A Bath care home has been warned by CQC inspectors about uncovered radiators.

The care home which cares for 20 elderly residents underwent an inspection in April 2018 and was rated “Requires Improvement” due to its residents being vulnerable to risks from hot surfaces as radiators were not covered.

A surprise inspection was then carried out in April 2019 and the care home was yet again rated “Requires Improvement” following a number of failings including radiators still being uncovered.

The report states: “At this inspection, we found the service had not taken sufficient steps to improve in these areas. Shortfalls identified in the last inspection had been repeated in addition to a further breach of regulations”.

The inspectors found five breaches of the Health and Social Care Act Regulations (2014).

The inadequacies highlighted included “radiators were not covered to prevent burns to vulnerable people”.

“At this inspection we found that all radiators were still not covered and those in communal areas and bathrooms were hot to touch.”

“There were also no individual risk assessments for people who may be at higher risk from this. Therefore, there was a risk people could be burnt”.

The CQC is now considering the appropriate regulatory response to resolve the problems which have been found.

The importance of radiator and heater covers in care home environments cannot be stressed enough but is often overlooked.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) states that under health and safety legislation, radiator guards ARE required when people who have limited mobility are at risk of falling onto a hot surface that could cause harm.

Where assessment identifies that vulnerable people could come into prolonged contact with a radiator, such equipment should be designed or covered so that the minimum accessible surface temperature does not exceed 43 degrees.

The legislation that applies is:

• Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA), section 3;
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (MHSWR), regulations 3;
• Provision of Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)

As was stated in the CQC report, it is important to assess the individual situation of each resident in your care home. The important things to consider are:

• Lack of mobility. Will the resident be able to quickly move away from a hot surface in the case of a fall?
• Sensitivity to temperature. Will the resident be able to recognise if they are touching a heated surface?
• Mental Capacity. Will the resident be able to recognise or react to a heated surface?
• Furniture fittings or fixings. Are there any nearby objects such as wardrobes or drawers near the radiator/heater which will restrict the movement away from the heat source?

If your care home has requirements for covering your radiators to keep your residents safe and prevent surface burns, you can receive an instant quote from us online now.

Alternatively, please speak to our team of specialists on 0161 869 6550 or by emailing info@radiator-guards.com. Our team is available 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday for all your safety needs.

Source: SomersetLive.

Last October, a Clevedon Care Home was warned by CQC inspectors about uncovered radiators.

The inspectors described failings and issues in their report highlighting the home “requires improvement” overall.

“We found bedroom radiators were uncovered and could be rolled onto or lent against which could burn or scald the person” inspectors noted.

The CQC Inspectors criticised the leadership of the care home “for not monitoring, assessing and mitigating the risks relating to health and safety and people’s individual risks” despite having safety audits in place.

Following the inspection, the care home and its owners had to progress to installing covers on all the radiators.

Read more “The Dangers and Impacts of Radiator Burns”

A Clevedon care home has been warned by CQC inspectors about uncovered radiators.

The care home which houses sixteen adults with learning disabilities underwent a surprise check by the Care Quality Commission back in April.

The inspectors described several failings and issues in their report highlighting the home “requires improvement” overall.

“We found bedroom radiators were uncovered and could be rolled onto or lent against which could burn or scald the person” inspectors noted.

It was also found that the residents could be burnt by scalding water due to staff not checking the temperatures of hot water taps before showering or bathing.

The inspectors criticised the leadership of the care home for “not monitoring, assessing and mitigating the risks relating to health and safety and people’s individual risks” despite having safety audits in place.

Read more “CQC Inspectors Highlight the Danger of Burns from Uncovered Radiators”

A Church is a place where members of the community, both young and old will gather every week.

In 2010, 1,970 people were injured in public buildings by a radiator or hot pipework.

Due to both their age and vulnerability, it is young children and the elderly who are most at risk due to being unable to react quickly or appropriately enough if they come into contact with a hot surface.

We’ve put together a simple guide answering FAQs regarding radiator regulations in public buildings.

Read more “Radiator Regulations for Churches”

In a school or nursery, the safety and well-being of your students is always number one priority.

In 2010, 1,970 people were injured in public buildings by a radiator or hot pipework. 71% of these incidents occurred in a place of education.

All of these incidents warranted a hospital visit.

Due to both their age and their vulnerability, young children are unable to react appropriately or quickly enough if they come into contact with a hot surface.

We’ve put together a simple guide answering FAQs regarding radiator regulations in educational settings.

Read more “Radiator Regulations for Schools & Nurseries”

The importance of radiator covers in care homes has been highlighted multiple times by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Yet despite this, there are still reports of radiator burns occurring in care homes due to uncovered radiators.

We’ve highlighted some recent cases where a resident of a care home has suffered a burn from an uncovered radiator as well as the fine the care homes had to pay.

Read more “Care Home Fine Payouts for Accidents with Uncovered Radiators”

When you’re working in an environment with young children, safety measures need to be put in place to prevent accidents from occurring.

A safety risk which is often overlooked is radiators.

The Facts

In 2010, 1,970 people were injured in public buildings by a radiator or hot pipework. 71% of these incidents occurred in a place of education.

All of these incidents warranted a hospital visit.

Every public establishment that caters for vulnerable people such as young children and the elderly must ensure that their radiators do not exceed a surface temperature of 43 degrees. Standard steel paralleled radiators, however, can reach double the recommended temperature at 75 degrees – hot enough to cause serious burns in just seconds.

Due to their age and vulnerability, young children are unable to react appropriately or quickly enough if they come into contact with a hot surface.

The Solution

It’s important to ensure you have the right safety guards in place to prevent accidents from occurring.

The safety risks of radiators can be eliminated with the simple installation of a radiator cover.

A good radiator cover will allow you to prevent access to the hot surface of the radiator, whilst still allowing the heat to flow freely around the room.

Radiator Guard by Cardea Solutions

The Radiator Guard by Cardea Solutions offers the ideal solution for radiator safety. So what exactly are the benefits of the Radiator Guard by Cardea?

HSE Compliant

Conforms to the latest health & safety executive guidelines for managing risks from hot surfaces.

Heat Circulation

Unlike traditional radiators, the mesh-wire design allows the heat to flow freely to minimise heat loss.

Bespoke Design

Made to measure to provide you with the perfect fitting guard for your radiators.

Durability

Manufactured in durable 25mm steel wire mesh to ensure a long-lasting, resilient design which withstands normal handling procedures.

Ease of Use

A hook-on, hook-off design to allow for easy removal during routine maintenance and cleaning.

Coated-Design

Specially coated to remain unaffected by heat, making them safe to touch.

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If you would like to find out more about Radiator Guards for your school or nursery, talk to our team of specialists on 0161 869 6550 or send us an email.

As a part of Cardea Solutions, at Radiator Guard our aim is to provide a safe and secure environment in schools, nurseries and care homes. With both young children and the elderly more susceptible to safety risks – it’s important to safeguard against these.

Installing Radiator Guards in Schools and Care Homes allows you to retain heating equipment whilst preventing and eliminating the threat and danger of surface burns caused by prolonged contact with radiators and heaters.

Read more “5 Benefits of Radiator Guards in Schools, Nurseries & Care Homes”