PUBLIC HEALTH FACT SHEET NO

Transcription

1 PUBLIC HEALTH FACT SHEET NO FLOOD FACT SHEET - HYGIENE This fact sheet contains information about cleaning your premises in the most hygienic way. Follow these steps for your personal safety. Hygiene Ensure that the premises electrical system has been firstly assessed by a qualified electrician prior cleaning and re-occupancy. Wash out mud, dirt, and debris from your premises at medium pressure. Use a hose and start from the top or upper limit of the flooding and work downward to the floor or basement. Wash surfaces that have been inundated with floodwaters in order to reduce the danger of flood related infections. Pay particular attention to surfaces that children can reach. Wash your hands thoroughly (with a disinfectant soap) after handling contaminated articles. To be on the safe side, consider all items exposed to floodwaters as being contaminated. Food and kitchen items Discard all foods exposed to floodwater except those in sealed (airtight) metal cans. Permanently mark the cans to keep their contents identifiable, remove paper labels, and wash the cans in soapy warm water. Then immerse items in a solution of three quarters of a cup of household laundry bleach per five (5) litres of water for two (2) minutes to disinfect the outside of the cans. Rinse immediately in clean water. Do not treat aluminium cans with bleach solution. If power has failed for more than a few hours, the food in your fridge may be unsafe to eat. Please note the following: Do not open your fridge or freezer door unnecessarily. Refrigerated food will spoil sooner than frozen food, so eat any unspoiled perishable foods such as dairy products and meat in your fridge first If your power is off for more than 24 hours and you have not kept your freezer stocked with ice, food will start to spoil and should be eaten immediately. What can t be eaten should be thrown out. Throw out any food that has started to spoil, especially if it smells bad, tastes strange or is slimy. You can refreeze partially defrosted food, but you should be aware that the shelf-life and quality will be reduced. Thawed food should not be refrozen. Freeze extra water or buy ice to keep food cool in your fridge, freezer or esky, in case power fails. December 2011 Page 1 of 12

2 Food must be discarded directly into the premise s domestic refuse bin which is emptied on a regular basis, or placed in bulk bins. Throw out porous items e.g. wooden spoons and chopping boards, plastic and rubber items that have been immersed in floodwaters. Wash any dishes and glassware using a disinfectant. Air-dry the disinfected dishes and do not use a tea towel. The dishwasher should be used only after you know that your water is safe to drink and your sewer lines work. Clean and disinfect it first. Then use a hot setting to wash your pots, pans, dishes, and utensils. If you have an energy saving setting, do not use it until you have thoroughly cleaned all of your dishes. Clean refrigerators and freezers thoroughly and disinfect inside. Do not turn them on until they are completely dried out and have been checked by an electrician. Food contact surfaces and equipment can be cleaned with 4% chlorine (household bleach) at a ratio of 25 ml per five (5) litres of water. Drinking water If there is any chance of flood contamination of your drinking water, drink only boiled or bottled water until the normal water supply is safe. Rainwater tank water quality Check rainwater tanks, particularly in-ground tanks. If they have been inundated with flood waters, the water may have been contaminated and should be discarded. The rainwater tank should be appropriately disinfected using enough chlorine to give an initial chlorine dose of 5mg/L. The amounts required will depend on the type of available chlorine you use. Read the labels, however as a general rule: household bleach (4% concentration) 125ml or 125g/ 1000 litres liquid swimming pool chlorine (12.5%) 40ml or 40g / 1000 litres granular swimming pool chlorine (70%) 7ml or 7g / 1000 litres After adding, allow to stand for at least one hour. You will need to calculate the amount of water in your tank to determine the appropriate amount of chlorine to put in. Bore water If you use bore water for domestic purposes and that bore has been inundated with floodwater, then it is recommended that you use an alternative source (eg bottled water or rainwater) or bring the water to a rolling boil before use. If you have continued concerns about the quality of your bore water, please have your water tested by a suitably qualified laboratory. Water testing laboratories/companies can be found under Analysts or Environmental and/or Pollution Consultants in the Yellow Pages December 2011 Page 2 of 12

