Infection prevention & control
Turn up the heat It is widely accepted the Legionella is inactive below 20˚C and is killed above 60˚C, so the accepted best practice for controlling it is through storing hot water at 60˚C or above. However, in healthcare settings like
care homes, this can cause a risk of scalding patients and staff if the water is delivered from a tap or shower at this temperature. Therefore, in Bristan taps and showers, in-built thermostatic mixing valve (TMV) technology is fitted to reduce the water temperature at the point of delivery to eliminate this risk.
Keep it clean There is still a perception among certain sectors in the healthcare community that TMV devices pose an infection control hazard in themselves. The risk identified is due to the nature of the devices - TMVs mix the incoming water supply to around 40°C for safe usage, but pathogens such as Legionella favour water at this temperature, so if the water becomes stagnant - a particular risk for infrequently used taps - bacteria can potentially colonise. To overcome any uncertainties,
effective maintenance and servicing bathroom products is key and vital in
reducing waterborne infections. To reduce this risk, a regular flushing routine should be carried out to eliminate any stagnant water. This involves flushing out any outlets – on both taps and showers – by leaving them to run on their highest temperature for at least five minutes. However, while establishing a
maintenance routine may be an effective method, in many cases it is not always adhered to. Worryingly, one in ten felt their facility was not able to conduct thermal shock to the accepted standard due to prohibitive costs. To a certain degree, these results are unsurprising. It is no secret that many healthcare facilities are overstretched – both financially and in terms of team sizes – and given that over a quarter of those surveyed reported an average thermal flush time between 10- 20 minutes or more, conducting regular thermal shocks can be a significant investment. In today’s world this worry will be specifically heightened with the challenges that Covid-19 has posed to the health and care sector. The pandemic has highlighted
the importance of choosing the right products to make maintenance processes more autonomous a top priority. Therefore, Bristan has fitted its new OPAC TMV3 range with a patented
built-in thermal flush mechanism. Not only does this make maintenance
routines easier, but it is designed to boost infection control and adhere to anti-Legionella regimes. The showers also feature a filter change incorporated in the elbows for easy cleaning, further preventing the risk of Legionella – and on the concealed models, there is easy fitting and removal of the concealing plate, which uses a grub screw for added security. The care sector will always have its challenges when it comes to design, but gathering the right information, listening to your specific needed and choosing safe, high-quality products will allow you to specify with confidence – especially in a post-Covid world. To read the full ‘Your Views: Water
Delivery Infection Control in Healthcare’ white paper, download it at https://www.
bristan.com/specifiers-home/infection- control-white paper.
TCHE
Chris Tranter
Chris Tranter is senior product manager at Bristan Group. Chris has over 15 years of experience in commercial, product and supplier management and, with over eight years working at Bristan, 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.
August 2021 •
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