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WEDC
(608) 267-4417

Central Building Location:
201 W. Washington Ave.
Madison, WI 53703
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Department of Safety
and Professional Services

Environmental and Regulatory Services Division
Barbro McGinn
barbro.mcginn@wisconsin.gov
(608) 261-7713

Safety and Buildings Division
(608) 266-3151

Office of Governor
Scott Walker
Link to Governor Walkers's web site
 
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IMPORTANT: As of July 1st, 2011, functions once performed by the Wisconsin Department of Commerce have been moved to other state agencies and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. The former Commerce web site will continue to exist for the next several months as resources are moved to new web site locations. We will make every attempt possible to direct our users to the new locations as web resources are moved.

Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act

Named after the granddaughter of former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker, President Bush signed the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act on December 19, 2007, Virginia Graeme Baker died after a tragic accident in June 2002 after the suction from a spa drain entrapped her under the water. This federal law will go into effect on January 1, 2009.

Currently, the Public Swimming Pool and Water Attraction Code, Comm 90, includes requirements for suction entrapment. The proposed code revisions, expected in late 2008 or early 2009, will include suction entrapment requirements and also require the suction covers in all new pools and water attractions to be listed as conforming to the ASME/ANSI A112.19.8 standard for suction outlets. This ASME/ANSI standard will not only address suction entrapment, it will also require drains to pass tests to reduce the chances of hair entanglement in drains.

The federal law will apply to all pools (existing and newly constructed), both public and private. The Wisconsin Department of Health has jurisdiction over the licensing of existing public swimming pools.

-- Henry Kosarzycki, AIA