Health & Safety
Health and safety policy.
Heat and cold do brilliant things for you when they are treated with respect. Please read this before your first visit.
This policy sets out how to use the Balta Chill sauna and cold plunges safely. Everyone who uses the Sauna Hub confirms our safety acknowledgement before taking part, and these are the rules that acknowledgement covers.
At a glance
| The rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 16 or over |
| Time in the sauna | No more than 20 minutes at a time, with regular breaks |
| After sickness | No cold plunges within 48 hours of diarrhoea or vomiting |
| After Cryptosporidium | No cold plunges for 14 days after symptoms stop |
| Before a plunge | Shower first, enter gradually, keep your breathing calm |
| Drinks | Drinks in cans and plastic cups allowed in the sauna hub. But water in bottles only inside the sauna and plunges. No glassware in the Sauna Hub |
1. Risks and your health
Sauna and cold-plunge use involves exposure to high temperatures, cold water and sudden changes in temperature. Risks include overheating, dehydration, cold shock, dizziness, fainting, burns, slips and the aggravation of an existing or previously unknown health condition.
Before taking part, please make sure that:
- you are at least 16 years old - or at least 10, if your group has hired the full Sauna Hub or the whole venue;
- to the best of your knowledge, you are physically able to participate safely;
- you will monitor how you feel and stop immediately if you feel unwell; and
- you have sought appropriate medical advice if you are pregnant, have a relevant health condition, have recently undergone surgery or suffered an injury, or have any doubt about whether sauna or cold-plunge use is suitable for you.
Relevant conditions may include heart or circulatory conditions, high or low blood pressure, epilepsy, diabetes, respiratory conditions, or any condition or medication that affects temperature regulation, circulation, hydration, alertness or balance.
Our staff cannot provide medical advice. If you are unsure, please speak to your GP first.
2. Alcohol and other substances
Do not use the sauna or cold plunges if you are intoxicated or otherwise impaired by alcohol, recreational drugs, medication or another substance.
You are welcome to enjoy a drink in the Sauna Hub, but not in the heat or the water. No drinks other than water in water bottles may be taken inside the sauna or consumed while using a cold plunge.
No glassware may be brought into the Sauna Hub.
Our staff may prevent you from taking part, or ask you to leave, if they reasonably believe you are intoxicated, impaired or unable to participate safely.
3. Illness and water hygiene
The plunges are shared water, so these rules protect everyone. Please:
- do not use the cold plunges if you have experienced diarrhoea or vomiting within the previous 48 hours;
- do not use the cold plunges for 14 days after symptoms have stopped if you have been diagnosed with, or reasonably suspect, Cryptosporidium;
- do not use the facilities if you have a contagious illness, an infectious skin condition or an uncovered open wound that could present a risk to others;
- shower before entering a cold plunge; and
- do not intentionally submerge your face or head, swallow the water, or introduce any foreign substance into the plunges.
4. Essential safety rules
Please follow all safety signs and staff instructions, and:
In the sauna
- spend no longer than 20 minutes in the sauna at one time, take regular breaks and keep hydrated;
- enter and leave the sauna carefully;
- do not touch or tamper with the stove, stones, flue, fire, controls or safety equipment;
- only pour water onto the sauna stones where permitted and as instructed;
- do not put oils, fragrances or other substances onto the stove or stones without permission from a member of staff; and
- follow good sauna etiquette by sitting on a towel.
In the cold plunges
- enter and leave the plunges carefully;
- enter gradually and keep your breathing calm and controlled; and
- do not deliberately hyperventilate before entering a cold plunge.
Everywhere in the Sauna Hub
- do not dive, jump, run, push others or engage in horseplay; and
- stop immediately and tell a member of staff if you experience chest pain, breathing difficulty, dizziness, faintness, nausea, confusion or unusual discomfort.
Please behave respectfully towards our staff and other customers. Unsafe, disruptive, threatening or inappropriate behaviour may result in your session being ended.
5. Group bookings
If you book for a group, please share this policy and our safety rules with everyone attending before they take part.
Each member of the group is responsible for considering whether sauna and cold-plunge use is suitable for them, and for following staff instructions.
6. Taking part
Participation is voluntary. By using the sauna and cold plunges you confirm that you understand the inherent risks and agree to follow our safety rules and staff instructions.
Nothing in this policy excludes or restricts Balta Chill Ltd's liability for death or personal injury caused by its negligence, for fraud, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted.
About us
Balta Chill Ltd
Company number: 16822304
Trading address: Dene Farm, Wadhurst Road, Mark Cross, Crowborough, East Sussex, TN6 3PD
Email: rachel@baltachill.co.uk
If anything here is unclear, or you would like to talk something through before your visit, please email us and we will help.