42 degrees + or - one in areas accessible by persons requiring assistance / care. The temps at the tank are usually well in access of 42 degrees and are brought down via thermostatic valves SBH

Sharon, re your mixer taps, I assume that you have queries in relation to the control of Legionella? The taps in your disabled ( now referred to as accessable, by the way) will almost certainly be fitted with a Thermostatic Mixing valve. It may be integral to the tap, or it may be a seperate unit. This TM valve will have a set temperature that it delivers water at and may or may not be adjustable. Your TMV sounds like its set around 43 degrees which seems acceptable. When you are taking the temps, you need to establish the temp of the water as it enters the TMV using a surface probe oh the pipe immediately before the valve (not on the valve). The temps should be in line with L8, ie less than 20 cold, over 50 hot within the timescales. Most TMV'S (not all) require a 10 degree (approx) difference to operate, ie if you want 43 degrees out of the tap, you need 53 going in. You also need maintain and check that the TMV (assuming its a TMV2 OR 3) works correctly and the safety shut offs work, ie if cold water fails, the hot should stop to prevent scalding risk, and if the hot fails, then the cold should stop also. There are also recommended distances from the supply to the TMV and then from the TMV to the outlet that shouldnt be exceeded (3m and 2m generally, but 2m and 1m in healthcare). Now for the hard bit, you have to find the TMV! It may be under the sink, in a cupboard or if you are really unlucky hidden away in the ducting behind a fixed panel (which is usually the reason that TMV's arent maintained!). Holmezy If you want anymore info, drop me a pm? Or post again!

Fom a dermatological viewpoint the temperature of the water used for handwashing should not exceed 40 deg. C. There is evidence (Berardesca E, Vignoli G P, Distante F, Brizzi P, Rabbiosi G, Effects of water temperature on surfactant-induced skin irritation, Contact Dermatitis, 1995, 32, 83-87) that washing in water in excess of this will have an adverse effect on the skin's barrier properties and render it more susceptible to damage from contact with irritants (and consequently more susceptible to sensitisation). According to work done by the late Prof. B Forslind, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (personal communication) the ideal temperature is just 32 deg C. Chris