WATER SYSTEM SAFETY
improve infection control, safety, and the durability of its installations. Roger Berry, Technical Services Supervisor (M&E) at the hospital, which is in Southampton, explains why he chose Bristan: “The company’s H64 healthcare taps feature smooth internal waterways and spouts with angled, machined internals that don’t retain water, ensuring that there are no areas within the tap where water can stagnate, which of course can result in a breeding ground for Legionella bacteria. The spouts can be removed for descaling when required, which further helps with infection control, as well as the efficiency and longevity of the tap.” After a successful trial, our taps are now fitted in the hospital’s wards, consultation rooms, and all other patient-facing spaces.
Preventing scalding with thermostatic technology Many risks can be found within the bathroom, but one of the most common is burning and scalding from showers, baths, and taps. In 2020 The Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) revealed that – based on ‘NHS Digital Hospital Episode Statistics for England 2019-2020’, the number of scalding incidents from taps had risen by 9% in the previous two years. To prevent the growth of harmful Legionella bacteria, hot water must be stored at 60˚C or above. However, at this temperature, healthy adult skin can be scalded with third degree burns in just five seconds. Fortunately, this risk is preventable with the installation of a Thermostatic Mixing Valve (TMV) tap or shower. According to the Department of Health HTM 04-01: Supplement, Performance specification D 08: thermostatic mixing valves (healthcare premises), any building with a vulnerable population must have TMV3- approved valves. This HTM guidance stipulates that hospitals and healthcare buildings should install TMV3s on all showers, baths, and basins, to ensure the safety of patients. Additionally, Part G of
For patients with limited hearing, Bristan has incorporated clear control graphics and audible signals for temperature setting change in a selection of its showers.
the Building Regulations includes measures to help reduce the number of incidents of scalding, by requiring that all baths and showers in new dwellings have a device fitted that limits the temperature to a maximum of 48˚C (46˚C +/–2˚C). This is considered a safer temperature for adults, and will help prevent these unnecessary injuries or deaths.
Thermostatic solutions for healthcare settings
To help customers comply with the safety regulations, Bristan has developed a range of thermostatic solutions for healthcare settings including our best-selling TMV3- certified OPAC bar shower. Engineered for safety, it mixes the hot and cold water supply together to create a safer, more desirable temperature before it reaches the shower head. For extra peace of mind, it incorporates our Safe Touch technology, where the hot water feed is encapsulated by the cold to ensure that the bar valve is safe to touch. By shielding the hot water inside the valve, this ensures that there is no danger of scalding the skin if a person brushes up against it during showering.
Practical design
Bristan has designed a specialist range of DocM products – every one ‘meets or exceeds’ safety standards, including DocM, LABC, Part M of the Building Regulations, and the Disability Discrimination Act.
The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the need for robust and ready healthcare facilities, which is why it’s important to incorporate accessibility within your washroom and bathroom designs, to promote ease and independence for the patient. For spaces with patients with limited mobility, Bristan has designed a specialist range of DocM products. Every product meets or exceeds safety standards, including DocM, LABC, Part M of the Building Regulations, and the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). Recognising that patients with visual impairments need strong contrasting colours in bathrooms, our range comes in
Chris Tranter
Chris Tranter, Senior Product manager at Bristan Group, has over 15 years’ experience in commercial, product, and supplier management, and has spent over eight years at Bristan, where he heads up the company’s bathroom taps and mixer showers product team. Known for his creativity and eye for detail, he is specifically responsible for all specification products in both the domestic and commercial channels.
October 2021 Health Estate Journal 33
a variety of colours. For patients with limited hearing, Bristan has incorporated clear control graphics and audible signals for temperature setting change in a selection of our showers, including the Joy Care Electric Shower.
When designing for accessibility, we find installing products that are tactile and easy to use is very popular. Taps and showers operated by a lever handle are a great option. The broad, extended shape of levers allow them to be controlled accurately and with ease. Levers can even be operated by elbows if the user has little to no mobility in their hands.
Standing the test of time As well as choosing safe solutions, it is equally important to specify with confidence by choosing high-quality products that are built to last and easy to maintain. Bristan is committed to creating products that stand the test of time by testing taps and showers in its in-house UKAS-accredited facility during every stage of development. We believe it is important to test products beyond the recommended amount; therefore all showers are tested to the equivalent of 130 years, while our taps are turned on and off 80,000 times to ensure endurance, and undergo high-pressure testing to ensure that they can handle 25 times the standard water pressure.
Roger Berry of the Royal South Hants Hospital, added: “Bristan’s taps are robustly designed with anti-vandal features, so we know that they are built to last, and will ultimately save us time on maintenance too.”
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