CHTMAG.COM WEATHER FEATURE Barely a year goes by without some sort of freak weather. Floods, gale force winds, even heat waves have all become facts of life in Britain. Our weather-obsessed media will bombard us with facts and figures, plaster pictures all over the Internet and the news and interviews with the people involved. Yet little thought is ever given to the clean-up operations that have to be undertaken as a result of freak weather. In this feature CHT seeks to correct that NOVEMBER 2015 19 CLEANING HYGIENE TODAY common or domestic vacuum cleaner. This will do nothing to prevent or eradicated mould spores which thrive in damp conditions, often causing infections, especially in those with compromised immune systems or underlying respiratory issues. Decontaminators, dehumidifiers are recommended but even so there is often a large amount of restoration work that follows in the aftermath of a flood. The situation needs to be dealt with as quickly as possible as half of all businesses hit by a fire or a flood never open their doors again. The most common reason being that the restoration work would interrupt business for too long to be justifiable. Specialists will likely be required to extract the water, reduce humidity, eradicate the toxic mould and improve air quality. All the while avoiding and preventing secondary damage occurring. Of course all this needs to take place in a safe and secure environment that does not put anyone involved in unnecessary danger. Restoration cleaning often brings with it a whole host of potential dangers, we’ve mentioned mould and micro-organisms. Damaged electrical goods can pose a serious risk of electrocutions and sharp or dangerous objects could be hidden from sight. FIRES Between 2013 and 2014 alone the UK Fire and Rescue Service attended over 200,000 fires. Around 85 per cent of these were in domestic settings, with the remainder spread across businesses, cafes and restaurants, pubs and other public buildings. During the period Britain saw 322 people die from fire related injuries. The clean up after fires can be extremely arduous, complicated and dangerous. Fire damage to fittings as well as the actual structure of a building can pose a serious risk to the safety of those involved in the clean up. Obviously there will also be the issue of what exactly you are cleaning. Is it a wall that has been scorched? Smoke damaged furniture? If the fire is big and bad then you won’t be cleaning anything so much as clearing away rubble, but CHT supposes this still counts. Lancashire Fire and Rescue has an online advice page for anyone unfortunate enough to be dealing with the aftermath of a fire. It ranges from insisting that you do not attempt to reconnect or turn on the gas, electric or water supplies to advice on how to find places for your pets to stay whilst you make your home habitable. (They are a very considerate fire service.)
CHT November 2015
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