Cleaning drain rods

[Hermo]

Hi guys, first post so be gentle. Having an issue at work just now and I wondered if anyone else has had the same problem. I'll try and give you the short version. Basically the h&s officer raised concerns about how drain rods are transported and cleaned. We used to keep them in an old golf bag and just rinse them at an outside tap. Then it was decided we put them in black bags, then into a click-lock box and transported back to the depot for cleaning at the jet wash bay. But this was also deemed as not appropriate. They are now looking at buying a machine to wash and sterilise at a cost of £20k. Surely there has to be another answer.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

yea sub it out to British gas (aka dyno rod)

 

[Hermo]

what do they do with their drain rods like? it might come to that

 

[ShaunCorbs]

what do they do with their drain rods like? it might come to that

thats the way its going then its there responsibility to do it correctly

 

[joni os]

Sack the H&S officer. If the jet wash don't clean them I should have died of a hundred different virus by now,and so would many others. If the worry is contamination of jet wash bay, then a plastic 45 gal. drum with lid cut off and pressure washer/steam cleaner would do the trick.
Gently explain that what comes out of one A/hole is much the same as another A/hole but your company seems to employ a unique A/hole.

 

[NickH]

A bucket of water with some bleach in it , and a sponge.

Job done.

 

[Masood]

WTF??? Jet washer will leave no trace of contaminants - at least nowhere near enough to pose a risk to health. It all washes into the sewer...

 

[Stanios]

Jet wash isn't a good idea as any nice bits will come flying off the rods onto nearby surfaces. I know plenty of a plumber who uses them and throws them away after one use.
Anyways I am sure an average keyboard or steering wheel gets just as germy over the years just when it comes to brown stuff everyone gets squeamish

 

[Masood]

Jet wash isn't a good idea as any nice bits will come flying off the rods onto nearby surfaces.

If it's in a washing bay or cubicle, you just rinse the walls down after you've washed the rods.

 

[Hermo]

I honestly can't believe the lengths the work are willing to go to make sure we are safe. I suppose I shouldn't complain. But 20k for a cleaning machine is ridiculous. The jet wash thing wasn't too popular due to sh!te flying everywhere and some "genius" said we require training on pressure washers as well. Im starting to think a subby isn't a bad idea now.

 

[snowhead]

Has anyone bothered to have used rods tested for nasties?

Or is everyone just assuming ?

 

[Hermo]

I don't think they've tested them. That's a good shout actually. We have people at work who could tell us exactly what is on the rods and what risks they pose.

 

[joni os]

. We have people at work who could tell us exactly what is on the rods and what risks they pose.

Therein lies your problem. The ability to test is getting confused with the necessity to test. Everybody with a headache don't need a brain scan, even if they work at a hospital.
Spending £20K on special equipment needs justification from actual health incidents, not a theory of contamination equivalent to eating peanuts from a bowl on pub bar.