Portable Pools

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) staff is participating in voluntary standards activities related to inflatable pools. Inflatable pools include self-rising, soft-sided self-rising, inflatable, and inflatable top-ring pools which come in all sizes, shapes, and water depths. Some pools are as large as 20 feet in diameter with volumes of water that can range up to 5,000 gallons. The larger models may even be equipped with circulation pumps and water filters.

Approximately 280 children under 5 years old drown in pools each year nationwide and an additional 2200 are treated in hospital emergency rooms for submersion incidents. Most of the incidents involve residential pools. Additionally, CPSC staff is aware of an average of 12 deaths per year (for 2003-2005) associated with inflatable pools involving children under 10 years old.

CPSC staff is working with ASTM International to develop a standard for "portable" pools, which would cover the relatively new, increasingly popular inflatable pools. In addition, the ANSI/National Spa and Pool Institute standard (NSPI-4) for above ground pools has been circulated for public review and comment. Staff has stated that the new inflatable-ring, self-rising, on-ground pools, which have become prominent on the market, should be incorporated into this standard. Currently, above-ground/on-ground pools with water depths less than 36 inches are not included in the scope of the standard.

Additional Information

Additional Information

For further information concerning specific standards, please contact the relevant standards organization: