Florida Building Commission

Electrical TAC Concurrent With Swimming Pool TAC

July 18, 2016

Hilton University of Florida Conference Center

1714 S.W. 34th Street—Gainesville, Florida

 

Meeting Objectives

Ø To Approve Regular Procedural Topics (Agenda and Meeting Minutes)

Ø To Review and Provide TAC Comments on Comments Received Regarding TAC’s Actions on Proposed Code Modifications for the 6th Edition (2017) Update to the Florida Building Code

Ø To Convene Calder Sloan Swimming Pool Electrical Safety Task Force

Ø To Review Task Force Charge, Scope, and Operational Procedures

Ø To Evaluate Topical Issues Identified From Public Comment

Ø To Evaluate Standards for Grounding, Bonding, Lighting, Wiring, and All Electrical Aspects for Safety

Ø To Discuss and Evaluate Level of Acceptability of Proposed Options

Ø To Consider Public Comment

Ø To Identify Needed Next Steps: Information, Assignments, and Agenda Items for Next Meeting

 

Meeting Agenda—Monday, July 18, 2016

All Agenda Times—Including Adjournment—Are Approximate and Subject to Change

 8:30 AM

A.)

Welcome and Introductions

 

B.)

Agenda Review and Approval (July 18, 2016)

 

C.)

Approval of Meeting Minutes (June 27, 2016)

 

D.)

TAC Review, Receive and Comments on Comments Received Regarding TAC’s Actions on Proposed Code Modifications for the 6th Edition (2017) Update to the Florida Building Code

Detail Report With Comments
Tracking Report With Comments

 

E.)

Convene Calder Sloan Swimming Pool Electrical Safety Task Force

 

F.)

Review of Task Force Scope, Purpose, and Operational Procedures

 

G.)

Review of Key Issues for Evaluation By Task Force

 

H.)

Identification and Discussion of Options for Evaluation Regarding Electrical Pool Safety

12:00 PM

Lunch

 1:00 PM

I.)

Discussion and Evaluation of Options in Turn

 3:00 PM

Break

 3:15 PM

I.)

Discussion and Evaluation of Options in Turn—Continued

 

J.)

General Public Comment

 

K.)

Next Steps: Agenda Items, Needed Information, Assignments, Date and Location If Needed

~5:00 PM

L.)

Adjourn

 

 

Calder Sloan Swimming Pool Electrical Safety Task Force Membership

Swimming Pool TAC Members

James Batts (Swimming Pool TAC Chair) (Task Force Chair)

Tom Allen

Jordan Clarkson

Bill Dumbaugh

Kevin Flanagan

John O’Conner

Mark Pabst

Gordon Shepardson

Bob Vincent

John Wahler

Corky Williams

Electrical TAC Members

Kevin Flanagan (Electrical TAC Chair)

Neal Burdick

Ken Castronovo

Leonard Devine, Jr.

Shane Gerwig

Oriol Haage

David Rice

Joe Territo

Clarence Tibbs

Dwight Wilkes

Roy Van Wyk

DBPR Staff

April Hammonds

FBC Legal Counsel

Mo Madani

Technical Manager

Jim Richmond

Executive Director

Facilitator

Jeff Blair

FCRC Consensus Center at Florida State University

 

Meeting Dates and Locations—2016

I.

July 18, 2016

Gainesville

II.

If Needed, TBD

If Needed, TBD

III.

If Needed, TBD

If Needed, TBD

 

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Project Overview

Calder Sloan Swimming Pool Electrical Safety Task Force

The 2015 Florida Legislature identified the need to evaluate the electrical aspects of swimming pool safety focusing on minimizing electrocution risks linked to swimming pools. In response, the Florida Building Commission approved a research project (technical enrichment) for a Swimming Pool Electrocution Prevention Study. In order to implement the project the Commission convened a process to develop recommendations for pool safety focused on the prevention of electrocution in swimming pools. The Commission determined that the project would be evaluated and recommendations developed by convening concurrent meetings of the Commission’s Swimming Pool Technical Advisory Committee and Electrical Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The objective of the project was to evaluate key topical issues, and as appropriate develop code amendment proposals designed to minimize electrocution risks linked to swimming pools.

