“The process used to review, consider and vote on the various proposals was amazing. Truly a best practices way of ensuring fairness and proper consideration,” said President and CEO of Olympic Pool Plastering & Shotcrete, Shawn Still.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (PRWEB) April 23, 2018
The International Code Council (ICC) held the 2018 Spring Committee Action Hearings last week in Columbus, Ohio to revise the International Family of Codes, including the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC). At the end of the three-stage process, approved changes will appear in the 2021 edition of the ISPSC to be published in the spring of 2020. There were 50 proposals submitted by The Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP), other organizations, and individuals all with an eye to improve safety, clarity, and comprehensiveness of the code.
During this first stage of the revision process, proposals that had been submitted in early January are then reviewed by the ISPSC “Code Committee” members weeks in advance of live testimony addressing the merits of each code change proposal after which the panel of subject matter experts debate and then vote.
“The process used to review, consider and vote on the various proposals was amazing. Truly a best practices way of ensuring fairness and proper consideration,” said President and CEO of Olympic Pool Plastering & Shotcrete, Shawn Still. “I hope our APSP builder members will be engaged before the next round so that we can help get our CBP Builder Manual in line with the ISPSC.”
Highlights of the proposals include bringing forward language on Interactive Water Features, a proven method to measure and confirm public pool Color Finishes and requirements for Equipment Rooms; areas that are currently not covered by the ISPSC. “Code changes such as these brought consistent language from the Model Aquatic Health Code, which helps to ensure there are not inconsistencies between the two codes,” said APSP Director of Government Affairs, Jennifer Hatfield.
APSP, along with representatives from USA Diving, worked to defeat language that could have eliminated competitive diving in this country as we know it. The APSP worked with representatives from the US Access Board and National Homebuilders Association, among others, to obtain a favorable vote on a proposal that provides clarity between gate and latch barrier protection for residential and public facilities. “This clarification is very important for the hotel and lodging industries where room-keys are often used to access the swimming pools and hot tubs,” said APSP Technical Committee Chair and a voting Committee member, Steve Barnes. “While these are technically ‘latches’ magnetic and phone-app door openers don’t strike the average person that way, and this successfully fixes that concern.”
Representing APSP on the 15 member ISPSC committee were Don Leas, U.S. Diving; Steve Barnes, Director of Science and compliance for AquaStar Pool Products; Shajee Siddiqui, Global Director of Product Safety and Compliance for Zodiac Pool Systems; Michael Ribnikar, COO Premier Pools and Spas/Dallas; Shawn Still, President and CEO of Olympic Pool Plastering & Shotcrete, and Kenneth Gregory, Manager of Compliance and Safety for Pentair Water Quality Systems. All were selected to serve on the Committee by the ICC Board of Directors.
“It was a pleasure to work with many people and groups to continue to improve the ISPSC for the betterment of builders and code inspectors who use it and consumers who enjoy the results of properly designed pools and spas,” said Hatfield.
APSP will have a full recap of all the code proposals in the coming month as we prepare for “Stage Two” in the ICC process. In several weeks, all the changes approved by the ISPSC Committee will be available online for public review and comment. Anyone can submit a code change comment and each will be posted online months in advance of the Public Comment Hearings scheduled the week of October 22, in Richmond, Virginia. If you submit a comment, you are welcome to attend and testify. Alternatively, APSP would welcome your input upon review of changes in order for us to consider what public comments to submit. Please send your input to Jennifer Hatfield at jhatfield(at)apsp(dot)org.
“I am particularly pleased that the ISPSC Code is already adopted in 21 states and 117 local jurisdictions protecting millions of backyard and public pools and spas. Witnessing these latest code changes being introduced was a pleasure to watch as it is testimony to how far this industry has come to responsibly regulate itself,” stated Carvin DiGiovanni, APSP Vice president of Technical and Standards.
APSP will alert you as to where and when the ISPSC comments will be available for comment.
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About APSP
The Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP) is the world’s oldest and largest association representing swimming pool, hot tub, and spa manufacturers, distributors, manufacturers’ agents, designers, builders, installers, suppliers, retailers, and service professionals. Dedicated to the growth and development of its members’ businesses and to promoting the enjoyment and safety of pools and spas, APSP offers a range of services, from professional development to advancing key legislation and regulation at the federal and local levels, to consumer outreach and public safety. APSP is the only industry organization recognized by the American National Standards Institute to develop and promote national standards for pools, hot tubs, and spas. For more information, visit APSP.org.