BOILERS & HOT WATER
he news that a council in Essex has received a large fine for an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease at a leisure centre is the latest in a long line of
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Addressing hot water safety T
cases that have plagued both the public and commercial sectors in recent years.
Huge progress has been made on health and safety in recent mes, and the dangers that lurk in the washroom connue to be a key consideraon for building managers. Here organisaons must achieve a balance between high water temperature and infecon control. Chris Tranter, senior product manager at Bristan, explains why it’s so important to specify bathroom products that address the issue of hot water safety
In December, Tendring District Council was fined £27,000 by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after a ‘catastrophic failure’ at the Lifestyles Leisure centre in Walton-on-the-Naze. Meanwhile, a hotel in Norfolk was fined £50,000 last summer, after pleading guilty to exposing its guests to a risk of scalding in its hotel. An 86-year- old man was left with life-changing injuries after he was trapped in a bath with scalding water pouring in. Sadly, this is not an isolated occurrence. These types of incidents regularly hit the news headlines around the world and it is estimated that almost 600 people are seriously injured from scalds caused from hot water. When it comes to water delivery, both these cases show the importance of specifying washroom products that address the ongoing issue of hygiene and hot water safety. The problem is that water delivery can be easily put on the backburner by specifiers in favour of more pressing concerns. With bathroom technology moving forward all the time, here are key areas that must be addressed to ensure that washroom environments are safe and fit for purpose.
Heat and hygiene
One of the main challenges in the delivery of water is to ensure that bacteria, such as legionella, is neutralised. The primary method of eliminating bacteria is to maintain a high-water temperature of 60ºC or above, which inhibits its growth. All outlets must also be regularly flushed to prevent any internal build up. However, when water temperatures are as high as 60°C, scalding becomes a very real concern. This means that water delivery must be balanced with hot water safety.
One of the most effective ways of maintaining and achieving the balance between high water temperature and infection control is to specify products with an in-built TMV
(thermostatic mixing valve), or, alternatively, an ancillary TMV. TMVs allow water to be stored and distributed at a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria – but they reduce it to a safe temperature at the point of use by mixing it with the cold supply. This results in a safe water temperature of between 37˚C and 46˚C, depending on the application.
Furthermore, TMVs can maintain the desired water temperature even when the incoming water pressures/flow rates change and will automatically shut off in the event of a hot or cold water supply failure. The recommendation is the use of TMV3 valves anywhere hot water is delivered for optimum safety, particularly in healthcare environments such as hospitals, care homes, and other similar settings.
Safe showers
With more employees cycling to work or having a gym session during lunch breaks, there’s been a rapid rise in the numbers of showers being installed in workplaces. While showering facilities are a benefit for sweaty employees, for building managers it provides another area of water delivery that could potentially pose hazards.
Fortunately, shower technology has developed in recent years to incorporate TMV and infrared technologies, helping to create a better environment for infection control in commercial settings.
Popular TMV shower options are specifically designed for water temperature control and maintenance. For example, Bristan’s Opac Bar Shower features separate controls for temperature and flow with easy-to-use lever handles.
Building managers can save time on maintenance with these products because an integrated isolation and hot flush mechanism speeds up the flushing process. Whereas a traditional
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shower could take anywhere up to an hour to flush, the Opac Bar Shower takes just ten minutes, making infection control quick and easy.
Investing in infrared technology can also provide an effective solution in preventing infection. Infrared shower panels, for example, have an anti- microbial coating, which helps with cross-contamination as well as cleaning, keeping the surfaces safe for future users.
Nontouch taps
It is estimated that the average person's hands carry at least 3,000 different bacteria belonging to more than 100 species. Taps are on the market, however, that use infrared to detect human presence and switch on the water flow for a set amount of time. This directly combats the problem of washroom taps being one of the main sources of cross contamination. As well as boosting hygiene, non- touch technology such as this can also deliver important water efficiency and cost savings. A running tap wastes more than six litres of water a minute and a dripping tap can waste more than 5,500 litres of water a year. Both the public and private sector are increasingly required to conform to higher standards of hygiene and health and safety. It doesn’t matter if it is a leisure centre, a restaurant or a library, the same challenges remain the same – to deliver safe, hot water and to put in place measures for effective infection control.
By deploying the latest washroom technologies, building and facilities managers can safeguard employees and visitors, and have peace of mind that they are protected from the incidents that lead to shock headlines far too often.
www.bristan.com BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER APRIL 2019 17 ‘
One of the main challenges in the delivery of water is to ensure that bacteria, such as legionella, is neutralised
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uTMV shower opons are specifically designed for water temperature control and maintenance
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