Water safety
HSG282 explained for ice baths, chill tubs and plunge pools
By ThermaCare team · Published 2026-09-16 · Reviewed 2026-09-16 · UK guidance
HSG282 is the HSE's guidance on controlling legionella and other infectious agents in spa-pool systems. For an ice bath it means: a written water treatment scheme (who tests and doses, when, to what ranges, and what happens when a reading is out of range), testing at least twice a day under bather load with results recorded, corrective action and a retest for any failure, equipment rated for commercial use, a legionella risk assessment with a named responsible person, and records kept so you can show all of it on request. Following it is how you demonstrate you met the duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Why guidance matters as much as law
HSG282 is guidance, not a regulation. But the Health and Safety at Work Act requires you to do what is reasonably practicable, and HSG282 is the HSE's own statement of what that is for spa pools. If something goes wrong, the question is whether you followed it. If you did not, you need to show something at least as good.
The written scheme
The core document. It names who is responsible, how the water is treated, what is tested and when, the ranges you operate within, the actions when a result is out of range, the cleaning and filter regime, and how records are kept. Keep quantities and doses in the scheme and the manufacturer's care sheet rather than on the wall, where they get followed blindly.
Testing and records
Test before opening and at close as a minimum, more often under heavy use. Record the actual values, time and tester. An out-of-range reading needs an action noted and a retest the same day. The record is the evidence; a memory of having tested is not.
Equipment suitability
HSG282 assumes equipment designed for the bather load, with filtration turnover and disinfection to match. This is why "commercially rated" matters: the guidance is written around it.
Legionella
Cold water reduces but does not remove legionella risk, and most recovery rooms also have a shower and sometimes stored water. A risk assessment, a named competent person, and the controls in ACOP L8 and HSG274 sit alongside HSG282.
Questions operators ask next
Is HSG282 a legal requirement?
It is HSE guidance. Following it is the accepted way of meeting your legal duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act; departing from it means proving your alternative is as good.
Does HSG282 apply to a single-user tub that is drained daily?
The principles do: tested, treated water, suitable equipment, records. A fresh-fill routine simplifies treatment but does not remove the need to test, record and control legionella in the wider system.
See where your room stands
ThermaCare tracks every requirement on this page against your own records, with the daily checklist, water tests, certificate reminders and asset history to prove it. Start with the free five-minute risk score, or create your account.
This guide summarises UK legislation and HSE guidance as understood on 2026-09-16. It is a working guide, not legal advice; decisions about your premises rest with you and your professional advisers.