SCHELL fittings help employees in hospitals and clinics

Ideal for hospital department use – VITUS series fittings

If anything describes the requirements for sanitary facilities throughout a hospital, it is variety – also because of the various departments housed in the one building. Tapping points are provided within diagnostics and treatment, for example, as well as in patient care, supplies and waste management. SCHELL provides a highly diversified portfolio of fittings for these use cases. These include the VITUS series, with over 100 systematically specialised models: these are based around two well-designed standard bodies and their functionality is tailored exactly to the needs of hospital users. One example is the VITUS VW-AH-T exposed wash basin tap, which is equipped with an ergonomic medical elbow lever that can be used without requiring hand contact. 

Contactless fittings for ease of use and user hygiene

In day-to-day hospital life, people with weakened immune systems can be exposed to especially dangerous pathogens. Hospital staff also often need to use tapping points – after providing patient care, for example – that are used by a large and heterogeneous group of people. To protect employees and patients, fittings featuring contactless operation are recommended – such as the VITUS VW-E-T exposed wash basin tap, for example. The flow of water is triggered by an infrared sensor once a hand moves into the sensor range and stops automatically once hands are no longer present within the sensor’s detection range. This functionality not only cuts water consumption by up to 70 percent but can also help to improve user hygiene. This is because the contactless operation helps to avoid direct contact with the fitting, thereby minimising the risk of a contact infection from potentially contaminated surfaces.

Anti-scalding protection with solutions from SCHELL

The German Association for Hospital Hygiene (DGKH) recommends installing or retrofitting anti-scalding protection in rooms used for direct patient care where there is an increased risk of scalding for the affected patients. Many fittings from SCHELL are available with a thermostat cartridge. Thanks to their innovative ThermoProtect technology, the temperature of the water exiting the fitting can be limited to 38 °C in the case of suitably equipped models. Anti-scalding protection is also provided if the cold water line fails, since the flow of water also then stops automatically. Potential injuries from hot water should not be underestimated. If water exiting a tap or fitting is painfully hot, people may try to avoid it and subsequently suffer falls or other injuries – especially during showering. Responsible building operators are therefore well advised to protect both patients as well as their nursing and medical staff from scald injuries. For use in accessible facilities, fittings from the MODUS series are recommended, such as the MODUS EH-T wash basin tap and the MODUS MD shower fitting. Both of these models are equipped with ThermoProtect technology and have recently received the PLUS X Award. 

SCHELL SWS Water Management System

Many electronic fittings from SCHELL can be networked with the SCHELL SWS Water Management System, so as to use automated stagnation flushes to help maintain the quality of drinking water in an installation such as a hospital. SWS makes possible the centralised programming, control and monitoring of electronic SCHELL fittings. Since healthcare facilities often feature an especially large number of tapping points with high rates of use at peak times, the piping is often generously dimensioned. Ensuring a complete exchange of water with the necessary turbulent flows requires the generation of high flow velocities in the piping system. For this, SWS is ideal, as the SWS Server can be used to consolidate fittings into groups. Stagnation flushes can then be carried out simultaneously at a specified point in time and therefore simulate specified normal operation. SCHELL offers network-ready fittings for all relevant tapping points. The Water Management System can also be used to log flushes for legal compliance and achieve optimal planning of maintenance work. SWS gateways can also be used to integrate SWS into the central building management system deployed in a hospital or healthcare facility.

The SMART.SWS online service, a browser-based add-on, provides monitoring and control functions for SWS systems and fittings, including remote access. This is particularly useful in facilities and hospitals spread across several buildings, as remote access to SWS from any compatible connected device can also save valuable time and therefore reduce staff costs.