EUSR National Water Hygiene (‘Blue Card’) scheme training course

About National Water Hygiene

At C&G Services we are proud to be able to deliver the EUSR National Water Hygiene (‘Blue Card’) scheme training course, Online and Face to Face, which plays a vital part in ensuring the protection of public health and promoting good water hygiene practices. The scheme has been developed in collaboration with all UK water companies.

All UK water companies require individuals entering clean water sites or working on the clean water network – known as ‘Restricted Operations’, to hold a National Water Hygiene EUSR registration.

‘Restricted Operations’ includes working on service reservoirs, water pumping stations, water treatment works, wells, springs, boreholes as well as working on the network of water mains and service pipes.

It’s not just water company employees.  If you are working on a ‘Restricted Operation’ on behalf of a water company subcontractor or other organisation, such as Self-Lay Organisation (SLOs) – then you need a National Water Hygiene EUSR registration.

Once you have successfully completed your National Water Hygiene training and assessment, you will understand the vital part you play in maintaining clean and safe drinking water and protecting public health. All new and renewal National Water Hygiene EUSR registrations are issued with a virtual card instead of the previous plastic card (also known as the ‘Blue Card’). Virtual cards mean you can never forget or lose your card and are easily accessible on any smartphone, tablet or iPad using the Vircarda app.

Watch the EUSR Video about Water Hygiene: https://youtu.be/OwyU3O_jF0U

What’s covered?

The National Water Hygiene scheme is developed in collaboration with all UK water companies and key stakeholders from across the water industry, so you can be confident that the content covers all the required knowledge and awareness of good water hygiene practices:

There are four modules:

Module 1:            The importance of water

Module 2:            Water as a carrier of disease

Module 3:            Potential contamination and its consequences

Module 4:            Preventing contamination

Overview

Milo Purcell, Deputy Chief Inspector of the Drinking Water Inspectorate says,

“It is important for anyone working in contact with the water supply, to learn and fully understand their responsibilities to protecting public health and public confidence in drinking water quality. The Drinking Water Inspectorate expect all those involved to operate to the highest standards of hygiene and safety, ensuring that clean drinking water remains wholesome and there is no deterioration to the quality of supply.”

The National Water Hygiene training protects the safety of water through good hygiene practices while working on restricted operations. This is defined in the technical guidance notes:

“Work which may involve direct or potential contact with untreated sources of underground water, with partially or fully treated water within water treatment works or with treated water, or any surface of an operational asset (including those temporarily out of use) which will itself be in contact with potable water at any stage in its distribution to the point where it is made available to consumers.”

Subjects covered within the training session include:

Module 1: The importance of water

Asks individuals to reflect on the definition of wholesome water, drawing attention to its importance as a food source and the implications of a world without clean water. It aims to provide the individual with an understanding of the scarcity of clean water and the role that water plays in maintaining a healthy and functioning society.

Module 2: Water as a carrier of disease

Aims to develop an individual’s understanding of how water can be a carrier of disease; exploring the historic cases which established a better understanding of waterborne disease and developing best practice, looking at the various illnesses that can be contracted through the ingestion of contaminated water and the diseases that still prove challenging today.

Module 3: Potential contamination and its consequences

Explores the potential sources of water contamination across all areas of the UK water industry and the consequences should contamination occur.

Module 4: Preventing contamination

Explores the steps that an individual can take to prevent contamination of the clean water supply. Broader and overarching actions that the individual can take to safeguard water quality as well as providing specific examples of working practices that can be adopted in a small number of high-risk scenarios.

Health Screening

A standardised health screening questionnaire must be completed by any individual required to work on restricted operations. This includes those working on the water network, water treatment works, taking water quality samples – anyone that the water company considers could come in contact with treated water.

Answers on the form that suggest the individual may be carrying a water-borne disease will require the individual to be referred to their doctor or occupational health department for checks. The trainer will make the final decision on whether to allow the individual to carry out the training course. The individual must pass the health screening before they can be registered for the National Water Hygiene card and will not be issued a card until both the health screening and the test have been passed.

Find Out More

If you would like to get trained in this scheme, please contact us now on 01453 826781 or email [email protected]