What professionals need to know
By Steve Barnes
On May 24, 2021, there was a change to the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGBA). Specifically, there was a change to its corresponding U.S. Consumer Product Safety Standard, ANSI/APSP/ICC-16. This is the drain cover standard referenced in U.S. federal law. The VGBA requires drain covers to comply with the standard’s specified protection requirements.
The VGBA is also used extensively in Canada, including all public facilities in Alberta, which use both ANSI/APSP/ICC-16 and ANSI/APSP/ICC-7. Canadian pool professionals are active participants in the usage and development of these pool and spa standards.
The following is a brief overview of why the change was implemented, as well as what actions are now required from pool professionals.
Examining the revised standard
ANSI/APSP/ICC-16 2017 is the American National Standard for suction outlet fitting assemblies (SOFAs) for use in pools, spas, and hot tubs. This standard is also referred to as VGBA-2017, the new markings found on compliant drain covers.
At the highest level, all standards under the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) must undergo periodic maintenance. This means they need to be reviewed every five years and every 10 years at minimum. ANSI standards can be reaffirmed, revised, or even discontinued.
Upon review, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) ultimately found changing the current ANSI/APSP/ICC-16 standard, also known as VGB-2008, was in the public interest. They voted unanimously to make the 2017 edition the successor standard. However, it took until May 2021 for the implementation to be mandated. The delay from the 2017 revision to the effective date was to allow manufacturers and registered design professionals time to comply with significant new documentation and product marking requirements. The effective date was also extended by six months due to COVID-19.
Of course, there is some question as to why the 2008 standard was called VGB-2008, while the most recent version is called VGBA-2017. The family of the standard’s namesake, Virginia Graeme Baker, has requested the pool and spa industry refer to the standard using the word “Act,” to differentiate from the person they lost so tragically. The revised standard is called VGBA-2017 for this reason.
The term SOFA will also be used more frequently in the wake of the recently updated standard. VGBA-2017 defines a SOFA as “all components, including the cover/grate, used to attach the cover/grate(s) to the finished surface of a pool and to an individual suction system.” What does this mean for the installer? It means moving forward, SOFA will be used more often in training manuals and manufacturer instructions. Knowing the full meaning of the acronym will assist in navigating directions provided with VGBA-2017 offerings.
