APHC Warns on High Risk Fittings with Hoses

With the ever-growing fashion for hose attachments and the ever-increasing enforcement of Water Regulations, APHC is warning plumbers about the serious health consequences of getting this type of installation wrong.

Under the requirements of the Water Regulations in England & Wales, a point of use backflow prevention device must be fitted to protect against backflow taking place in the domestic water system. Backflow can happen in one of two ways: back siphonage and backpressure.

The contact of a water fitting (such as a shower hose or spray attachment) with the contents of a bidet, WC or even a kitchen sink is regarded as fluid risk category 5 – a very serious health hazard owing to the contents of the bowl which may contain substances such as faecal matter, blood, chemicals etc. Shower hoses and spray attachments present a particular problem as with some types of water fittings the submersion of the head into a pool of contaminated material can readily occur if not guarded against.

Andy Bukiel, Technical Services Officer at APHC, comments:

"We have had a lot of queries about this issue in recent months and we are anxious that all plumbers recognise how potentially serious an incorrect installation could be. In many cases, the solution is straightforward, although some installations will present real technical challenges."

This issue is covered in detail during the Water Regulations training course delivered by the Association, which is open to members and non-members alike. In addition, a fact sheet on the subject is also available to APHC member companies as part of the range of technical support information available.

Published: 16 October 2007

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