Looking out for others in your workplace is something everyone should comply with and water safety is not any different. Scalding is a serious issue and it can be as quick as a second for a burn to occur, that is why the Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA) has made sure that certain institutions follow a strict list of requirements.
These institutions include:
- Early childhood learning centres
- Primary and Secondary schools
- Nursing Homes
- Facilities that offer services for the young, aged, sick or disabled.
The Australian standard AS 3498 requires that all hot water used for personal hygiene purposes falls below 50 degrees celsius and the listed institutions above cannot exceed 45 degrees celsius. Although temperatures cannot be higher out of the tap, hot water must be stored at 60 degrees celsius to prevent the growth of the bacteria Legionella, which can be deadly. Â
If your centre falls under any of those listed or you fear your water temperature may be too high we offer the solution of Thermostatic Mixing Valves (TMV). They allow water to be monitored and stored at the ideal temperature which a plumber can set up for you. TMV’s are more accurate than other devices as it reacts quickly to temperature and pressure changes by mixing cold and hot water together to produce the set temperature every time.
The Australian standards now also apply to all new heated water installations, which includes solar and heat pumps.
Don’t let your workplace, school or centre be caught off guard with burning hot water, let us install and monitor your TMV’s, so you can have the peace of mind knowing that your workplace is water safe.
Contact us at 1300 363 423 for more information on all things plumbing.