WATER SYSTEM HYGIENE AND SAFETY
The right valves’ vital role in a safe healthcare system
Nowhere is a safe and healthy water supply more important than in healthcare settings such as hospitals and care homes. To protect end-users from the potential of scalding injuries or harmful bacteria contamination, specifying the right valves in a plumbing system is the vital first step in ensuring healthcare facilities are fit for purpose. In this feature, Richard Bateman, Product Marketing manager at Reliance Worldwide Corporation, looks at three valves that deliver cleaner, safer water supplies – ‘fit for healthcare environments’.
While the Government’s plan to build 40 new hospitals across England by 2030 is ambitious, it is equally important to protect our existing hospitals and healthcare facilities. Furthermore, in 2020, the NHS became the world’s first health service to commit to reaching carbon Net Zero, meaning that understanding how valves can upgrade the sustainability credentials of a building’s plumbing system is increasingly important. With this in mind, there are three key valves that specifiers should be aware of when designing plumbing systems for healthcare buildings – thermostatic mixing valves, thermal balancing valves, and reduced pressure zone valves (RPZ valves).
Optimising water supply for health, safety, and space Health and safety should be the first consideration when it comes to any aspect of a building in the health sector. Scalding and Legionnaires’ disease are two serious risks associated with any plumbing system, but concerns over these can be mitigated by completing regular thermal disinfection cycles, and by installing thermostatic mixing valves (TMVs) at each outlet. This ensures that end-users are fully protected
from any potential risks. It is essential that the proper TMV is specified for the given environment. Due to the high water pressures that often present themselves in large buildings, the TMVs specified for use in hospitals and healthcare centres must be approved for use in healthcare environments, which is the case for all TMV3-approved valves. TMV3s are tested against a range of pressures to ensure that the valves meet the required safety standards. These tests are based on the NHS D08 specification, which requires TMVs to maintain a constant output temperature, despite fluctuations in the temperature or pressure of the inlet water supply.
TMV3 installation and testing
requirements are defined clearly within D08. Due to the frequency at which these valves are installed in high-risk areas, it’s essential that the valve can be accessed and maintained easily, with minimal disruption. TMV3s are also regulated by the Thermostatic Mixing Valve Manufacturers’ Recommended Code of Practice for Safe Water Temperatures, the Department of Health & Social Care’s HTM 04-01, Safe water in healthcare premises, and by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
The Heatguard TMV3-8 thermostatic mixing valve from Reliance Valves is specifically designed for healthcare applications. Equipped with flat-faced union connections, the valve can be quickly and easily installed, and removed for maintenance. Furthermore, the valve’s large design ensures a reliable and rapid shutdown in the event of cold or hot water termination, which safeguards end-users from potential scalding incidents.
Ensuring a safe and sustainable water supply The NHS is committed to becoming a Net Zero organisation, which means that going forward, the environmental benefits of a healthcare building’s plumbing system need to be looked at more intently. Thus in addition to providing safety to end-users, more than ever, vast circulating hot water systems need to be thermally balanced to ensure optimum energy performance. An unbalanced system can overwork the boiler, starve the taps of hot water, or even allow for Legionella bacteria to potentially breed in the cooler areas of the hot water circuit. All of this can either create environmental inefficiencies, or require maintenance to
Left: The Reliance Valves Compact STBA RPZ Valve is used as a backflow preventative device in fluid category 4 buildings that don’t have the infrastructure to install a traditional RPZ valve. Middle: The Reliance Valves Thermal Balancing Valve safely balances the circulatory hot water system of commercial buildings, including healthcare buildings. Right: Reliance Valves’ Heatguard TMV 3-8 Thermostatic Mixing Valve blends hot and cold water to a constant and safe shower and bath outlet temperature to prevent scalding.
70 Health Estate Journal March 2024
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