logo
    • News
    • Classifieds
    • Free Subscription
    • Book Store
    • Submit
      • Submit a Classified Ad
      • Submit an Educational Announcement
      • Submit a letter to The Editor
    • Past Issues
    • Regional Trade Shows
    • Testimonials
    • Contact
    • News
    • Classifieds
    • Free Subscription
    • Book Store
    • Submit
      • Submit a Classified Ad
      • Submit an Educational Announcement
      • Submit a letter to The Editor
    • Past Issues
    • Regional Trade Shows
    • Testimonials
    • Contact
Gruesome entrapment was avoidable
News
April 14, 2024
Gruesome entrapment was avoidable

“The Virginia Graham Baker Act must be revised,” said Hassan Hamza, president and founder of Vacless systems, which has become the industry leader in pool and spa safety vacuum release systems (SVRS).

He was talking about the tragedy that befell Aliyah Jaico, an 8-year-old girl who died after she was sucked into the plumbing of a lazy river at a Texas hotel this March.

He said the accident was totally avoidable.

“It could have been avoided if they had installed a simple safety vacuum release system,” Hamza said.

Hamza hasn’t seen the plumbing configuration at the Houston DoubleTree by Hilton hotel where Aliyah lost her life. But it takes very little imagination for him to understand what went wrong.

It happened at a hotel lazy river. Because it was open to the public, it probably had two or more main suction drains, as mandated by federal law — the Virginia Graham Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act. Those suction lines were probably covered by grates, as is also required by the law. Located next to those suction lines was the extra-large pressure line, used to push the water of the lazy river out in a single direction. The return line wasn’t covered. It didn’t have to be.

“The fact that it was a lazy river makes no difference: It was a body of water with a pump, a pressure side, and a suction side,” Hamza said. “Aliyah got sucked into a pipe that was supposed to be pushing water into the pool, and because of that, they didn’t have a cover on it.”

Safety Vacuum Release System (SVRS) According to Hamza, the reason it happened was that somebody made a mistake. Someone reversed the flow of the water, so that the suction lines became return lines, and the return line became the suction line. And the instant that happened, the pool had a single, uncovered suction line that was by law violating the VGBA.

Hamza says there are valves that can make it easy to switch between pressure and suction. He thinks that whoever was operating or maintaining the pool reversed the flow by mistake.

The Virginia Graham Baker Act does not require a safety vacuum release system on pools with multiple suction lines. It isn’t thought to be necessary. That’s because having multiple suction lines prevents the suction force from becoming so great that there is an entrapment hazard.

Safety vacuum release systems are required by the VGBA only for public pools with a single main drain. An SVRS is a simple device that attaches to the pool pump or to the suction line. It functions by detecting surges in suction pressure. If it detects a sudden increase in suction force — which occurs when a suction line is blocked — it instantly allows outside air into the pump, causing the pump to lose prime and all suction force to be removed.

A pump protected by an SVRS cannot cause suction entrapments, regardless of how many drains the pool has installed.

And when it comes to pool and spa safety, Hamza said that the laws and the inspectors are focused on the suction side.

“But a mistake happened that made that focus useless,” Hamza said. “Entrapments happen because of mistakes. Entrapments happen because of missing covers — that’s a mistake. Switching from pressure to suction was a mistake. They say you don’t need a secondary safety system when you have multiple main drains, but you can see that in this case, it was needed. Because people make mistakes.”

“The Virginia Graham Baker Act must be revised, making it mandatory to install secondary safety systems on all public pools equipped with single or multiple main drains to guard against entrapment caused by switching the direction of the flow.” Hamza said.

LATEST NEWS
Pool Hot Tub Alliance takes to the Hill
News
Pool Hot Tub Alliance takes to the Hill
PHTA members, staff met with congressional leaders to discuss swimming pool related issues
May 31, 2025
By Marcelle Dibrell The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) hosted its third annual PHTA Day on the Hill this April as association members went to Washingt...
this is a test
News
Pool techs answer service pricing survey
May 31, 2025
With the summer solstice a couple weeks away and Memorial Day just past, it’s hard to argue that summertime hasn’t arrived, and that means that it’s t...
this is a test
LA pools overwhelmed by mosquitos
News
LA pools overwhelmed by mosquitos
May 31, 2025
Beleaguered residents of the recent catastrophic Los Angeles fires are facing a new public health crisis: Mosquitoes. It was a predictable outcome tha...
this is a test
Hotel pool heater sends 2 to hospital
News
Hotel pool heater sends 2 to hospital
May 31, 2025
A carbon monoxide incident in a Kansas hotel caused by a swimming pool heater sent two guests to the hospital. The DoubleTree by Hilton in Riley Count...
this is a test
BioLab Conyers, Georgia plant closes
News
BioLab Conyers, Georgia plant closes
May 31, 2025
The chlorine manufacturing plant that was responsible for last year’s massive chemical fire in Georgia will not be reopening. BioLab, owner of the Con...
this is a test
MONEY ON THE TABLE
News
DON’T LEAVE
MONEY ON THE TABLE
SIGN UP TODAY & GET THE RIGHT TOOLS
May 31, 2025
DON’T LEAVE SIGN UP TODAY & GET THE RIGHT TOOLS The Fluidra ServicePro rewards program is designed specifically for pool service companies and gives y...
this is a test
Read Our Newsletter
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
Free Subscription
View Current Print Ads
Educational Announcements
Aquatic Training Institute

Educational Leverage

Foundation For Pool Industry Education

Locey Pool

Pool Chemistry Training Institute

Pool & Hot Tub Alliance

Portofino University

Underwater Pool Masters
Trade Show Dates
  • The International Pool Spa Patio Expo
    Nov. 12-14, Dallas, Texas
  • The Pool and Spa Show
    Jan. 28-30, Atlantic City, New Jersey
  • 35th Annual National Plasterers Conference
    Feb. 26-28, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
  • The Southwest Pool and Spa Show
    Feb. 4-8, Houston, Texas
  • The Western Pool and Spa Show
    Feb. 6-8, Long Beach, California
Books to Order
About Us Terms of Use Privacy Policy
We use cookies to ensure that our website gives you the best experience possible. By continuing to use this website, you agree to this use of cookies.OK