HHSRS Hazard 15 - Domestic Hygiene, Pests and Refuse

Hazard 15 - Domestic Hygiene, Pests and Refuse

This hazard covers hazards which can result from:

• Poor design, layout and construction such that the dwelling cannot be readily kept clean and hygienic
• Access into, and harbourage within, the dwelling for pests
• Iinadequate and unhygienic provision for storing and disposal of household waste.

Pests create a risk of cross-contamination and infection, carry disease and can infect food and surfaces.

Structural defects, such as broken vents to suspended timber floors, can enable the entry of pests and rodents to the dwelling.

There are also instances where rats have gnawed through plastic covers to wall ventilators. Urban rat infestations show an association with poor environments and areas of poor quality or multi-occupied housing.

Vulnerable Group: All ages

Defects & Justifications

• Internal walls and ceilings - uneven and/or cracked internal walls and/or ceilings.
• External walls & roof - missing or damaged brickwork, including airbricks, to external walls and other disrepair to external walls and roof.
• Ventilators - other unprotected ventilators to walls and/or roofs.
• Solid floors - uneven and/or cracked solid floors.
• Suspended floors - uneven and/or open-jointed boarding to suspended timber floors.
• Under floor space - ill fitting covers or lack of means of access to under floor spaces to facilitate treatment.
• Roof space - ill fitting covers or lack of means of access to roof spaces to facilitate treatment.
• Skirting and architraves - loose and/or ill-fitting skirting boarding or architraving.
• Windows and doors - ill fitting doors and/or windows.
• Windows and door frames - open joints between window and/or door frames and adjacent walls.
• Ducts and pipework - open joints to service ducting and/or pipework.
• Access to ducts - lack of means of access into service ducting to facilitate treatment.
• Service entry points - open joints to service entry points.
• Water seals - defective water seals to wc basins and/or drainage inlets.
• Disrepair to drains - including sewers and/or inspection chambers.
• Open vent pipes - missing guards to drainage vent pipes.
• Design deficiencies - harbourage points created through poor design and/or construction.
• Internal refuse areas - the lack of, or defects to, any internal refuse storage space.
• External refuse areas - the lack of, or defects, to any clearly defined area for refuse containers.
• Refuse chutes etc - the lack of or defects to means of disposal of refuse to each floor of multi-occupied buildings.

Index of HHSRS Hazards