Because of the high temperatures associated with saunas and steam rooms, you should consult your physician before you begin using a sauna or steam room for the first time. Saunas and steam rooms should post user safety guidelines in a high-visibility location near the sauna, showers or locker room. A study of deaths related to spas, hot tubs and saunas as reported to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission found that the primary risk factors accounting for 44 percent of fatalities were alcohol ingestion, heart disease, seizure disorders and cocaine ingestion either by itself or in combination with alcohol ingestion.
Protection from Electricity Hazards
All heating and lighting units, electrical fixtures, motors, conduits and outlets within 10 ft. of the sauna or steam room should be installed taking care to prevent sauna or steam room users from injury.
Know and Regulate Temperatures and Time
When you use the steam room or sauna, you should be able to clearly view a thermometer within the room with readings in both Celsius and Fahrenheit. While sitting in the sauna, you should be able to view a clock, and should also be able to regulate the heat of the room from within.
Visibility and Access
Saunas and steam rooms in public buildings should be able to be locked during times when the rooms will not be monitored. Along these same lines, the room should be outfitted with a full-length transparent door panel or window providing an unobstructed interior floor view. This will minimize the risk that an emergency occurs without someone outside the sauna or steam room being able to easily see it.
Extremes
Guidelines published by Canada's Queens University determine that the temperature in the sauna should not exceed 85°C, 185°F, in dry air conditions, and in the steam room temperatures in humid air conditions should not exceed 60°C, or 140°F.
Sanitation
All floors, walls and ceilings should be washed, cleaned and disinfected at least once per week to prevent the accumulation of bacteria and/or mold. The condition of benches and fixtures should also be checked on a regular basis for cleanliness and signs of deterioration.
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