Hot Tub & Swim Spa Scene TRAINING


biggest risks to our fast growing industry and make sure we are well educated and trained in safe and best practice to help reduce these risks.”


Chris believes the biggest risks to the industry, in terms of safety and reputation, come in two forms. Firstly, hot tubs within a business setting.


“The risk comes from poor standards and attitudes towards purchasing of fit for purpose products,” he explains. “ Normally it is a case of business to the lowest bidder,” he warns siting attitudes towards working to guidance (HSG282) and best practice and the attitudes of trying to do everything ‘in house’ with little or no Certified training.


ABOVE: Technical knowledge is now backed by professional certification. Pic courtesy of Cornish Hot Tubs.


support in the form of professional training and education. Hence the creation of SpaTech Training.


“In short, the industry hasn’t done enough in the past to promote the importance of training and education. “We’ve always tried to promote good standards, but without the ability to train to these standards, then standards are just a set of documents to aspire to rather than to actually meet.” Chris says it is pleasing to see the trade associations shifting their attentions to promoting training and education as this will drive professionalism within the industry and set the way for a form of enforcement of standards in the future. He would like to see programmes similar to the GasSafe and NICEIC Qualifications/ Certifications where they are not only enforceable, but fully acknowledged by the HSE and government. Courses available and becoming available include: • BISHTA Water Hygiene Management Course (BISHTA) Available now


• APSP Certified Hot Tub Technician Course (STT) - Available now


• BISHTA Site Surveyors Course (BISHTA) Under Review • Hot Tub Safe Manual Handling Course (STT) Available Now • Holiday Park Hot Tub Management Course (STT) Available Nov 18 - 3 parts - Pt 1. Holiday Business Duty Holders Course Pt 2. Holiday Business Operators course. Pt 3. Knowing Holiday businesses - Service Professionals Course.


• Hot Tub Installers & Surveyors Course (BISHTA/STT) Coming in 2018


• Forklift/Hiab/Telehandler Courses (STT) Coming in 2018 Chris again: “All of us in the industry need to be aware of the


18 Hot Tub & Swim Spa Scene TRAINING ABOVE: Lack of knowledge is one of the biggest threats to the industry.


The other risk, he says, comes from cheap and unsafe imports of ‘far eastern’ origin. Says Chris: “There has been an increasing trend on sub-standard products entering the UK market, sometimes with not even CE markings or worse still, fake CE approval,” he points out. “Often these imports have very poor quality parts, plumbing, insulation and extremely low standards of build. “Moreover, they are often not deemed safe as they don’t comply with pipe fitting regulations and pose grave entrapment hazards. “Unfortunately, the UK hot tub industry has no way nor power to stop this unsafe practice, but, hopefully, through continued education and training, new standards being published and more work from trade associations, we may be able to get to a stage where regulations can be drawn up and more importantly enforced.”


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