With employers searching to create COVID-secure workplaces in order for staff to return safely, Zip Water has created the HydroTap Touch Free Wave, a contactless drinking water system that delivers instant filtered boiling, chilled and sparkling water.
Available in the UK from December, the new Zip HydroTap Touch Free Wave is a 100% contactless drinking water solution and is the latest innovation in the flagship HydroTap range. With health and hygiene now an absolute priority in the workplace, the Zip HydroTap Touch Free Wave allows employees to stay hydrated and healthy, while avoiding surface contact to minimise the risk of virus transmission.
Smart infrared sensors detect hand movements when in a 1.5 - 5cm range of the tap, with water flow stopping immediately once the hand is moved away. The tap also features a contactless safety lock for the delivery of boiling water. Boiling water is only dispensed once two of the four sensors are engaged, activated by cupping a hand around the back of the tap.
Victoria Himsworth, Head of Marketing at Zip Water said the Zip HydroTap Touch Free Wave was developed as an immediate response to new emerging needs in the UK and global marketplace.
She explained: “We’re proud of how quickly we have been able to respond and deliver a market-leading solution to an urgent real-world problem. Businesses must do everything possible to improve hygiene and cleanliness in the workplace, following the latest Health and Safety Executive guidelines, in scenarios where employees cannot work from home.
“With the average person touching their face more than 20 times an hour, it’s possible to transfer viruses from everyday objects, such as handles and taps, to the mouth and eyes, and vice versa. Investing in the HydroTap Touch Free Wave encourages employees to keep hydrated, without the worry of cross-contamination.”
With city-centre footfall across the UK down by 34.3% in August compared to the same month last year and office blocks remaining empty, the effect on local economies in these areas is devastating. Most experts predict that an effective vaccine to combat the Coronavirus pandemic will only become widely available by mid-2021, which means finding innovative new ways to encourage employees to return to work around the virus will become the new normal. Employers must be prepared to offer a safe environment for employees who need to return to the office
Sales Director, Shaun Campbell, commented: “Based on initial customer feedback and enquiries, we are expecting demand to be very high. We are recommending that businesses get in touch as soon as possible so they can find out more and pre-order to prepare their offices for a safe return to the workplace in 2021”
The Zip HydroTap Touch Free Wave is the latest innovation in a new range of touch-free drinking water solutions from Zip Water, including a contactless chilled water dispenser and hands-free, wall mounted water boiler.
Watch the tap in action here.