Do you own a holiday let? Have you considered investing in a hot tub? If you have answered yes to both of these questions, you’ll probably know that holiday homes with hot tubs are extremely popular with guests.
A hot tub can certainly be a great way to improve the value of your holiday home and increase your bookings, but there are certain guidelines that you must comply with. If you own a hot tub through your business, it is important that it is HSG282 compliant.
What is HSG282 compliance?
HSG282 is an important set of guidelines for any commercial hot tub or swim spa owner to follow in order to assess and reduce the risks of Legionella and other potential infectious diseases that hot tub users could be exposed to. It guides holiday home hot tub owners to the best practices for ensuring their spa is cleaned and maintained properly for the safety of users.
Whilst not a law, these standards set out by these guidelines are what your company would be measured against in a court of law. Should a guest of your holiday property suffer from a disease such as Legionella after their stay, then the focus of the court would be to ascertain whether you have complied fully with all guidelines in order to meet the requirements of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.
Important HSG282 guidelines for holiday homes with hot tubs
There are four main sections of guidance for HSG282:
Risk assessment
Risk assessment must consider any potential risks related to a hot tub. You must be aware of the risks in order to implement a suitable plan to manage any risks. You will need to make sure that your investigations are thorough and recorded in written and digital format. This provides a reference for the actions you’ll take to manage risks and protect you.
Choosing a suitable hot tub
If you are to invest in a hot tub for use by guests at your holiday let, then it is your responsibility to choose a high quality hot tub that is reliable and fit for purpose. Ensure that you purchase a suitable hot tub from a reputable hot tub supplier.
Hot tub maintenance and operation
From carrying out a thorough risk assessment, you should have created an ongoing plan to ensure your hot tub is properly maintained and operated correctly. Hot tub water should be properly cared for.
Any quality hot tub will feature instructions from the manufacturer for how often to test the water purity and pH levels, but you will also need to ensure regular microbiological testing is carried out by a UKAS accredited laboratory to make sure the water is safe for the user.
You will need to review your maintenance and water care plan regularly.
Continued record keeping
An important part of the HSG282 process is to keep a record of your water care operations and testing. This will ensure that you have proof that you have correctly followed your maintenance plans and that your holiday home hot tub is regularly inspected.
Finding a Suitable Holiday Home Hot Tub
For help in finding hot tubs in Staffordshire for your holiday home, along with essential hot tub maintenance tools and chemicals, visit All Weather Leisure.