 

In response to the Commission’s direction the Swimming Pool TAC and Electrical TAC agreed that the initial Phase I scope of the project was to determine whether to recommend a proposed code amendment that would require low voltage lighting in residential swimming pools for new construction. Once the Swimming Pool TAC and the Electrical TAC concluded their evaluation of low voltage lighting they would then evaluate additional project relevant topics in Phase II of the project: specifically bonding, grounding, retrofitting of existing pools, and education. The TACs met for the second time on October 14, 2015 and developed a consensus package of recommendations for both phases of the project (Phase I and Phase II). At their October 15, 2015 meeting the Commission voted unanimously to adopt the Swimming Pool TAC’s and Electrical TAC’c swimming pool safety consensus package of recommendations focused on the prevention of electrocution in swimming pools. The Code amendments were proposed for inclusion in the Florida Building Code, 6th Edition (2017) and currently under evaluation by the relevant TACs.

 

Subsequent to the first two phases of the project, in a concurrent meeting conducted during the TACs’ review of proposed Code amendments for the 2017 Code Update Process the Swimming Pool and the Electrical TACs discussed the Calder Sloan Swimming Pool Electrical-Safety Task Force that was established within the Florida Building Commission by the 2016 Florida Legislature and decided that the two TACs should meet concurrently to further evaluate the issue. The TACs expressed the desire to consider any potential Code modifications based on the best available science and data, and will make recommendations to the Commission accordingly.

 

As the next step in the process the Commission convened a concurrent meeting of the Swimming Pool TAC and Electrical TAC on May 24, 2016 to discuss recommendations to the Commission regarding how best to proceed with the evaluation of pool electrical safety. In response, the TACs’ voted unanimously to recommend the Commission convene the Calder Sloan Swimming Pool Electrical Safety Task Force after July 1, 2017, and to charge the Task Force with reviewing the issues identified during public comment provided during the May 24, 2016 teleconference meeting. The Commission approved the recommendation at the June 8, 2016 meeting, and the Task Force will convene after July 1, 2016.

 

 

Section 30 of HB 535 establishes within the Florida Building Commission the Calder Sloan Swimming Pool Electrical-Safety Task Force as follows:

(1) The purpose of the task force is to study standards for grounding, bonding, lighting, wiring, and all electrical aspects for safety in and around public and private swimming pools, especially with regard to minimizing risks of electrocutions linked to swimming pools. The task force shall submit a report of its findings, including recommended revisions to state law, if any, to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by November 1, 2016.

(2) The task force shall consist of the swimming pool and electrical technical advisory committees of the Florida Building Commission.

(3) The task force shall be chaired by the swimming pool contractor appointed to the Florida Building Commission pursuant to s. 553.74, Florida Statutes.

(4) The Florida Building Commission shall provide such staff, information, and other assistance as is reasonably necessary to assist the task force in carrying out its responsibilities.

(5) Members of the task force shall serve without compensation.

(6) The task force shall meet as often as necessary to fulfill its responsibilities. Meetings may be conducted by conference call, teleconferencing, or similar technology.

(7) This section expires December 31, 2016.

 

 

Project Scope

The scope of the Calder Sloan Swimming Pool Electrical Safety Task Force is as follows:

The Swimming Pool TAC and the Electrical TAC shall serve as the Task Force. The Task Force shall review the Commission’s pool electrical safety enhancement actions to date, the status of current proposed code modifications to the 2017 Code Update, and the seven topical issues identified by public comment (at the May 24, 2016 concurrent meeting of the Swimming Pool and Electrical TACs) and approved by the Commission (June 8, 2016). In addition, the Task Force shall specifically evaluate pool electrical safety standards related to: grounding, bonding, lighting, wiring, and all electrical aspects for safety in and around public and private swimming pools. The Task Force shall deliver their consensus recommendations to the Florida Building Commission in advance of the November 1, 2016 deadline established for the Commission to report back to the Governor and the Florida Legislature.

