There is an annual average of 283 drowning deaths and 2,700 emergency room-treated submersion injuries involving children younger than 5 in pools and spas. In addition, from 1997-2007, there were 74 reported incidents associated with suction entrapment, including 9 deaths and 62 injuries. Educate and protect yourself:

On December 19, 2007 President Bush signed into law the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa safety Act. This act is named after the granddaughter of former Secretary of State James Baker. Graeme Baker died in a tragic incident in June 2002 after the suction from a spa drain entrapped her under the water. This new law is aimed at reducing these deaths and injuries by making pools and spas safer, securing the environment around them, and educating consumers and industry on pool safety.

The VGB act specifics:

· All public pools and spas must have ASME/ANSI A112.19.8 compliant Drain Covers on or after December 19, 2008. These covers must be anti entrapment, anti entanglement and be stamped with the above code on it.

· All single main drains, other than unblockable must have an automatic shut-off system, gravity drainage system, Safety Vacuum Release System, suction-limiting vent system or disable the drain. (Dual suction outlets less than 3 feet apart should be treated single suction outlets.

Any public pool or spa not open on December 19, 2008 does not need to be in compliance until the day the owner/operator opens the pool or spa.

Southern Pools is advising its customers to take a proactive approach and make their pool compliant by the December 19, 2008 deadline.
We have divers and a certified design professional on staff that can make the necessary grate changes and certify any field changes. Southern Pools will document the date of the grate replacement, the make/model of the grate, the designed life of the grate, and the date the grate will need to be changed again. Copies of this certification will be retained for our records and be sent to the owner/operator and the state.

Link To Virginia Graeme Baker Act

Link To APSP Frequently Asked Questions