3 Mosquitoes Floods may lead to an increase in mosquito-borne diseases through the increase in mosquito breeding habitats. Standing water caused by heavy rainfall or the overflow of rivers can act as breeding sites for mosquitoes and increase the risk of diseases such as Ross River virus and Barmah Forest virus. Flooding may initially flush out mosquito breeding sites, but they return when the water recedes. It is important that residents take effective measures to eliminate mosquito breeding around their properties. As mosquito breeding increases, it is important that residents help prevent outbreaks of mosquito-borne disease. Action to take: When cleaning up your house and yard following a flood, get rid of potential mosquito breeding sites. Rain or floodwater may have collected in containers around your yard, so make sure you tip them out and store them in a dry place, or throw them away. Common mosquito breeding sites include: o pot plant bases (inside and outside) o tyres o tarpaulins o palm fronds o buckets o tin cans and plastic containers o rainwater tanks o boats o roof gutters (if blocked by leaf debris). Check the mosquito screens and flip valves on rainwater tanks. Residents can minimise the chance of being bitten by wearing light coloured, loose fitting, long-sleeved and full length trousers, as well as using insect repellent on exposed skin. Remember no water, no mosquitoes! Risk of disease Flooding always raises concerns about the transmission of infectious diseases. Past experiences show that disease outbreaks are not common following floods. This may be because of the clean up measures undertaken or the absence of exotic diseases such as cholera and typhoid in our communities. There is an increased risk of wound infections, dermatitis, conjunctivitis and ear, nose and throat infections if people come into direct contact with polluted waters. People with diabetes should take extra care to protect themselves against wound infections. Until floodwaters start to recede, there is little that can be done, other than to avoid areas under water containing sewage, garbage and mud. The following precautions should be taken: December 2011 Page 3 of 12

4 Avoid all unnecessary contact with mud and moist soil. o Do not enter areas where there is mud etc. unless feet are covered. o Wear gloves when handling moist soil or mud. o Wear a mask over nose and mouth when using a hose or high-pressure hose to clean up after floods to avoid breathing contaminated water droplets. All cuts and abrasions should be cleaned, treated with an antiseptic and covered immediately. Always wash hands with soap and water before handling food, and after handling any contaminated objects or pets that may have swum in contaminated water. Clean-up/salvage household items Wait until your home and belongings have been thoroughly cleaned and dried before deciding whether to throw them out. Items may return to a good condition or at least be repairable. Much can be salvaged if immediate restoration steps are taken as described in the following pages. Insurance claims Insurance claims need to be considered first. The advice contained within this document is of a general nature. Always seek expert advice on repairs or discuss concerns with your insurance company. This needs to be done prior to cleaning or disposing of damaged items. Clean-up supplies It is important to thoroughly wash and disinfect every part of your home that has been inundated by floodwaters. Put together a clean-up kit, containing useful items such as a broom, mop, bucket, and cleaning supplies. In most cases, household cleaning products will do the job. Always check the label to see which materials they can be used upon and their directions for use. Product Recommended Also suitable Cleaners Household all purpose cleaner Laundry Soap or detergent Disinfectants Disinfectants Commercial disinfectants or sanitisers ¼ cup of laundry bleach*, with 4 litres of water Mildew removers Commercial mildew removers Washing soda, tri-sodium phosphate or ¼ cup of laundry bleach* with 4 litres of water * Liquid chlorine bleach can do a variety of flood clean-up jobs. Check the label to ensure 5.25% sodium hypochlorite is the only active ingredient. Bleach that has a scent added to improve its smell is available. Do not use dry bleach or any bleach that does not contain chlorine. December 2011 Page 4 of 12

5 Cleaning tips Tackle one room at a time and make sure you are working in a well ventilated area. Apply the cleaner and give it time to work before you mop or sponge it up. Follow directions and all safety precautions on the container. If you have any doubt, seek advice. Many products have consumer advisory hotlines on their labels. A two bucket approach is most efficient: Use one bucket for rinse water and the other for the cleaner. Using two buckets keeps most of the dirty rinse water out of your cleaning solution. Rinse out your sponge, mop or cleaning cloth in the rinse bucket. Wring the mop as dry as possible and keep it rolled up tight as you put it in the cleaner bucket. Let it unroll to absorb the cleaner. Replace the rinse water frequently (making sure the water you use is free from contamination). After cleaning a room or an item, go over it again with a disinfectant to kill any germs and remove the smell left by the flood waters. You may need to repeat this after hours to kill mould and fungi not destroyed on the first application. You may also need to get rid of mildew, an unwelcome companion to moisture, which can produce a strong musty odour. Drying It will take several weeks to completely dry out your house. The following tips may assist: On dry days, keep all doors and windows open. On wet days leave windows ajar the inside of the house will only dry when moisture can get out. If you have heaters that are safe to use, turn them on in as many rooms as possible, leaving the windows open. Do not use more than one heater per room some heat will help drive off the moisture, but too much may warp and crack wood. Look for trapped mud in less obvious places under shower trays, benches, baths and bottom shelves. Remove the skirting or plinth covering these spaces and hose or pump out the mud, then dry as quickly as possible Ignore any mould growing on wet linings until drying is complete, it can then be removed. December 2011 Page 5 of 12