 

 

Key Issues for Task Force Evaluation Worksheet

 

Process for Evaluating Key Topical Issues

During the meetings, Task Force members may be asked to develop and rank options, and following discussions and refinements, may be asked to do a second ranking of the options as refined. Please be prepared to offer specific refinements or changes to address your reservations. In general, 4s and 3s are in favor of an action and 2s and 1s are opposed. Once rated, options with a 75% or greater number of 4s and 3s in proportion to 2s and 1s shall be considered consensus recommendations. The following scale will be utilized for acceptability ranking exercises:

Acceptability

Ranking Scale

4= acceptable,

I agree

3= acceptable, I agree with minor reservations

2= not acceptable, I don’t agree unless major reservations addressed

1= not acceptable

 

Issues for Evaluation by the Task Force

1.      Review and develop recommendations regarding new technologies designed to prevent electrocution in swimming pools.

Note below any Strategies/Options to address the key issue:

 

 

 

2.    Require an electrical inspection on the entire property, including testing of proper grounding and bonding, at time of sale of the house.

Note below any Strategies/Options to address the key issue:

 

 

 

3.    Require ongoing electrical inspections of the property to meet insurance renewal requirements every X (TBD) amount of years (working with the insurance industry to hash out the specifics).

Note below any Strategies/Options to address the key issue:

 

 

 

4.    Request increased funding for combating unlicensed activity and increased funding for educational outreach similar to the educational materials currently being worked on (to ensure consumers are aware of the pitfalls and dangers of not hiring licensed contractors and not following code requirements).

Note below any Strategies/Options to address the key issue:

 

 

 

5.     Encourage adoption of the 2017 NEC to ensure Florida has the latest/greatest electrical code requirements, skipping over the 2014 edition (the 2017 NEC has pool lift requirements that are not in the 2014 or 2011 NEC, for example).

Note below any Strategies/Options to address the key issue:

 

 

6.    Request the Legislature to fund a study to determine the extent of pool electrical problems and how best to address the 1.3 million existing residential pools in Florida (this would provide actual data on the depth of the problem and how best to address in future code editions or glitch cycles).

Note below any Strategies/Options to address the key issue:

 

 

 

7.    Suggest 1 hour of a Chapter 489, F.S., pool contractor’s 14 hours of CE requirements include an electrical education class (which many are already taking voluntarily thru education courses provided by FSPA, IAEI and others).

Note below any Strategies/Options to address the key issue:

 

 

 

 

Legislative Charge Issues

A. Grounding

Note below any Strategies/Options to address the key issue:

 

 

 

B. Bonding

Note below any Strategies/Options to address the key issue:

 

 

 

C. Lighting

Note below any Strategies/Options to address the key issue:

 

 

 

D. Wiring

Note below any Strategies/Options to address the key issue:

 

 

 

E. Other Electrical Aspects For Safety In and Around Public and Private Swimming Pools

Note below any Strategies/Options to address the key issue:

 

 

 

Public Comment Form

 

The Florida Building Commission and the Calder Sloan Swimming Pool Electrical Safety Task Force encourage written comments—All written comments will be included in the meeting summary report.

 

Name:                                                                                                                                                                       

Organization/Representation:                                                                                                         

Meeting Date:                                                                                                                                          

 

Please make your comment(s) as specific as possible, and offer suggestions to address your concerns.

 

Please limit comment(s) to topics within the scope of the Task Force, and refrain from any personal attacks or derogatory language.

 

The facilitator may, at his discretion, limit public comment to a maximum of three-minutes (3) per person, depending on the number of individuals wishing to speak.

 

Comment:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Please give completed form(s) to the Facilitator for inclusion in the meeting summary report.