Posted By Andy Beveridge Dear All, I am hoping that someone may be able to offer guidance/advice on the potential implications of the use of 'posh' glassware and china when serving food and drink to hotel guests around a swimming pool. My first thoughts are that its a no-go, but is it? Any help gratefully received. Best regards Andy

Posted By Merv Newman Andy, I'm not too worried about china, broken bits are fairly easy to pick up, even if they fall in the water. Clear glass would be a no-no, as you say. You could think about some of the modern hi tech ceramics, but I don't know of any source. Merv newman

Posted By Graham Bullough I share your thoughts that using glassware and china (which also produces fragments with sharp edges when broken) around a swimming pool is a no-no. It's probably not too difficult picking up/wet vacuuming pieces of glass or china from the poolside. However, if there is any suspicion that fragments have gone in the water itself, you are faced with the prospect of closing the pool and draining it (time, money, disruption and upset punters deprived of use of pool) or taking the risk that nobody will be injured by any fragments. The presence of water on the poolside will increase the chance of slips. Also relaxed people enjoying their leisure are probably less careful than usual about handling glass and china, especially if alcohol is available. Therefore, the best strategy for controlling the risk for this scenario is to eliminate it by not using glassware and china which can break and cause injury, and thus requires a protracted remedial response. I'm no expert on these matters, but surely it's possible to obtain reasonable looking items made of plastic or other non-breakable material which looks like glass, etc. for poolside use. Hopefully H & S people who work in the leisure industry will see this thread and be able to better advise on such items. To use another scenario for analogy it is now widely accepted that pubs and clubs where it is known or foreseeable that customers may become drunk and aggressive only use plastic glasses as they cannot be broken and used for assaults.

Posted By Ken Taylor It is common to prohibit these things at poolside. There will clearly be a risk to persons both in the pool tank and poolside for which reasonably practicable controls are readily available. HSG179 also stongly recommends that pool activities for parties take place before the consumption of food and drink because of the additional risk to swimmers after eating and drinking. As mentioned above, the lost time and pool use from glass and the like in the pool tank can be considerable and subsequent associated injury would present a daunting risk of liability to the pool operator.