United States CONSUMER
PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION STANDARD FOR UNBLOCKABLE DRAIN
TAKEN
FROM June 18, 2008 CPSC Staff Interpretation of the Pool and Spa
Safety Act Section 14041
1
This
interpretation is that of the CPSC staff, has not been reviewed or
approved by, and may not necessarily reflect the views of, the
Commission.
THIS ENTIRE DOCUMENT CAN BE VIEWED ON THE WEB AT
http://www.nspf.org/Documents/CPSC_Articles/cpscSection1404.pdf
Unblockable
Drain:
(7) UNBLOCKABLE DRAIN - The term unblockable drain means
a
drain of any size and shape that a human body cannot sufficiently block
to create a suction entrapment hazard.
(FROM
Pool and Spa Safety Act 1404i)
Staff
interpretation: an unblockable drain, to be consistent with the test
procedures found in
ASME/ANSI A112.19.8,
would have a minimum measure of 18 x 23, which represents the shoulder
to waist measurement of the 99th percentile adult
Staff further
interpretation: unblockable drain may include:
drain
configurations that prevent a seal from occurring (large aspect
cover, such as 18 x 23 or larger covers)
long channels
that cannot be blocked by the body (see figure a. below)
large outlet
grate (diagonal measure of 29 or more) (see figure b. below)
circulation
designs that do not include fully submerged suction outlets
