Author Topic: Property Maintenance (Read 1803 times)

Bob Mehew · « **on:** May 26, 2020, 03:16:29 pm »

I am looking for some help in drafting guidance on re-opening huts. Could people with a back ground in property maintenance please PM me? I also could do with some one who has direct experience of oil fueled boiler systems. Many thanks in anticipation.

PeteHall · « **Reply #1 on:** May 26, 2020, 03:36:58 pm »

Our building services team have been helping clients with mothballing and reopening buildings in relation to the Coronavirus shut-down. They are obviously charging for this, but I may be able to get some free advice if I know exactly what you are after.

mikem · « **Reply #2 on:** May 26, 2020, 03:44:25 pm »

Government will probably provide it for holiday lets...

Minion · « **Reply #3 on:** May 27, 2020, 06:45:56 am »

This flashed up on my feed earlier, it may be of some use?

https://www.water.org.uk/publication/recovering-drinking-water-supplies-in-buildings-and-networks-after-prolonged-inactivity/

Bob Mehew · « **Reply #4 on:** May 27, 2020, 07:57:26 am »

many thanks Minion. I will take any other similar type links whcih people might spot.

Minion · « **Reply #5 on:** May 28, 2020, 11:35:18 am »

Another:

https://www.emexlondon.com/live-webinar-your-electrical-compliance-checklist-for-reopening-sites/

bill chadwick · « **Reply #6 on:** June 02, 2020, 07:56:14 pm »

When we are finally allowed and want, to reopen our huts we will hopefully have some govt advice to follow. We will probably have to attend to cleaning more than we have in the past. It might be helpful for club officials to share ideas for best practice and even perhaps coordinate the supply of materials and services.

Bob Mehew · « **Reply #7 on:** June 02, 2020, 08:39:50 pm »

I am trying to pull such a list together on behalf of BCA. Which is why I started the thread. I have got so far but have been knocked sideways by an event in the family. Would you or anyone else like to help? If so please PM me.

Jenny P · « **Reply #8 on:** June 03, 2020, 02:09:03 pm »

Thinking ahead my club has just invested in some of the spray-gun surface disinfectants (they also come as aerosols) and will be putting them in washroom, toilets, showers and kitchen areas with a notice with the wording:

PLEASE HELP US TO AVOID INFECTION

USE
DISINFECTANT
SPRAY

Use the disinfectant spray provided and spray all close contact surfaces before and after use.

If necessary, wipe dry with a paper towel and dispose of it in the bin afterwards.

Read the instructions on the product before use.

It's not much but it is a start.

Mind you, anyone who uses a caving club hut regularly must be pretty well proof against all infections known to man - especially if you are a former Eldon member, reading the tales of the old Eldon hostel in Buxton.

Bob Mehew · « **Reply #9 on:** June 03, 2020, 02:51:48 pm »

I think thank you Jenny.

My original task was just to cover advice on reopening a hut by checking, cleaning and such like. Advice for running a hut is a major task in its own right and will depend upon the state of advice for social contact. My sailing club has had to do a lot more work than just providing sanitiser but that is for opening to just use the toilets and not change rooms (or even the bar!). Having done all that they still can't use the lake. So it is not just frustrated cavers.

JoshW · « **Reply #10 on:** June 03, 2020, 03:38:19 pm »

Something my uncle who works for the council the other day mentioned was about legionnaire's disease. Where the public loos were shut for a bit and reopened all the toilets needed to be tested for legionnaires.

Jenny P · « **Reply #11 on:** June 03, 2020, 03:50:41 pm »

Quote from: Bob Mehew on June 03, 2020, 02:51:48 pm

I think thank you Jenny. My original task was just to cover advice on reopening a hut by checking, cleaning and such like. Advice for running a hut is a major task in its own right and will depend upon the state of advice for social contact. My sailing club has had to do a lot more work than just providing sanitiser but that is for opening to just use the toilets and not change rooms (or even the bar!). Having done all that they still can't use the lake. So it is not just frustrated cavers.

