Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog
Just two days before the Memorial Day holiday weekend, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled approximately 1 million pool and hot tub drain covers because they could pose drowning and entrapment hazard to children and adults. Hundreds of thousands of pools and hot tubs, both private and public, may be affected. CPSC chairwoman Inez Tenenbaum is asking for public pools that have been using the recalled drain covers to temporarily shut down operation until the drain cover can be inspected, repaired, and/or replaced. However, she did also say that not all of the recalled drain covers will need to be changed or fixed.
The recall was announced because the CPSC found that many of the drain covers, which were supposed to meet the safety regulations that were implemented in 2008, were certified by labs that applied faulty standards. As a result, some of the drains have inaccurate flow ratings.
Our DC injury lawyers are familiar with the serious injuries that can result from pool drain covers that don’t meet the safety standards mandated by 2008 law. The vacuum effect of some drains can be so powerful that without the proper covering, a swimmer can get suctioned to a drain and drown. In 2007, one 6-year-old girl’s intestines were partially sucked out by a swimming pool drain. She had to have transplants of the small bowel, liver, and pancreas, and she eventually died.
The pool and hot tub drains included in the recall were made by a number of companies: A & A Manufacturing, Color Match, AquaStar Pool Products, Hayward Pool Products, Custom Molded Products, Rising Dragon USA, Pentair Water Pool and Spa.
Drain cover recall could close thousands of pools, USA Today, May 26, 2011
Drowning Risk Prompts Biggest Ever Recall Of Backyard Pool Drain Covers, ABC News, May 26, 2011
Eight Manufacturers Recall Pool and In-Ground Spa Drain Covers Due to Incorrect Ratings, CPSC, May 26, 2011
Related Web Resources:
Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act
More Blog Posts:
CPSC Offers Tips to Prevent Washington DC Pool Drowning Accidents, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, May 4, 2011
Pool Drain Sucks Small Intestine From Six-Year-Old Girl; Maryland Residents Push For Tougher Pool Safety Laws, Maryland Accident Law Blog, July 9, 2007
If you or your loved one was hurt by a defective product, contact our Washington DC products liability law firm today. If the injury accident occurred someone else’s property, you also may have reason to file a DC premises liability claim.