32 FEATURE
Touchless fixtures and the
role of the plumber
ByRory Macnamara
Plumbing Africa looks at the case for legislating touch-free
fixtures in public places and beyond, and recognising the critical
role played by plumbers.
What was once referred to as touchless fixtures
is now known as ‘contactless’, but touchless
fixtures seems to cover the whole spectrum and,
is used more frequently around the world than
contactless is.
In short, plumbing and health must come to the top of the
building costing, and everything else should follow.
What began as an investigation into touchless taps and
mixers quickly evolved into so much more. The touchless
domain is way beyond just these; but to almost everything in
a public restroom like counter tops, grab rails and toilets –
all of which are the plumber’s domain.
Touchless changes the hygiene practice
Normal hygiene practice is to wash hands continually and
especially after visiting the restroom for a comfort break.
Hands are the one part of the body that is in contact with
everything that could carry germs and disease. Those
same hands then touch parts of the body – and become
the ideal carrier of said germs and diseases. This view is
supported by our own National Institute for Occupational
Health (NIOH) who will be following with their own input on
this topic.
Covid-19 has highlighted the need to practice normal
hygiene and even when the threat has subsided, it will still
be necessary to carry on this best practice hygiene. Taps and
mixers are the most usual places for germs to gather, and
these come from many various sources.
Burgess
Touchless mixer showing soap dispenser, drier and
hand-towel disposal in close proximity to one another.
This is where our plumbers come in – as well as property
developers, government and those who design bathrooms,
rest rooms and such. It is a well-known fact that plumbing
does not come high up in the building budget and as a
result, in some buildings, while contactless brassware
was originally specified, due to budget constraints or
overspending, ordinary taps end up being installed. The
opportunity to spread germs a disease is created, and
essential money is spent on non-essential artwork or
some visual mural or stylish furniture instead of the health
of people visiting restrooms. This requires a change in
mindset for developers, property owners, architects and
quantity surveyors.
While a standard does exist for electronically-operated
taps and valves, SANS (South African National Standard)
Mixer showing infrared and flow.
Hansgrohe
www.plumbingafrica.co.za @plumbingonline @plumbingonline @PlumbingAfricaOnline October 2020 Volume 26 I Number 08