6 Draining under the house Drain away water lying under the house. It may be necessary to dig a pit and pump out the water that collects. Where there is no access, cut a trapdoor in the floor. Getting rid of excess water under wood or particleboard floors is especially important to avoid decay. If you do not feel confident doing this, seek the advice of a licensed tradesperson. To increase the airflow under the house and assist drying: Cut back or dig out plants obstructing vents. Leave access doors open. Have a licensed tradesperson knock out the ventilators in the foundations. Remove part of the foundation enclosure, such as baseboards or sheet material, where fixed to the outside of the stumps. Forced ventilation, such as air conditioners or industrial fans can be used in areas where there is not sufficient cross flow of air. Bedding Mattresses soaked with flood water are generally damaged beyond use and should be discarded. Feather and foam rubber pillows can be washed but those stuffed with kapok or cotton can not. Clothing, household linens and woollens Allow clothing that is to be dry-cleaned to dry slowly at room temperature, away from direct heat. Shake, brush or vacuum loose dirt from the articles before sending them to the cleaners. To clean washable woollen clothes and blankets, first shake and brush to remove the dirt, then rinse repeatedly in lukewarm water to remove particles of soil lodged in the fibres. Dry woollens in a warm place, but not near a fire or in direct sunlight. To clean mud-stained, washable clothing and household linens other than woollens, first brush off any loose dirt, then remove as much mud as possible by rinsing repeatedly in cool water. Electric blankets should be dried on a clothesline and gently stretched into their original size and shape. They should NOT be used until safety tested by a qualified electrician. Wash lightweight quilts in the same manner as woollens. Dry outdoors in the sun, if possible, to remove any unpleasant odour. Thick comforters may need to be taken apart and the cover and filling each washed separately. To further ensure sanitisation of washable articles, sanitise the washing machine occasionally to kill bacteria that live on the interior surface. Pour a disinfectant into the empty machine, and then complete a 15-minute cycle at the hot water setting. You will have to make a decision regarding cleaning your rugs and wall-to-wall carpeting. If you leave the carpeting on the floor, you risk fostering wood decay, mildew, and warpage December 2011 Page 6 of 12

7 of the flooring by hindering its drying. However, if you remove the carpeting, you risk shrinkage. Although professional cleaners do have methods for controlling shrinkage, the chance of preventing it entirely for wall-to-wall carpeting is unlikely. If linoleum is broken, brittle, and cannot be salvaged, remove it with a chisel or hoe. Be sure to let the under floor dry thoroughly before laying any type of floor covering. Toys Children s toys affected by floodwater should be discarded if they are soft toys or moulded plastic toys with air injection holes. Solid toys may be disinfected. Outdoor play equipment must be adequately cleaned and disinfected before use. Children s sandpits should be completely drained and the sand removed if the sandpit was inundated with floodwater. You must assume all floodwaters are contaminated with sewage. Furniture Promptly place pieces of wood or aluminium foil under furniture that has castors or metal caps on the legs to avoid staining the carpeting. When weather permits, take all furniture outdoors, but keep it out of direct sunlight to prevent warping or fading. A garage or carport is a good place to work. Remove as many drawers, slides, or other moving parts as possible. If the furniture is made of wood, these will probably be jammed in position. Do not force drawers with a screwdriver or chisel. If possible remove the back of the furniture cutting it out if necessary and push out the drawers. If kitchen cabinet doors or drawers are stuck, do not force them open. Once they have dried out they should be easier to open. Clean off all mud and silt from furniture items, using a hose if necessary. To remove mildew from wood furniture, scrub with a mild alkali, such as four (4) to six (6) tablespoons of baking soda to five (5) litres of water. Rinse well with clean water and allow to dry thoroughly. After cleaning, store the wooden furniture inside the house or garage where it will dry slowly; do not leave it out in the sun as it might warp and twist. To remove mildew from upholstered furniture, first remove loose mould from outer coverings by brushing with a broom. Dry the article as quickly as possible with an electric heater, fan, or any convenient method to carry away moist air. Sun and air the article to stop the mould growth. CAUTION: Sunlight may fade the colour of your upholstery. If mildew remains on upholstered articles, sponge lightly with thick suds of soap or detergent and wipe with a clean, damp cloth. Use as little water on the fabric as possible to avoid soaking the padding. Wood furniture that has not been submerged may have developed white spots or a whitish film or cloudiness from dampness. Try rubbing with a cloth wrung out of a mixture of half a cup of household ammonia and half a cup of water, turpentine, camphorated oil or oil of December 2011 Page 7 of 12

