46-50 HOT TUBS:SPN Master pages 18/5/09 21:46 Page 5
spnfeature
Cheap imported hot tubs
‘could cause
tragedy’
Hot tub manufacturers say they are still
concerned about the number of
unbranded cheap hot tubs on the
market which are dangerous and
buying them could end in tragedy
C
heap bottom end spas and hot tubs non western electrical standards. by skin, clothes, or hair, the water can travel
sold in the UK represent a tragedy “We keep stressing that consumers must through the other suction point, reducing the
waiting to happen. use first class branded US, UK or European suction force and preventing entrapment.
While the top end of the hot tub market hot tubs and avoid cheap imports that are “Suction fittings must also be
is focused on innovation, new technology an accident waiting to happen.” manufactured to a specific standard. They
and improved safety issues, the other end One of the other safety fears on imported must have the correct surface area, the
of the UK market could represent danger down market hot tubs concerns dangerous right number holes which are the correct
to consumers. suction points. One manufacturer told us: ”If size and are then matched to the power of
One North London hot tub specialist you look at a top-down picture of the spa, the pump. This is to reduce the
who did not want to be named said: “At you should see plastic or chrome fittings entrapment risk posed by underwater
the low end of the market reincarnated about the size of a large roll of tape, suction points. These approved suction
companies will continue to try and sell covered in tiny holes which are normally covers are designed to stop hair being
their old stock in never ending sales mounted in the sides of the foot well. These sucked through the holes in the cover and
against those companies selling Chinese are suction points (where the water is being spun into a knot behind it.
spas, who are using the same sales sucked out of the spa by the pumps, before “Major international brands use
techniques of the ‘big names’ we have being pushed back through the jets). approved and rated suction covers in their
seen go bust over the last few months. “It is a legal requirement that a pump spas, plumbed correctly, with two suction
“We think there will be further dramatic connected to a pool or spa must have two points per pump (a filter may also count as
collapses and fear that with the dangerous suction points teed together some a suction point).
spas and products being offered in the UK distance apart. “Unfortunately there are often
market there is a strong possibility of a “There have been a number of injuries unbranded spas for sale in the UK that
major tragedy. and deaths caused by underwater have two pumps with just one suction
“Our point of view is that after entrapment in pools and spas which resulted point each. Both suction points are right
unprecedented growth all will now just in this legislation being instated. If a high- next to each other; doubling the suction
plod along with the more discerning buyers flow pump is connected to a single suction force! This means that when both pumps
(both trade and retail) wanting quality point, the force of water travelling through it are running there is a huge force sucking
products from established can be enough to trap a person underwater down into the bottom of the foot well.
companies, never again trusting the double and drown them. However, if there are two “These products could be especially
glazing type sellers we have seen over the suctions teed together, when one is blocked lethal for children or those with long hair.”
past few years, especially to the trade.”
Concern about cheap imports now being
more attractive to new customers is still a
“WE KEEP STRESSING THAT CONSUMERS
concern in the specialist hot tub trade.
Another manufacturer told us: ”There are
MUST USE FIRST CLASS BRANDED US,
still sellers in the market who are bringing
in unregistered, unbranded cheap imports
UK OR EUROPEAN HOT TUBS AND
which are potentially very dangerous.
“One customer asked us to fix an
AVOID CHEAP IMPORTS THAT ARE AN
imported DIY product which had controls
which we could not understand and used
ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN”
50 swimming pool news JUNE 09
➤➤➤
Digital edition available at
www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk
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