Glossary
Drain entrapment
When suction from a pool or spa drain traps a person's hair, body, jewelry or swimsuit underwater.
Drain entrapment happens when powerful suction from a pool or spa drain or suction opening traps part of a person underwater. Pool Safely (opens in a new tab) says children's hair, limbs, jewelry or swimsuits can get stuck, and that drain suction can even trap an adult. It is most dangerous in spas, hot tubs and shallow pools, where children play close to the drains.
How to prevent it:
- never enter a pool or spa with a loose, broken or missing drain cover;
- teach children to stay away from drains and suction openings;
- before getting into a spa, find its emergency vacuum shutoff;
- tie up long hair and avoid loose jewelry in spas.
The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act requires public pools and spas to have anti-entrapment drain covers. Since it took effect in December 2008, CPSC (opens in a new tab) has had no reports of a child dying entrapped on a suction outlet cover in a public pool or spa. Home pools are not covered by that law, so check your own covers. See drain entrapment and hot tub safety.
What you can do today: look at the drain covers in your pool or spa and stop using it if any cover is cracked or missing.