8 peppermint. Wipe dry at once and polish with wax or furniture polish. If colour is not restored, dip fine steel wool in oil (boiled linseed, mineral, or lemon) and rub lightly with the grain of the wood. Wipe with a soft cloth. Use a drop or two of ammonia on a damp cloth for deep spots; immediately rub dry with a soft cloth and then polish. If all efforts to remove white blemishes are ineffective, it may be necessary to refinish the furniture. Leather Remove surface dirt from the leather by rinsing with cold water, then wipe with a dry cloth. Stuff purses and shoes with crushed paper to retain their shape. Leave suitcases open. Dry leather away from heat and sun. When dry, rub with saddle soap. Neatsfoot oil may be used on shoes that have become stiff; however, it causes leather to darken. Paste-type neutral floor wax may be used on leathers as a final polish if they are not to be refinished by a commercial cleaner. Use fine steel wool (lightly) or a suede brush on suede. Rinse leather and suede jackets in cold water. Dry away from heat. To remove mildew from leather goods, wipe with a cloth wrung out of diluted household bleach. Dry in an airy place. If mildew remains, wash with thick suds of a mild soap or detergent, saddle soap, or a soap containing a germicide or fungicide. Then wipe with a damp cloth and dry in an airy place. Polish leather shoes and luggage with a good wax dressing. Electrical Appliances Some electrical appliances, even if completely immersed may be salvaged and repaired provided the housing is sound and appearance acceptable to the owner. Those wishing to try to salvage items are advised to take the following steps: f still wet and muddy, thoroughly and gently hose the set internally and externally with clean fresh water, or if it has dried out, gently brush out dirt, etc. In either case, then apply a non oil-based water repellent/cleaner (for example, isopropyl or methylated spirits) to all metal and electrical parts, avoiding rubber components. Allow to dry for seven days. In the meantime, call a qualified technician for an assessment and repairs quotation. Do NOT turn on before being inspected by a qualified technician. Hot water systems A flooded hot water system should be repaired by a qualified repair person only. Controls can suffer hidden corrosion damage. They may operate adequately for a while, but cease to operate safely in the future. Testing seldom reveals future problems. Burners or electrical components should not be assembled or adjusted by the home owner/occupant. December 2011 Page 8 of 12

9 Valuable books and papers Wet paper attracts mould and will continue to deteriorate until it dries. Separate the sheets of paper as soon as you can and allow them to dry. Separate sheets not touching one another can be placed in a photographic print dryer, but care must be taken to prevent them from scorching. Larger quantities of paper such as in filing cabinets can be placed in a freezer to stop mould and deterioration. Separate into small bundles. When time allows, bundles can be removed, allowed to thaw, and individual sheets separated and dried. Do not try to unfold wet paper because it tears easily. Many stains can be removed from water damaged paper with non-sudsy household ammonia. Use it in a well ventilated place to avoid fumes. Place books on end to dry and keep the pages apart. If books are very damp, sprinkle corn flour or talcum powder between the pages to take up the moisture, leave for several hours and then brush off. After exposing books to the air for a time, pile and press them to keep the pages from crumpling. Continue this alternate drying and pressing until they are dry to prevent mildew. Just before they are completely dry, apply a little heat between the pages to prevent musty odours. Photographs Do not let your photographs dry out, as when they dry they will stick together and will be impossible to separate. Try to get to flood-damaged photographs within two days to prevent the growth of mould. If you can not work on them, carefully stack the wet photographs between sheets of wax paper and seal them in a Ziploc plastic bag. If possible, freeze the photographs to slow any damage. This way photos can be defrosted, separated and air dried later when you have time to do it properly. Place wet (or frozen) photographs in a tub of cold, clear water and separate any that are stuck together. Do not allow water from the tap to run directly onto the photos, as this may further damage them. Dislodge any dirt by gently moving the tub of water then lay the images face up on kitchen towel. Never wipe the wet front of a photograph. Disks and tapes If a computer disk or tape contains valuable information, rinse it in clear water and put it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Later, you can take it to a professional drying centre and have the data transferred to a new disk or tape. The yard As you get rid of things from your home, do not turn your yard into a dump. Food and garbage must be removed as soon as possible. Other discarded items should be removed as soon as your insurance assessor has told you how to make sure the loss of those items is covered. December 2011 Page 9 of 12