I was thinking that the Covid-19 virus is supposed to have a life-span of anything between half an hour and a week, depending on the surfaces it lands on. So, theoretically, there shouldn't be any live virus in a toilet that hasn't been used for a couple of months. So a good clean round with a disinfectant surface cleaner should be OK at least to start with. After that it's ongoing maintainance to keep it clean - but how long should you wait between "visits" to allow for the accumulated droplets to fall to the floor after someone has breathed or sneezed in there?

However, Legionnaire's is a possibility I hadn't thought of and have no idea how you could test for that. Bit tricky also in that just dumping gallons of strong disinfectant into the cysterns and down the toilets would most probably kill any "good" bacteria which lurk in the septic tank, leading to further problems!

JohnMCooper · « **Reply #12 on:** June 03, 2020, 04:09:47 pm »

Jenny - pm sent re Legionnaires

mikem · « **Reply #13 on:** June 03, 2020, 04:29:03 pm »

Pretty sure minion's original link in this thread will cover stuff like that (& more)

Bob Mehew · « **Reply #14 on:** June 03, 2020, 04:47:49 pm »

Sorry, I have 20 topic headings in the draft that I have managed to produce. (They cover vermin, services, cleaning and such like. Legionnaires is but one small part, first make sure your water is drinkable.) If any one is prepared to comment on it, then PM me with an email address and I will pass them a copy. I don't want to release it without BCA's acceptance after that.

JohnMCooper · « **Reply #15 on:** June 03, 2020, 05:04:15 pm »

minion's original post refers only to drinking water.

Quote

This note provides guidance to building owners, landlords and managers and to those who operate
“Refill” schemes as to the steps necessary once access to buildings is permitted as to how to restore
their drinking water systems. For guidance on managing risks associated with Legionella please
contact the appropriate authorities.

Minion · « **Reply #16 on:** June 03, 2020, 05:26:56 pm »

More legionella guidance can be found in ACOP L8.

Legionella control was a large part of a previous job.

Will PM you my email address.

PeteHall · « **Reply #17 on:** June 05, 2020, 03:57:07 pm »

My building services colleagues have recommended looking at the CIBSE guidance: https://www.cibse.org/coronavirus-covid-19/emerging-from-lockdown

There may be some useful nuggets in here, though most of it is probably not relevant.

Bob Mehew · « **Reply #18 on:** June 05, 2020, 04:48:43 pm »

Many thanks Pete; it had one item I had not covered so it was useful in that sense

but thin on detail.

Russell Myers · « **Reply #19 on:** June 06, 2020, 04:39:33 pm »

Legionella is the one to look out for when re-opening huts because it is off most folks' radar especially showers with the potential to create breathable aerosols. HSE L8 covers all the essentials; the bottom line being to think it through before blasting any water out of outlets especially on the hot water side that may have been stagnating for however long we haven't been using facilities, it feels like a lifetime.
The subject came up at our Club Friday night virtual pub gathering and our resident expert suggested a likely source of infection could be your car/vehicle screen wash bottles as it may become colonised by Legionella if you don't use screen wash additive! Something to check out.
If it ain't one bug it's another that will get you!

mikem · « **Reply #20 on:** June 22, 2020, 11:03:07 am »

Drinking water inspectorate have produced various guidances:
http://www.dwi.gov.uk/

mikem · « **Reply #21 on:** June 24, 2020, 07:00:29 am »

From US, but may contain useful stuff:
https://www.cmaa.org/covid/Reopening/index.html

alastairgott · « **Reply #22 on:** June 24, 2020, 08:56:07 pm »

Quote from: Bob Mehew on June 03, 2020, 02:51:48 pm

Having done all that they still can't use the lake.

Off topic, but
There are sailing clubs open in the country they're not racing yet but are going out for a play in single handers or in same household double handers.
Don't know where you're based, but the one I know of locally are not offering rescue support, so anyone going out would need to be comfortable with sorting themselves out and sailing within their own ability.

Bob Mehew · « **Reply #23 on:** June 24, 2020, 09:27:31 pm »

My club has now restarted but as you say with out safety boat cover and not yet racing. But to come back on topic, advice on inspection prior to re-opening has been put up on the BCA web site at https://british-caving.org.uk/wiki3/doku.php?id=start