Florida Public Swimming Pool Safety: All Public Pools Must Comply with Federal Pool and Spa Safety Act
Here in Broward County and the Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale area, we South Florida residents enjoy some of the finest year-round weather in the nation. Besides our world-class beaches, Florida's swimming pools are a big part of our lifestyle. Many homes and condo and apartment complexes have them, and public swimming pools offer a way to cool down for families who don't own their own swimming pools.
The dark side to the sunny South Florida lifestyle is Florida has a higher than national average rate of childhood deaths due to drowning. Some sobering statistics:
- According to the CDC, drowning was the number-one cause of death for Florida children ages 0 to 5 years old in 2005 (45%), followed by motor vehicle traffic accidents (30.9%).
- Nationally, drowning is the second leading cause of death due to injury in children ages 1 to 14.
- In 2004 in the U.S., 761 children age 14 and younger died due to drowning.
The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, which became effective Dec. 20, 2007, was designed to make public swimming pools and spas safer. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is administering this Federal act, which mandates that all U.S. public swimming pools and spas must be in compliance with safety requirements by Dec. 20, 2008.
Some of the safety requirements include proper fencing and barriers, a "safety vacuum release system" at suction outlets where water is pumped and recirculated, and drains that have covers and otherwise meet Consumer Product Safety standards to avoid entrapping swimmers. Of course, adult supervision by watchful parents or caregivers is one of the best means of preventing child pool drowning and accidents.
Public pools and spas in Florida and the other states who have not complied with the Pool and Spa Safety Act by Dec. 20, 2008, will be found to be in violation of the Act.
New Swimming Pool and Spa Safety Act for All Public Pools International Business Times Nov. 10, 2008
Related Web Resources
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Pool and Spa Safety Publications
The Association of Pool and Spa Professionals
