ICC eNews

Safer Waters Ahead

By Lee Clifton, International Code Council PMG Director of Plumbing Programs

Swimming pool accidents occur with surprising frequency in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that nearly 3500 people die in drowning accidents each year, many of which occur in swimming pools where an adult or child falls, dives or jumps improperly, or becomes entrapped or entangled in suction drains or other defective pool materials.

The International Code Council Board members voted unanimously to develop the nation’s first all encompassing Comprehensive Swimming Pool Code. This action will provide a code to coordinate with other International Codes, meet the requirements of the Virginia Graeme Baker Act and upgrade pool safety. The Board’s action in voting to move this forward demonstrates an understanding of the immediate need for a complete code.

The code will be developed under the Code Council’s governmental consensus process with the support of the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (APSP), bringing together the industry’s finest pool safety experts, contractors, engineers, manufacturers, and other members and stakeholders. The APSP is the world's largest international trade association and leading industry advocate representing the swimming pool, spa and hot tub industry. Its member companies include manufacturers, manufacturers' agents, distributors, designers, builders, installers, retailers and service professionals.

Where did this all start? In February 2008 at the Code Council’s Code Development Hearings in Palm Springs, California, APSP and the Code Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together on areas of joint benefit and interest. APSP President and CEO Bill Weber and Senior Technical Director Carvin DiGiovanni attended the ceremony. ICC Chief Operating Officer Dominic Sims, and Executive Director of Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Jay Peters represented the Code Council at the ceremony. This Memorandum of Understanding recognized the shared technical interests of both the Code Council and the APSP and sought to advance and promote mutual interests of swimming pool and spa professionals in areas of standard development, research, education, marketing and communications.

On September 21, 2008 the Code Council members voted to replace the existing language for pool and spa entrapment avoidance in the International Building Code (IBC, public pools and spas) and the International Residential Code (IRC, residential pool and spas) by incorporating the ANSI/APSP-7 2006 Standard for Suction Entrapment Avoidance. The floor vote decided by an overwhelming majority of the voting members to reverse the decision of both the IBC and IRC Committees made back in February 2008 in Palm Springs, Calif. As a result, the ANSI/APSP-7 standard was incorporated into the body (mandatory) of the 2009 International Building Code and in Appendix G of the 2009 International Residential Code.

The standard provides protection against the five known forms of entrapment. The solutions this standard offers are technically sound and completely consistent with the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act and current Consumer Product Safety Commission interpretations. The APSP supported and helped develop the VGB Act and has worked closely with the CPSC and other organizations toward its implementation.

In the past year and a half we have witnessed one of the most significant pool and spa safety advances ever undertaken. The results are due to professionals who truly care.

The Code Council’s PMG Resource Center is proud to use its decades of experience in developing superior codes to be able to provide greater peace of mind in knowing that pools are safer for families and communities. From superior codes and related resources to outstanding evaluation, training and certification programs and a wide range of business-building, money-saving member benefits, the Code Council is an invaluable resource for all building professionals. Contact the PMG Resource Center at pmgresourcecenter@iccsafe.org or 1-888-422-7233, x4PMG or visit iccsafe.org/pmg to learn more about our diverse product offerings.