2015 Anti-Entrapment Fall Forum Lifesaving Society Alberta and the - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

2015 Anti-Entrapment Fall Forum

William N. Rowley

PhD, PE, D-IBFES, D-NAFE

Lifesaving Society Alberta and the Northwest Territories

Beginning

• State-registered professional engineer

designing swimming pools, spas, equipment,

• etc. with emphasis on public safety
• 23 patents, 8 of which are Canadian
• Was contacted by County of Los Angeles

Chief Sanitarian Ernie Kraul in May 1974 to investigate a suction entrapment drowning in a residential spa in Santa Ana, California.

Testing

• First S.E. testing and reporting in 1974
• 1977 CPSC Suction Entrapment Tests
• 1997 Dual Main Drain S.E. Tests
• 2002 Dual Main Drain and Atmospheric Vent

Line Testing

• 2007 Dual Main Drain S.E. Tests
• The only human-subject testing for S.E. until

2002

• Human subject was Rowley

Raising Awareness

• Published 6 articles between 1974 and 1977
• 1974 Brought S.E. to attention of the CPSC,

NSPF, and the NSPI

• Briefed CPSC in 1977 and 1996
• 1997 Aquatics International article
• 1997 California Senate Bill 873
• 1997 NSPF Report
• 2002 California Senate Bill 1726
• 2006 NSPF Aquatic Safety Compendium
• 2008 Int’l Journal of Aquatic Research & Edu.

Litigation

• Suction entrapment litigation started in

late 1970s

• Landmark cases:
• 1993 Wake County, NC
• 2000 Dade County, FL
• 2003 Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
• 2007 Cartagena, Colombia
• 2007 Fairfield County, CT
• Familiar with but not involved in 2002 VGB Case

Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

Cartagena, Colombia

• Wading Pools
• Spa Pools
• Swimming Pools
• Anything that has a single

source of suction

Suction Entrapment

can occur in

Suction Entrapment

• Physical Description
• Technical Description
• Recommendations

Suction Entrapment

• Body Entrapment

to pump (main drain grate missing or broken)

Suction Entrapment Body Entrapment

Suction Entrapment

• Body Entrapment
• Limb Entrapment

Suction Entrapment Limb Entrapment

to pump (main drain grate missing or broken)

Suction Entrapment

• Body Entrapment
• Limb Entrapment
• Disembowelment–Evisceration

Suction Entrapment Disembowelment–Evisceration

to pump (main drain grate missing or broken)

Suction Entrapment

• Body Entrapment
• Limb Entrapment
• Disembowelment–Evisceration
• Hair Entrapment–Entanglement

Hair Entrapment / Entanglement

Engineering Standard

Hazard = Risk x Exposure If there is a hazard:

• 1. Remove it
• 2. Guard against it
• 3. Warn about it

Remove the Hazard

Dual Suction–Main Drain and Skimmer

pump main drain skimmer waterline

Properly Installed Multiple Main Drains

to pump main drain main drain

Improperly Installed Multiple Main Drains

main drain main drain to pump

Spa with Wall Mounted Main Drains

waterline main drain main drain to pump

8” Round Main Drain Outlet

to pump

• grate must be attached so that it cannot be removed except with use of tools
• grate must be ASME / ANSI / VGB listed

screw (typical 2 places)

8” Round Main Drain Outlet

Force in Pounds vs. Vacuum in Inches of Mercury

Force in Pounds

5 10 15 20 25 30 125 250 375 500 625 750 8" Round

Vacuum– Inches of Mercury

20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 250 500 750 1000 1250 1500 1750 2000 15" Hg. Vac 27" Hg. Vac

Swimming Pool Main Drain Outlet

Force (Pounds) vs. Open Area in Inches2 @ 15” (7.35 PSI) and 27” (13.23 PSI) of Mercury Vacuum

in2

Force in Pounds

12” square 8” round

Recommendations

• Connect all suction piping to at least 2

suction outlets with VGB-compliant covers

• Keep water velocity in all suction piping

under 6 fps

main drain main drain to pump

Suction Entrapment Prevention Enacted in Law

• 1. California Senate Bill 873 – 1997
• 2. California Senate Bill 1726 – 2002
• 3. (U.S.A.) Federal Virginia Graeme

Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act – 2007 (also known as the VGB Act, became effective December 20, 2008)

Before the (US) VGB Act

The CPSC tracked suction entrapment incidents for the years 1983-2002. In this time period, there was an average for pools and spas of: ~8 total incidents per year, of which ~2 fatal incidents per year

After the (US) VGB Act

The CPSC tracked suction entrapment incidents for the years 2009-2012. In this time period, there was an average for pools and spas of: ~5.5 total incidents per year, ~0 fatal incidents per year. ~30% decrease in incidents 100% decrease in fatalities

Alternatives?

• Safety Vacuum Release Systems (SVRS)
• Automatic Pump Shut-Off Systems

Issues:

• They do not prevent suction entrapment
• incidents. They respond after one occurs.
• They are only designed to respond to body

entrapments.

• They will not stop limb entrapments, hair

entanglements, or eviscerations.

Alternatives?

• Suction-Limiting Vent

System

Issues:

• Will stop body entrapment

and evisceration.

• Will not stop limb

entrapment.

• Questionable whether it will

stop hair entanglement.

• Most expensive option if

pool is already built.

Thank you.