Environmental health Residential mobile home sites
The main hazards associated with mobile home sites include:
LPG installations
LPG (propane or butane) is a colourless liquid, which readily evaporates into a gas. It has no smell, although it will normally have an odour added to help detect leaks. When mixed with air, the gas can burn or explode when it meets a source of ignition.
Information on the safe use and storage of LPG in cylinders and small bulk installations is published on the HSE website
Further guidance on arrangements for storage and display of LPG containers can be found in the Liquefied Petroleum Association's (LPGA) Code of Practice CoP7 (Storage of full and empty LPG cylinders and cartridges).
Gas appliance safety
Gas appliances must be maintained in a safe condition. Effective routine maintenance should involve a programme of regular and periodic examination, and where necessary remedial action, and checked for safety at intervals not more than twelve months from the last safety check/date of installation. A registered CORGI gas installer must carry out installation, maintenance and safety checks.
Roads, gateways and footpaths
Roads and footpaths should be suitably lit, and emergency vehicle routes should, at all times, be kept clear of obstructions.
Water temperatures and legionella control
Where there are communal washing facilities, arrangements should be made to prevent the risk of infection from legionella bacteria. One way to minimise the growth of legionella is to store hot water above 60C and distribute it at above 50C. However, care is needed where water runs hot.
The risks of scalding should be assessed and appropriate measures taken to prevent burns, eg warning notices and thermostatic mixing valves on taps. Water systems should be designed to avoid conditions that favour the growth of legionella by ensuring adequate insulation of storage tanks and pipes, using materials that do not encourage growth of legionella and protecting against contamination by fitting tanks with lids. Water systems need to be routinely checked and inspected by a competent person and the risk assessment should be reviewed regularly.
Water stagnation can encourage conditions that favour growth of legionella. It is therefore advisable to remove dead runs in pipe work from the system, flush out seldom used shower heads, taps and remaining dead legs periodically (weekly), and to remove any dirt or limescale.
Fire
Fire points should be established so that no caravan/building is more than 30 metres away. It should be a weatherproof structure easily accessible and marked "FIRE POINT." Where fire extinguishers are provided in place of standpipes or water tanks/buckets, the extinguishers are to be of the water type (2 x 9 litre).
There should be a means to raise the alarm at each fire point. All alarm and fire fighting equipment should be installed, tested annually and maintained in working order by a competent person.
Hazardous substances
Proper arrangements should be made for the use and safe storage of substances that have the potential to cause personal harm, especially to young children eg cleaning chemicals, pesticides and herbicides.