WATER HYGIENE & SAFETY
infections. Smart water management systems such as the CONTI+ CNX enable the complete management of up to 150 connected products such as taps, urinals, and showers, on one system, and multiple networks can be combined for a large hospital site. Hygienic flushing and thermal disinfection can all be programmed, automated, and controlled, remotely. The system automatically controls and logs all safety routines and function checks, providing both reassurance to users of the quality management of the water system, and a full audit trail of safety reports. Automatic logging of flushes and other
Ecoprod says that a ‘smart’ water management system such as CNX ‘takes away any uncertainty associated with a manual process, and removes the risk of human error’.
Many CONTI+ taps are designed specifically for healthcare, and have both infection control and patient safety at the heart of their design. For example, smooth internal components mean that water flows continuously through the tap without restriction. Water does not even pass through the tap’s solenoid, so no bacteria can breed. Larger particles of water debris can pass through the tap’s filter point, which has larger than average filtration holes, so no biofilm gathering point is created within the tap. Any materials to which germs could adhere are simply flushed away. The sensor controls of a touch-free
tap are ideal for patients who may struggle to grip and turn the controls on a traditional tap. Temperatures can be preset to an optimum level, which cannot then be changed by individual users, thus eliminating the risk of scalding. These taps are also designed to be easily accessible to maintenance teams, who need to be able to quickly remove components for cleaning or replacement as part of the PPM process. A regular hygiene flush removes any
stagnant water, and areas where risk is increased – for example empty patient rooms, can quickly be identified. The Estates team can activate a 12-, 24-, or 48-hour hygienic flush by using a simple stop/start button.
Water and liquid hygiene product dispensing Ecoprod’s range of sensor taps also includes miscea taps, which can dispense both water and liquid hand hygiene products from the same unit completely touch-free, making them ideal for surgeries and other medical settings. Only one product needs to be installed, with no separate soap or disinfectant dispensers needed, therefore reducing any infection control problems. Whether in a surgical
setting, medical area, or public space, the surfaces around the tap and washbasin area can be kept as clean and clutter-free as possible. Digital showers enable the length of
time for which the shower runs, and the maximum temperature at which it can run, to be set remotely. This means significantly less water is used, and patient safety is improved, as the risk of scalding is removed. The shower can also be set to shut off automatically if the cold water supply fails, providing further anti-scald protection. Such showers have other safety features relevant in a healthcare environment. The shower panel is made from AVW plastic, which is 100% anti- bacterial, meaning that no bacteria can grow on the surface of the shower panel itself. Each shower can be programmed to flush automatically, and every component has been tested at up to 80 °C, so the shower can be flushed at a temperature guaranteed to kill every single bacterium without any risk to the shower itself. The hot and cold water pipework are rinsed separately. This almost totally eliminates microbiological contamination of the shower water.
‘Smart’ water management systems reduce maintenance costs Effective water management is critical when it comes to preventing Legionella, Pseudomonas, and other similar
‘‘ 64 Health Estate Journal November 2023
safety routines provides an audit trail, as well as reassuring users that water safety is taken seriously. All activities on the water system are logged, and the stored data provides a complete record of all operational uses of each component – whether by staff, patients, or visitors. This can then be used to evidence underused water-connected products wherever they are in the estate, so action can be taken to further improve hygiene, such as more regular thermal flushes to avoid stagnation in patient rooms or other locations to identify sentinel points that are not being used. The automation of flush routines
removes the possibility of human error, which the Health & Safety Executive identifies as a significant contributory factor in many Legionella outbreaks. A manual process is only as good as the people who are implementing it. Relying on maintenance staff to patrol around premises flushing devices one by one means that there is always a risk that they do not flush for long enough, or at the correct temperature, or that they miss a device altogether. Additionally, a water management system such as the CNX reduces the amount of travel to remote sites that maintenance staff are required to undertake, further improving operational efficiency, and reducing the organisation’s carbon footprint. A smart water management system such as CNX takes away any uncertainty associated with a manual process, and removes the risk of human error. Facilities managers know precisely which taps were run, when, for how long, and at what temperature. The settings for flush duration, interval, and water run-on time
The automation of flush routines removes the possibility of human error, which the Health & Safety Executive identifies as a significant contributory factor in many Legionella outbreaks. A manual process is only as good as the people who are implementing it
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