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WATER HYGIENE & SAFETY


In addition, no COSHH assessment, risk assessments, or PPE are required.


Eliminating viruses, bacteria, algae, and mould


Considerable emphasis is understandably being placed on the elimination of the coronavirus, but of course hygiene also needs to be addressed with respect to bacteria, algae, and mould, which can be harmful in many environments, and not just in healthcare settings. In simplistic terms, viruses can be divided into enveloped and non-enveloped viruses, the latter being considerably harder to deactivate than the former. Conti+ oXan is virucidal, synonymous with effectiveness against both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses, and has been independently tested and proven to kill bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. (see Table 1).


How can you ensure safety? For any disinfection solution, users should refer to the Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR, Regulation (EU) 528/2012), concerning the placing on the market and use of biocidal products used to protect humans, animals, materials, or articles, against harmful organisms such as pests or bacteria, via the action of the active substances contained in the biocidal product. The Regulation aims to improve the functioning of the biocidal products market in the EU, while ensuring a high level of protection for both people and the environment. All biocidal products require authorisation before they can be placed on the market, and the active substances incorporated in these products must previously have been approved. (Conti+ oXan registration number: N-86291).


Designing hygiene into the building fabric


One of the many considerations for architects designing healthcare buildings globally is embedding in the design features that improve hygiene and reduce the risk of contamination – from wayfinding systems to the location of hand sanitisers. Might, for example, some hospital washrooms become doorless, in a similar way to such facilities within motorway service areas? Equally, how many areas within a hospital or other healthcare building can function ‘touch- free’, with the introduction of reliable sensor-controlled products such as taps, showers, and doorways? How buildings – and particularly healthcare buildings – are planned, constructed, and commissioned has become ever more important in the continuing battle against viruses and bacteria, with many architectural practices adopting a broader strategy to eliminate risk into their design. Issues


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Figure 1: Testing by well-established German laboratory, Lagotec, demonstrating the ‘dramatic reduction in biofilm’ post-dosing with Conti+ oXan.


such as deadlegs in water systems, where the pipework’s configuration allows for the possibility of a build-up of stagnant water, can be eradicated with careful planning and implementation, although of course this can be increasingly complex where hospitals have been extended, and the estate spans new and old building stock.


Automation’s role


Meanwhile, engineers have their own ongoing concerns in maintaining water supplies in a healthy and safe condition – from the moment that the water enters the building, to the moment it leaves. Automated building services and technologies can lessen the time pressures on estates teams; for example, automatic thermal disinfection of a water system can take place on a regular basis, with any problems identified, remotely if necessary, from the home office or a ‘tablet’ device. The Conti+ CNX water management system enables the automated control of up to 150 devices such as taps, showers, and urinal controls, all linked to one central system on the desktop or tablet. Users can set up ‘groups’ to regularly action essential maintenance, such as a hygienic flush, or even thermal disinfection, thus minimising


the risk of human error. Any malfunction within the system will raise a notification to designated users, allowing taps and other washing systems to be rapidly returned to service. Reports on system performance etc can be generated in PDF form to enable information from the system to be easily shared. With regular testing and control, problems within the water system can be quickly identified, and action taken to restore system operation to acceptable levels. Sometimes this corrective action can take the form of thermal disinfection, but where biofilm remains stubbornly in place, the use of a disinfection solution such as Conti+ oXan can be used to quickly eliminate it.


Safely re-opening buildings not in recent use


In these exceptional times, there have been many healthcare buildings, such as dentists’ surgeries, which have had to be temporarily closed. However, as the UK (and indeed other countries) slowly starts to re-open buildings, care needs to be taken to recommission them safely. If the building or estates manager has not been able to implement regular flushing of the domestic hot and cold water system, there are a number of steps that he/she


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The Conti+ CNX water management system enables the automated control of up to 150 devices ‘all linked to one central system on the desktop or tablet’.


Temperature (˚C)


Biofilm thickness (μm)


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