10 The shed Hand tools should be dried, a blow drier will help. Use a water repelling spray such as the lubricant WD-40 to get into hinges and joints. Electrical tools should be checked by a licensed electrician before use. Sporting equipment can be cleaned using normal cleaning products and disinfectant. Paints and poisons should be disposed of appropriately and safely. The BBQ Have a licensed plumber check the gas fittings for the BBQ. Clean and disinfect the BBQ plate thoroughly. Brickwork and concrete blockwork Mud on the walls will make them look unsightly and will probably be stuck fairly firmly, but mud will not seriously affect the performance of masonry. The mud should be cleaned off using water, detergent and a good stiff nylon or bristle brush. It is not a good idea to use acid as this could cause staining. As the walls dry out, there is a fair risk of efflorescence or white salt growth on the bricks or block work. This is not serious and it should stop when the wall is fully dried. In most cases it can be removed by brushing with a bristle broom. Acid treatments may be effective as a last resort but should be used cautiously. Floors Do not attempt to straighten warped or buckled wood floors until they have dried out. Wood and plywood expand when wet, then return to near original dimensions when dry. Flooring may require replacing, refastening or refinishing, but if there is any uncertainty, wait until after drying is complete to make the decision. Remove floor coverings, to allow the flooring to dry. Mop off excess water as soon as possible. Mould It is highly likely that wet lining boards and some timbers will grow mould during the drying process. Remove it with hypochlorite bleach used in accordance with the manufacturer s recommendations. Repeated applications may be necessary as the drying continues. Note that the bleach may affect the colour of some materials. Wetting for a short period does not cause permanent damage to many building materials but they should be dried out as quickly as possible. Check for hidden pockets of water and think of ways to facilitate the drying. In most cases, especially with masonry materials, drying can take a very long time, possibly months. Do not repaint walls too soon. Drying will be quicker if furniture and pictures are kept away from them. December 2011 Page 10 of 12

11 Brickwork Do not rush into brickwork repairs. Wait until there is a fair chance that all movement has ceased before patching any cracks. Some cracks may actually close up as the foundation dries out. Minor cracks are not serious in brick veneer structures as there is usually a large margin of structural safety. Joinery Again, do not rush into repairing things until the timber has had a chance to dry. A door may have swollen and jammed while it is still wet. Do not trim it off while wet. Wait until it is dry it will probably fit again then. It may help to take off the architraves to help drying. Particle board Particle board is likely to lose strength when saturated and re-dried. Any parts carrying load should be very carefully checked, particularly if they show any sign of swelling, before they are re-used. Plaster sheet Plaster sheet is very weak when wet but may recover its strength when dry. If it is obviously damaged, get any load off it and let it dry it will probably be alright, particularly if reinforced with glass fibre. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ON OR YOUR LOCAL OFFICE envirohealth@nt.gov.au GREATER DARWIN REGION & DARWIN RURAL 2nd Floor, Casuarina Plaza Casuarina PO Box CASUARINA NT 0811 Phone: (08) Fax: (08) BARKLY Health Development Building Cnr Schmidt & Windley Sts, Tennant Creek PO Box 346 TENNANT CREEK NT 0861 Phone: (08) Fax: (08) KATHERINE Ground Floor, O Keefe House Katherine Hospital PMB 73 KATHERINE NT 0851 Phone: (08) (08) Fax: (08) CENTRAL AUSTRALIA Mwerre House 60 Hartley St, Alice Springs PO Box 721 ALICE SPRINGS NT 0871 Phone: (08) Fax: (08) EAST ARNHEM Community Health Building Endeavour Square, Nhulunbuy PO Box 421 NHULUNBUY NT 0881 Phone: (08) (08) Fax: (08) KATHERINE WEST HEALTH BOARD Unit 10, Riverbank Office Village 38 First Street, Katherine PO Box 147 KATHERINE NT 0851 Phone: (08) Fax: (08) December 2011 Page 11 of 12

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