Two days before Memorial Day weekend in 2011, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall of approximately one million pool and spa drain covers — installed within the last three years. This recall was made at the federal level with the intent of making pools and spas safer for the bathers. With this in place, the feds began advising commercial pools be closed until the drains were brought into compliance.
This recall was the culmination of the very sad drowning of Virginia Graeme Baker, pictured here, due to entrapment by a hot tub drain.
The youngest of five, the 7-year-old was the daughter of Nancy and James Baker IV, the son of former Secretary of State James Baker III. She was on the community swimming team, and had been able to swim without assistance since she was 3 years old.
“I know this is a very difficult message for many communities to hear so close to Memorial Day weekend,” said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. “But we cannot risk a child becoming entrapped in a recalled drain cover. … We know that drain entrapment is a hidden, horrific and preventable hazard.”
As would be expected, coming at the start of the summer swimming season, the industry was not amused. The effects rippled through from the manufacturers, to the distributors, to the retailers and to the pool and spa owners as well.
This article covers this entire topic in great detail: http://www.poolspanews.com/2011/102/102drain.html, for more of the details.
As we start 2013, just a few short months from this year’s summer swimming season, how far have we come? Were lives saved and was the federal decree effective?
Many questions can be answered by skimming this excellent FAQ: http://www.poolsafely.gov/faqs/
Do keep safety in mind when hot tubbing, and take all precautions, then enjoy your time with your family.
Happy Tubbing!
Ethel Elliott
