U.S. Probes Safety Testing on Pool Drain Covers

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is investigating whether young swimmers could be at risk for getting trapped in improperly tested pool drains.

The commission said it has discovered some laboratories may not have correctly tested the “flow rating” of pool and spa drain covers, giving them improper certification.

The agency is reviewing 17,000 pages of documents collected from subpoenas regarding testing procedures at three labs. The agency has scheduled a public meeting April 5 to question industry officials about drain safety.

The agency says it hopes to identify covers that have improper ratings by the traditional start of the summer swimming season, Memorial Day weekend. Meanwhile, the agency is encouraging pool owners to keep children away from the drains and other openings, especially in shallow wading pools.