Hi, 

I am looking for advice on whether swimming "wetsuits" are classed as PPE or not. I currently have 22 swim teachers who teach most of their lessons from the pool bank. Occasionally they may have to spend an hour in the pool when the class is at a certain level. This could be up to 3 hours per day. The temperature of the water is 27C and the room is 22 C. They have complained of being cold and wet when they exit the pool and some have purchased their own wetsuits to keep warm. Has anyone had a similar experience and if so how did you solve it. I cant seem to see anything standard wise on this. I would appreciate some advice on the matter other than the do a Risk Assessment statement. 

Many thanks, 

Rsherl01 

EN 14225-1:2005 Diving Suits - Part 1: Wet suits - Requirements and test methods sits as a harmonised standard under the PPE Directive http://ec.europa.eu/growth/single-market/european-standards/harmonised-standards/personal-protective-equipment/#(1) ESO

Wetsuits keep you warm in the water. The teachers say they get cold when the get out of the water. How about providing them with towelling robes?

The pool temperature is significantly lower than body temperature. Prolongued exposure will lead to lowering of the core body temperature especially if they are not constantly active whilst in the water and if exposed for long enough would eventually lead to hypothermia and death.

A wet suit or even a dry suit sounds like a sensible precaution and I would consider it to be PPE in this case.

Edited by user 12 September 2017 16:02:42(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

I did say if they are exposed for long enough. I know that would be unlikely, but being subject to it for 3 X 1 hours a day can't be good for you. If the body is not fully recovered before the next immersion, the effects will be cumulative. It is reasonable to assume the instructors are physically fit, but everyone has off days, the odd dose of man flu etc. and most of us struggle through it and carry on working even though we may be physically below par on those days.

Duration of exposure without adverse effects is obviously dependant on the fitness of the person, what they are doing and the differential between body temperature and the water temperature. If the instructor is swimming with the students, use of muscles will generate heat in the body and help to maintain the core temperature. If they are not active, the water temperature will draw the body temperature down until they are equalised if no preventive action is taken. Hypothermia is reduced body temperature that occurs when the body dissipates more heat than it absorbs so placing the body in water significantly below its core temperature will cause hypothermia in due course. 

It is simply a question of having appropriate controls in place, one of which may be a wetsuit. A wetsuit holds a layer of water against the skin and insulates it thereby allowing the body to warm up that layer of water which then insulates the swimmer against the temperature differential between them and their environment so I would define it as PPE. Other controls, of course could be looking at why the instructor has to be in the water and what they are physically doing whilst they are there.