Consumer Product Safety Commission
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction.
Mission
In addition to pool and spa safety, the CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.
Water Safety Issues
The CPSC is actively involved in tracking and reducing the number of incidents and drownings in pools and spas. Each year, nearly 300 children under the age of five drown in residential and public pools and spas. Submersion incidents requiring emergency-room treatment or hospitalization number in the thousand,s and many victims experience permanent disability, including brain damage. There also are dangers from drain or suction entrapment. Drains with broken, missing, or faulty covers can entrap hair, the body, limbs, jewelry and clothing, or cause disembowelment/evisceration.
On December 17, 2007, the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act was signed into law. This child safety law became effective in December 2008 and strives to enhance the safety of public and private pools and spas; and reduce the number of suction entrapment incidents, injuries and deaths. The CPSC is the lead agency in implementing and enforcing this Act. CPSC is working with other safety groups in the pool and spa safety community to encourage the use of layers of protection — such as fencing around pools, constant supervision, and requiring anti-entrapment drain covers and other safety devices.
