Health and Environmental Effects of Boiler Management Systems in Social Housing
- Conditions
- Hot Water Burns (Scalds)
- Interventions
- Other: BMS and sterilisation programme
- Registration Number
- NCT00874692
- Lead Sponsor
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
- Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of a passive safety measure, namely a reduction in centrally controlled hot tap water temperatures in social housing using a boiler management system, as an effective public health intervention.
- Detailed Description
The annual hospital admission rate in England for burns and scalds is 31 children per 100,000 population. While reducing the temperature in domestic hot water tanks is a recommended injury prevention strategy, the UK has been slow to adopt such 'passive' safety measures. However, Camden Council employs a Boiler Management System (BMS) in boiler houses to centrally set the hot water temperature for parts of its social housing stock, providing the opportunity to evaluate various impacts of a 'passive' safety measure, including quantifying the effects of the BMS on average hot water temperatures at delivery, annual energy costs, and annual greenhouse gas emissions; modelling the reduction in scald injuries; identifying the cost-effectiveness of the system as a public health intervention; as well as describing experiences/ perceptions of risk of scalding and identifying health and social benefits of the BMS. Boiler houses with BMS will be randomised to remain at their constant set temperature or to BMS reduced temperature and sterilisation programme. A process evaluation will also be undertaken to assess the acceptability of water temperatures to tenants.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 150
- Individuals living in social housing in the London Borough of Camden where the Boiler Management system has been installed.
- Aged under 18 years
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description BMS and sterilisation BMS and sterilisation programme BMS and sterilisation programme will be delivered
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Thermal energy (degrees Celsius) at hot tap of bath after 1 minute
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Acceptability of hot water temperature delivered to tenant Up to 2-3 months post-intervention
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Camden
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom