What happened to Virginia Graeme Baker?
What happened to Virginia Graeme Baker?
The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act (P&SS Act) takes its name from Virginia Graeme Baker, a young girl who drowned after she was trapped under water by the powerful suction from a hot tub drain. Graeme died from drowning, but the real cause of her death was suction entrapment due to a faulty drain cover.
What happened to Virginia Graeme Baker and what is the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Act?
The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGBA) is a United States law named after Virginia Graeme Baker, who died after sustaining a pool suction-drain injury in June 2002, when the suction from a spa drain entrapped her under the water….Entrapment.
| Pool/Spa | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Female | 5 | 35 |
What is VGBA compliance?
SUMMARY: The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Act (VGBA, or Act) requires that drain covers must comply with entrapment protection requirements specified by the joint American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) ASME/ANSI A112.
Why does my pool have two drains?
When constructing a new swimming pool, if you are going to use a main drain it is required that you use two. This is due to safety regulations to help prevent Main Trap Entrapment. Main drain entrapment occurs when the suction is so great through a single main drain that a person can become stuck on or in the drain.
Has anyone ever died from a pool drain?
“There’s too much at stake.” The vacuum effect in pool drains is powerful enough to hold swimmers, especially children, to the bottom of a pool. Swimmers can die from drowning or evisceration. From 1999 to 2008, according to CPSC data, there were 83 reports of suction entrapment, including 11 deaths and 69 injuries.
How often should a public pool be drained?
At the other end, many public swimming pools are drained and refilled twice a year. For homeowners, the best recommendation is to drain and refill your swimming pool every two to three years.
How often do pool drain covers need to be replaced?
Drain cover manufacturers are required to provide the consumer with information that tells them when the drain cover must be replaced before they begin to crack or show other signs of failure. Many manufacturers have designated a life span of 5 years, others up to 10 years.
Where is the pool drain?
The main drains are usually located on the lowest point in the pool, so the entire pool surface slants toward them. Most of the dirt and debris that sinks exits the pool through these drains.
What is an anti vortex drain cover?
The anti-vortex drain cover complies with new Federal laws to help prevent swimmers from being trapped underwater due to excessive suction created by the pump and drain combination. Drain cover measures 7⅝ inch diameter outside, 6⅞ inch center (diameter between screw holes).
How do you know if your pool is leaking main?
So, if you see that you pressure quickly drops to 2 psi, it’s likely that there’s a leak in the main drain line somewhere between 4′ – 5′ under the water level of the pool. If there is a leak in the section of the line at or above the water level of the pool, you’ll see a quick drop to 0 psi.
Does a pool need a bottom drain?
Main drains are not required in an inground swimming pool, however, they are strongly recommended and can be extremely useful in some circumstances. This is useful when replacing your pool liner. Main drains are also helpful in the filtering of water and dirt from the bottom of the pool.
Can you be disemboweled by pool drain?
Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Pool suction drain injury, also known as suction entrapment, occurs when the drain of a wading pool or swimming pool suck in a swimmer’s jewelry, torso, limbs, hair or buttocks. Evisceration, also known as disembowelment, could happen in case of buttock entrapment.
What is the Virginia Graeme Baker pool and spa safety act?
Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act – (Sec. 3) Requires each swimming pool or spa drain cover manufactured, distributed, or entered into commerce in the United States to conform to specified ASME/ANSI entrapment protection standards.
What is the purpose of the VGB Act?
The VGB Act is designed to reduce the risk of five forms of entrapment. The following entrapment categories are the result of analysis of all reported cases of entrapment to CPSC. It is important to note that not all entrapments are caused by suction. Excessive water flow through a cover (certified or not) can entangle and knot hair.
Who was Virginia Graeme Baker and what did she do?
The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGBA) is a United States law named after Virginia Graeme Baker, who died after sustaining a pool suction-drain injury in June 2002, when the suction from a spa drain entrapped her under the water.
When did the VGBA go into effect in Virginia?
The VGBA, 15 U.S.C. 8001 et seq., took effect on December 19, 2008. The VGBA’s purpose is to prevent drain entrapment and child drowning in swimming pools and spas.