Accessible sanitary facilities for children – user-friendly controls and reliable anti-scalding protection

Keeping children safe is the top priority in day nurseries and primary schools. Children can easily become exposed to hazards: from burn injuries due to excessively hot water and taps with complicated controls to issues with drinking water hygiene. Children have more sensitive skin, are slower to react and their immune system has not yet fully developed. This makes it all the more important to choose fittings that are accessible, easy to use and safe.

Children and the risk of scald injuries 

This risk is much greater for children than for adults, because children are comparatively slower to react and are unable to properly assess the dangers that might be caused by excessively hot water. As their skin is also more sensitive, scald injuries can occur after a much shorter period of time. 

With the aim of protecting children in nursery and primary schools, technical codes have set out very clear standards: 

• DVGW W 5521 specifies that “draw-off taps with individual locks shall be used and anti-scalding protection provided as necessary”
• For sanitary facilities in hospitals, schools, day nurseries and retirement homes, DIN 806-2 recommends the use of thermostatic mixing valves or mixer taps with a maximum temperature of 43 °C
• Exception: In shower facilities provided by nursery schools, the water temperature should not exceed 38 °C 

Anti-scalding protection at wash basins and in showers

In nursery and primary schools, taps and fittings must provide reliable protection against excessively hot water. Temperature limitation is the gold standard here. This rule applies in particular to the washrooms and showers in sports facilities for primary schools. This is the safest approach to avoiding unnecessary accidents. 

Simple, intuitive controls

Children need fittings that are easy to understand – they should be able to use them safely without adult supervision. In nursery schools, it makes sense to install a variety of models, so that children learn how to use conventional single-lever mixers as well as electronic taps and fittings.  

Important: Electronic taps and fittings also reduce the risk of contact infection, as they do not need to be touched when operated. 

Good solutions for nursery and primary schools

Fittings from SCHELL with ThermoProtect technology offer reliable, precise anti-scalding protection – even during pressure fluctuations. The flow of water stops immediately if the cold water line fails, ensuring children are protected while washing their hands or showering. 
 

Preconditions for maintaining drinking water quality

To ensure drinking water quality can be maintained, water needs to keep moving. A full exchange of water is required at least every 72 hours. Due to prolonged periods of downtime – such as at weekends or during holidays – this can often be a challenge in schools and nurseries. There is a risk that Legionella will start to proliferate. 

Automated stagnation flushes

Electronic SCHELL fittings can perform flushes automatically. Together with the SWS Water Management System, these flushes can be managed and documented as a centralized process. Even during longer periods of downtime, this maintains drinking water quality efficiently, safely and without extra work for building operators.

• ThermoProtect cartridge provides anti-scalding protection at wash basins and in showers
• IsoBody housing offers protection against burns if the MODUS MD-T thermostat is touched
• Contactless operation for electronic taps protects against disease transmission via contact infection
• Automatic stagnation flushes from electronic taps reduce the risk of Legionella
   

Gottlieb-Daimler public kindergarten, Sindelfingen

Project data

Property type: Kindergarten

Requirements: Renovations

Completion: September 2022

Location: Sindelfingen

Country: Germany

Technical planning: Achim Krahl – Ingenieurbüro für Versorgungstechnik

SCHELL products: SWS Server, SWS BE-K wired bus extender, SMART.SWS setup package, CELIS E electronic wash basin tap, GRANDIS E electronic kitchen tap, angle valve thermostat set, sampling angle valve

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Innenstadt Community Primary School, Wesel, Germany

Project data

Property type: Community primary school

Requirements: Renovations

Completion:Spring 2023

Location: Wesel

Country: Germany

Planning: City of Wesel, Theo Sent Heizungs-, Sanitär- und Lüftungsbau GmbH & Co. KG 

SCHELL products: SCHELL Water Management System (SWS server, SWS bus mains adapter, SWS electrical junction box, SWS BE-K wired bus extender, SWS temperature sensor LINUS inlet, SWS temperature sensor LINUS outlet), XERIS E HD-K small electronic wash basin tap, XERIS E HD-M mid. electronic wash basin tap, MODUS E exposed wash basin tap, LINUS DP-C-T shower panel,
LINUS D-C-T concealed shower, EDITION E urinal control, sampling angle valve, angle valve thermostat set

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