HEATING AND VENTILATING
Technical Boiler House Risk Assessments in focus
Carl Knight, managing director of leading heat transfer specialist, Fulton, discusses the critical importance of Technical Boiler House Risk Assessments (TBHRAs) for NHS Trusts and healthcare facilities, exploring relevant regulations, assessment requirements for both fuel-fired and electrically-heated steam boilers, and what he dubs ‘the severe implications of non-compliance’.
In the complex and demanding environment of healthcare facilities, particularly within the NHS, the reliable and safe operation of steam boilers is paramount. Indeed, ensuring the safety and efficiency of boiler houses is not just a legal requirement, but a vital aspect of maintaining uninterrupted healthcare services.
Steam is an indispensable utility in healthcare
environments, and is used extensively for the sterilisation of medical instruments and equipment, heating and air-conditioning systems, laundry services for bedding and medical attire, food preparation and catering services, and humidification in certain medical areas. Given the nature of these applications, any disruption to steam supply can pose severe disruption to patient care and overall hospital operations, underscoring the importance of maintaining a safe, efficient, and reliable boiler house.
Legal framework and regulatory requirements The operation of steam boilers in healthcare facilities is governed by a comprehensive set of regulations and guidelines. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR) require all employers, including NHS Trusts, to conduct ‘suitable and sufficient’ risk assessments of their work activities. This legislation is complemented by the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR), which specifically address the safety of pressure systems, including steam boilers. To aid in compliance, the Combustion Engineering Association (CEA) and the Safety Assessment Federation (SAFed) have produced the BG01 Guidance Document, Safe Operation of Steam Boiler Plant, which offers comprehensive advice on the safe operation of boiler plant. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has also
published relevant documents – including INDG 436, which provides guidance on the safe management of industrial steam and hot water boilers, and INDG 417 Rev1, which offers information on thorough examinations and inspections of pressure systems. For healthcare facilities, the Health Technical Memoranda (HTM) are particularly relevant, with HTM 06-01 providing specific guidance on the design and operation of electrical services in healthcare premises – which is applicable to electrically-heated steam boilers, and HTM 04-01 on water system safety. These regulations and guidelines collectively form a comprehensive framework for ensuring the safe operation of boiler systems in healthcare settings. A Technical Boiler House Risk Assessment (TBHRA)
is a comprehensive evaluation of all potential hazards and risks associated with the operation of steam boilers. It is a legal requirement under the MHSWR, and is essential for compliance with other relevant regulations and guidelines. The primary objectives of a TBHRA are to identify all of the potential hazards associated with steam boiler operation, assess the likelihood and severity of these hazards, to determine appropriate control measures to mitigate risks, ensure compliance with all relevant legislation and guidelines, and to provide a basis for safe operating procedures and staff training.
Top: Boiler age and condition are key considerations.
Above: The TBHRA should cover the whole boiler house, not just the boilers.
October 2024 Health Estate Journal 67
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