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The first edition of the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) has been approved and is expected to be available in March.

A new comprehensive swimming pool and spa code to bolster pool safety and meet the requirements of the Virginia Graeme Baker Act will soon be available for adoption after the recent approval of the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC).

Expected to be available next month, the ISPSC is published by the International Code Council (ICC) and co-ordinated with other I-Codes. It comprises new comprehensive requirements for residential and commercial pool and spa builders in the United States and was developed under the ICC's governmental consensus process with the support of the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (APSP).

Changes to the code, which was approved during last November's final action hearings, include:
• Suction fittings for all aquatic vessels must be in accordance with American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/APSP-16 2011, Standard Suction Fittings for Use in Swimming Pools, Wading Pools, Spas, and Hot Tubs, a federal requirement adopted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), effective Sept. 6, 2011. The CPSC replaced the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) A112.19.8 standard within the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act with the APSP 16 standard.
• Occupant load for decks around water park aquatic vessels was increased from one person per 4.6 m² (50 sf) to one person per 1.4 m² (15 sf). Operator experience indicated deck areas in these types of facilities were often very crowded, which led to concerns about egress problems during an emergency condition.

The ISPSC was developed with input from industry experts and associations, including the APSP, Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). Representatives of the Pool & Hot Tub Council of Canada (PHTCC) also provided the ICC with recommended amendments during the draft document review process.