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rach108  
#1 Posted : 05 December 2017 17:39:56(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
rach108

Our office landlords need to replace a soil pipe above an office. They say they will use sheets to protect the area as the flats above may flush and there may be a flood.

We aren't happy with this as there is a potential for the office to be full of human waste.  Would sewage fall under COSHH?  Are there any other relevant legislation or information anyone can point me too?

Thanks in advance.

George_Young  
#2 Posted : 06 December 2017 07:26:48(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
George_Young

I would say yes, as excrement is a major source of harmful micro-organisms, including bacteria, viruses and parasites.

Working with Sewage guidance http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg198.pdf

This may also be of interest to you http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/infection.pdf

Regards

George

thanks 1 user thanked George_Young for this useful post.
rach108 on 06/12/2017(UTC)
A Kurdziel  
#3 Posted : 06 December 2017 11:19:24(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
A Kurdziel

Yes definitely under COSHH as it will contain microorganisms that might be harmful to human health and pose a risk of infection. They will need to do a suitable and sufficient risk assessment to identify the risk of infection from the waste they might be working with, who might be at risk, including your staff. How they will control that risk ie stop people being exposed to the potential bioagents, how they will disinfect or otherwise make the area safe, and what they would do it all went wrong and they had a flood of human excrement rather the just a few splashes.

rach108  
#4 Posted : 06 December 2017 11:57:06(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
rach108

Brilliant, thank you both.

Woolf13  
#5 Posted : 06 December 2017 14:02:47(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Woolf13

Further to the information already provided there are blood born diseases such as Heptitis you should consider as part of the COSHH Assessment, see link below which is a useful guide on completing the assessment:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/infection.pdf

It is not just health and safety. Do not forget the environmental issues also....

thanks 1 user thanked Woolf13 for this useful post.
rach108 on 06/12/2017(UTC)
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