Do you have a hot tub as part of your business?
Most likely a holiday home or park which has hot tubs installed.
You might rent out a holiday cottage or have a lodge on a holiday park with a hot tub.
Are you aware of the guide from the Health and Safety Executive (HSG282) on the operation and management of hot tubs?
If you are not aware of this HSE guide then keep reading to find out how it affects you.
Why was HSG282 written?
The popularity of properties for holiday in the UK has seen a huge amount of growth over recent years.
It was back in 2007 and after the bank crisis when the ‘staycation‘ term was first coined. People began to holiday more in the UK which in turn increased the demand for holiday properties
Nowadays the majority of the holiday rental booking website even have a specific search filter for “properties with hot tubs”. Holiday agents will recommend that their rentals install a hot tub to increase bookings.
With this boom in hot tubs being used for business activities it has become important that they are managed and operated correctly, just like swimming pools have been for many years.
Up to now the correct way to manage hot tubs in these situations has not been clear, with both supplier and operators unsure of the best way to do so.
What is HSG282 guide all about?
Simply put the HSG282 document is a health and safety document for “spa-pools”. There are different types of “spa-pool”. But one type is the hot tub, which is defined as:
A hot tub is a self-contained factory-built unit for indoor or outdoor use and is designed for sitting in. They are typically filled with treated water, maintained at a temperature above 30 °C, fitted with air jets and aerated. They are generally designed for a small number of discrete bathers where the water is not changed, drained or cleaned after every use. Hot tubs are not for swimming in and do not have a balance tank.
The guide is a code of practice on controlling the risks associated with a hot tub. Primarily the control of any infection that could be caught from the water and also including any hazards posed by the using the hot tub such as slippery floors.
The guide covers the entire supply chain, from design and supply to operation and management.
For the purpose of this page, we’ll only discuss how it affects you as an owner/operator of the hot tub.
The document is purely a code or practice and not legislation and is enforced by your local authority.
HSG282 is a long document, can you summerise it?
As you are already running a business you are most likely already aware of the procedure of risk assessment and like any other piece of business equipment you must make sure that an adequate risk assessment has been carried out and implemented. The hot tub is not different.
HSG282 in a nutshell:
Firstly it’s risk assessment, without knowing the risks then you will not be able to implement any procedures. You need to consider all the potential risks associated with the hot tub and decide on a set of actions to how you are going to manage these risks.
If you already own and operate hot tubs then you will need to check that they are suitable now for their purpose. You will most likely have a ‘domestic’ hot tub installed. Read on to find out what the main HSG282 requirements now are for holiday hot tubs.
A regular plan needs to be designed and implemented. This will cover maintenance, operation and water care. This plan will need to be reviewed on a regular basis. Part of the ongoing maintenance will include regular microbiological testing with periodic tests to be carried out at an accredited laboratory (UKAS).
Part of the on-going process is record keeping, primarily these will be water care records will demonstrate that the hot tub has been regularly inspected, Other records will cover maintenance and cleaning.
What should you do now?
The first course of action we would recommend is to carry out a risk assessment on your hot tub(s). In the majority of cases hot tubs are already correctly managed and operated, so no action will be required. But not until you have carried this out will you know what needs to be done.
Secondly, we’d recommend checking if your hot tubs compliant?
With HSG282 hot tubs only just starting to become available, you need to check if the units you have are suitable.
Features would include:
- Inline chemical feeder
- Adequate filtration
- Correct circulation
- Maximum bather load
Finally – Are you keeping records of water treatment and testing?
- Water changes
- Water treatment
- User information (signs)
- Routine cleaning and disinfectant
How we can help
If you are finding this all a little daunting or perhaps struggling to find the time to carry out another job, then we can help.
We have years of experience in dealing with holiday lets and parks which operate hot tubs. Read more about the services we offer to holiday lets.
- Advise on the HSG282 code of practice
- Retrofit existing hot tubs to be compliant
- Supply new HSG282 hot tub models
We’d love to hear from you just to discuss any questions you might have about the HSG282 document. Perhaps you just want to know if the hot tubs you have are OK.
Get in touch
We can be contacted via ed@thetubcompany.co.uk or by phone on 07795 418405 or just fill out the form below.