How to meet HSG282 hot tub compliance for your holiday home

If you are considering upgrading an Airbnb by offering hot tub facilities or you are purchasing a fully-equipped holiday home with a spa pool already in place, a good understanding of HSG282 to prevent Legionella is an ideal starting point for HSE compliance.

Read on to learn more about HSG282 compliance for hot tubs, including the guidelines you should know and the ideal HSG282 testers and meters to comply with legislation.

What is HSG282?

HSG282 is a guideline provided by the Health and Safety Executive. This legislation was introduced in 2017 and provides clear information on the processes and safety practices businesses should meet for hot tubs and spa pools. 

The purpose of HSE's guidelines is to prevent people from contracting diseases from using hot tubs, with a specific focus on Legionnaires' disease. Any pool or hot tub that agitates water while heating it to a warm temperature increases the risk of this pathogen.

Why is HSG282 compliance important?

Why does HSG282 compliance apply to holiday homes? Any business that provides guests with access to a hot tub, pool or spa pool should comply to prevent risk and provide guests with a positive experience. Even short-term rentals, such as Airbnb and rental cottages, can put guests at risk of illness. 

Here are a few of the key reasons you'll a HSG282-compliant hot tub is important for your holiday home:

Guest safety

Ensuring your guests are safe and enjoy their stay provides a strong foundation for your business, while negative reviews and reception may cause problems with continued bookings. By following HSG282 guidelines, you can prevent risk to guests from a range of pathogens, including: 

• Legionella
• E-coli
• Giardia
• Coliforms
• Microbacteria
• ESKAPE pathogens

Preventing legal risk

HSG282 is a best practice rather than a legal requirement. However, not following these guidelines may lead to sickness, which can cause potential legal issues if you are found to have not met the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 requirements for reasonable compliance.

Protecting yourself and your staff

If you employ people to conduct maintenance on your property or carry out these tasks yourself, not following HSG282 may expose you or your staff to unnecessary risk. For example, if you let out your property in the summer for holidaymakers and live there in the winter, following proper guidelines can prevent you and your family from becoming ill from preventable pathogens.

Do personal hot tubs need to comply with HSG282?

If your hot tub is available to paying guests, HSE compliance applies, regardless of the capacity of the hot tub and how often it is used. If a single guest uses your hot tub, complying with HSG282 guidelines is an ideal way to provide a safe environment.

How to comply with HSG282

Following HSG282 guidelines provided by the HSE is an ideal first step for hot tub compliance. These guidelines are available as a free download or can be purchased as a book. A checklist of the steps required for compliance enables you to keep consistent and accurate records. These steps should include:

•  
• Investing in a pH tester and monitoring pH twice every day
• Recording every test and balancing action taken
• Draining the hot tub and using fresh water for each set of new guests
• Fitting an ozone or UV system
• Using a 24-hour filter in your hot tub
• Testing for pathogens monthly and quarterly

If you are purchasing a new spa pool for your holiday home, choosing a HSG282-compliant hot tub model allows you to meet HSE standards. A compliant hot tub is designed to be easy to clean and maintain.

pH testers, meters and controllers for HSG282 compliance

A reliable, accurate pH measuring instrument is key for HSG282 hot tub compliance. Hanna Instruments offers several options to suit your requirements:

1. HI-981074 Pool Line pH Tester

The HI-981074 delivers a simple, effective solution for fast pH testing, making it an excellent choice for holiday home owners. With a one-step process for quick and accurate testing and a waterproof design, this pH tester is an efficient choice for twice-daily recording.

• Automatic calibration 
• Fast results

2. HI-971044 Pool Line Multiparameter Photometer

The HI-971044 Photometer is an effective solution for testing all of the key parameters in pools and hot tubs with a single instrument. This photometer measures  pH, alkalinity, free chlorine and total chlorine, and cyanuric acid and is small enough for easy portability, allowing you to measure your hot tub water on-site.

• Coverage for multiple parameters
• Waterproof IP67 design

3. BL-122-10 Pool Line pH Controller and Dosing Pump

Remote holiday home owners may not have the capacity to test and dose the pH and free chlorine in water in hot tubs twice daily, making an automatic solution an ideal option for peace of mind. The BL-122-10 dosing pump and pH tester measures and doses the water in hot tubs and pools to ensure HSG282 compliance without manual testing.

• Automatic monitoring
• Doses water to achieve defined pH and chlorine values

Meet compliance with pH monitoring testers and meters

At Hanna Instruments, we specialise in accurate, reliable pH testing instrumentation for pools, spas and hot tubs. 

Browse our range of pH testers, meters and dosers for hot tubs online now, or speak to our team of experts directly to discuss your needs.