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Enhancing Your Membership Through Standards

The ANSI/APSP standards are an essential member benefit and a valuable customer resource, both before and after the sale. By applying all applicable industry standards to your business, you demonstrate commitment to your customers’ satisfaction and safety, giving you a competitive edge in the marketplace. Additionally, many APSP members have found that APSP standards are a good way to establish and strengthen working relationships with their local building and public health inspectors.

APSP standards establish voluntary minimum guidelines that, when adopted by state and local government, have the force of law. APSP standards are increasingly gaining national recognition and acceptance at the federal, state, and local levels of government. APSP’s residential standards are already referenced in the appendices of the International Residential Code, which has been adopted or referenced in 47 states. The APSP standards are recognized by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. This summer the Florida Building Commission voted to adopt into the state code the new ANSI/APSP-7 Standard for Suction Entrapment Avoidance. In August, the FBC action will be ratified at a rule adoption hearing for approval of the entire 2007 Code and will become effective October 1, 2008. Watch future issues of IC for more about what’s happening in other states.

APSP produces national standards that are data-driven and knowledge-based with the goal of producing safe, enjoyable products. Based on science, verifiable data, and industry best practices, the ANSI/APSP standards are the benchmark for the pool and spa industry. The benefits of APSP standards for design, construction, and operation include a standardized system of ratings and tolerances, provision for all technologies without specific design criteria, and consistency in design, construction, and installation requirements for the nation. The end result for your consumers is that they have greater confidence and acceptance of your product when they know the product they have purchased or installed follows a national standard.

APSP has been an accredited ANSI standards developer since 1983. Since that time, APSP has published 10 American National Standards for the pool and spa industry. Because of the voluntary national consensus process administered by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the APSP standards represent the only national consensus standards governing design, construction, operation, and maintenance of swimming pools and other treated recreational water venues.

The third-party ANSI process achieves consensus of a diversified group of national volunteers representing varied viewpoints and interests. Participants in the ANSI consensus process include public health and code officials, architects, regulatory agencies, academia, subject matter experts, safety organizations, consultants, nonprofit organizations, and professionals in the pool and spa industry. The ANSI process ensures that standards have been developed under rigorous third-party procedures, including openness, balance, and due process.

There are other standards-developing organizations in the industry, but only APSP can make the claim of having developed its standards through ANSI’s rigorous third-party national consensus process that ensures openness, balance, and due process!

Click here for a complete list of available ANSI/APSP standards.