force. In fact, a 6-year-old Virginia girl died after falling on a drain and it’s her story that inspired the new legislation. But who’s regulating the law?
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is the lead agency and is responsible for the inspections.
However a commission spokesperson said they only have 100 inspectors to go around and they want the states to pitch in.
Yet, some state and local officials say they can’t enforce it because it’s a federal law.
Grant money could be made available for new drains to some states.
A national awareness campaign is set to launch in the coming months to make pool operators and the public aware of the change.
If you suspect a drain is not in compliance call the Consumer Product Safety Commission at 1-800-638-2772.
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Reader Reactions
Perhaps. Let a state/local inspecter take pictures of an offending drain, then furnish it to the media.
After a “YOUR CHILD MAY DIE” media alert, I speculate it will not be too long before the offending drains are replaced.
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“Yet, some state and local officials say they can’t enforce it because it’s a federal law.“
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