This guide explains how to identify a risk of legionella. If you are concerned about legionella bacteria, we look at where it can grow and what should be done about it.
Where can Legionella Bacteria Grow?
Legionnaires' disease is a kind of pneumonia brought on by an infection in the lungs' tiny air sacs (alveoli) and surrounding tissues.
The bacterium Legionella may be found in freshwater bodies such as lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and streams. Man-made water systems include hot and cold water systems, cooling towers, and spas.
Every natural or man-made water system has the potential to become a Legionella breeding site if the relevant environmental factors are present. In places where water is kept or recirculated, Legionella bacteria can cause major health problems, and breathable water droplets can be disseminated as aerosols.
Legionnaire's illness can be contracted by inhaling aerosols containing Legionella bacteria. Water droplets, which may be found anywhere water is warm, and a spray is formed, can enter the lungs by aspiration and become contaminated.
The sickness is dangerous to persons with chronic diseases, diabetics, and those with compromised immune systems since it is severe and potentially lethal. Respiratory collapse, shock, and acute renal and multi-organ failure are all serious consequences of the condition.
Legionella bacteria may be found in a variety of environments, including water. Bacteria multiply in environments with temperatures between 20 to 45°C and plenty of nutrients. Below 20°C, the bacteria are dormant and cannot live beyond 60°C.
Another potentially major concern is limescale - also known as rust sludge or sludge scale. Limescale deposits can serve as a breeding habitat for hazardous bacteria, such as the legionella bacterium that causes Legionnaires' disease.
This is especially true for showerheads and faucets that produce an aerosol. Limescale can cause many health conditions, legionella being one of them. Any possible risk of legionella needs to be removed; we can provide the help you need.
Legionella thrives in stagnant water. Eliminate dead ends in pipes, flush out seldom used outlets (including showerheads and taps) at least weekly, and clean and de-scaling shower heads and hoses quarterly to reduce the danger.
Clean cold-water storage tanks and empty hot-water cylinders regularly to check for debris or corrosion symptoms. You don't want legionella making itself at home within your property. Therefore, - with our added experience - we can help you remove it. We can give you peace of mind when you follow our legionella guide.
Bacteria such as this can come in many forms that need different types of checks and assessments. With our products and services, you can receive the guidebook you need in order to stop bacteria from making themselves at home.
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We're experts in this field and can help you find simple ways of defeating legionella; based on your information, we can meet at an appointed time to work through a consultation.
Through recommendation, our experts can help you section off bacteria and remove them - our methods are designed to provide efficiency; depending on the severity of bacterial risk, we aim to remove legionella by any means, as it's at risk of entering your property during a number of colder months. Simply put, our services can help you rid your products and property of legionella.
Legionella has a range of largely recorded cases throughout England and Wales. The clinical course of Legionella pneumonia is severe, and it necessitates treatment in an intensive care unit. One of the factors of prognosis is the necessity for mechanical intubation.
NPPV (non-invasive positive pressure ventilation) is a type of mechanical ventilation that does not need endotracheal intubation and reduces the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia. It is a therapy option for those who have hypoxia as a result of community-acquired pneumonia.
If legionella is caused, many requirements and recommendations can be considered or appointed to improve health and recovery. An intubation approach is often recommended and considered based on statistical reviews.
According to HSE Codes and Practices, legionella should never be left unchecked; our purpose is to help you identify and remove this harmful bacteria. Legionnaires' disease is mostly a lung infection, although it can also affect wounds and other body regions, including the heart.
Fever, chills, headaches, and muscular aches and pains are all symptoms of Pontiac fever, a minor variant of Legionnaires' disease.
Contacting your doctor is imperative if you suspect you've been exposed to legionella bacteria. Early detection and treatment of Legionnaires' disease can help to reduce recovery time and avoid serious effects. People who are at high risk, such as smokers or the elderly, require prompt treatment.
Our team can provide the reassurance you need that any trace of legionella will be removed. Our skills are always open to the public - when reviewing for bacteria, the property should be unoccupied so that we can give you peace of mind when inspecting the areas.
You can request or submit anything you need on our website, and we'll be sure to sort any arrangements you need. We make sure to efficiently survey any outlets where legionella could be released, such as showers. Showers have the capability of producing and distributing water droplets that might be breathed, posing a predictable risk of legionella infection.
The legionella bacteria also produce Pontiac fever, a milder variant of the flu. Pontiac fever usually goes away on its own, but legionnaires' disease, if left untreated, can be fatal.
Symptoms are described as coughing, aching, inflammation and headaches - they're straightforward and can develop in the first few days of infection; if you're at this stage of infection, it's important to see your doctor and discuss the courses of action.
Legionella spreads through water; therefore, if there have been previous outbreaks, it's imperative to check your premises - especially commercial buildings so that there's no risk of your customers or team members becoming infected.
To reduce the risk of legionella spreading, remove dead legs/dead ends in pipework at least weekly, flush out seldom used outlets (including showerheads and taps). Cleaning and de-scaling shower heads and hoses for at least a few hours to lessen the danger.
Through every stage of inspection, we make sure to cover every aspect of legionella growth and reduce it the best we can - we work with your consent and make sure that nothing is too altered when working in locations, removing the risk of legionella is what we specialise in.
If water pipes are suitably insulated, it can help prevent the microorganisms from spreading and keeps cases of infected employers and employees at a minimum.
It's to our understanding that legionella can also be inhaled and spread to multiple people via water droplets in the air; our professional services specifically help people lower the risk and confusion of legionella - we decide on a course of action with you and see it through to the end.
Our services constitute suitable risk assessments and a combination of removal techniques; for more information, feel free to look at our page. We aim to stop legionella from spreading through units of water once and for all.
Legionella doesn't just affect your lungs and heart; it can also affect your kidneys. If left untreated, Legionnaires' disease is a common cause of severe pneumonia that can harm the kidneys, putting them at risk of failure and even death.
Maintaining water cleanliness for a period of time - under the circumstances - is heavily important; it's our duty to help preserve human life. When carrying out our services, we ensure competence and efficiency. If you suffer from cancer or diabetes, legionella can be lethal for you.
But not to worry, as psychical examinations can be conducted. Assessing for legionella is imperative as it can be a damning threat to their health; we aim to protect life from legionella. We also investigate properties where legionella has previously occurred to evaluate the best course of action.
It's important to have your doctor rule out anything that could be caused by legionella; it's advisable to make a checklist of symptoms that can arise. It's also imperative to provide evidence so we can mitigate the damage caused by these bacteria.
Legionella is a cluster of waterborne pathogens that cause flu-like symptoms such as muscle aches and pneumonia caused by droplets small enough to exist in the air around us. Under rare circumstances, legionella can cause severe complications such as multi-organ failure.
These small droplets can be found within the drinking water, electric showers and more - they are a breeding ground for potentially lethal effects.
When should you Conduct a Legionella Risk Assessment (LRA)?
You should be aware of Legionella health concerns if you own a building, are a landlord, or an employer, and conduct a Legionella risk assessment. A Legionella risk assessment was advised at least every two years under the former "industry standard".
To ensure that the LRA is always up to date, the Approved Code of Practice L8 (ACoP L8) recommends scheduling a review. When building occupants are classified as high-risk (for example, the elderly), this is especially important since a more frequent review may be required.
When the usage of the building where the particular water system is located changes, it is critical to conduct an LRA. A shift in the water system as a whole. Within the firm, there has been a turnover of important individuals.
The structure has gone from being uninhabited to being occupied. When there has been a documented case of Legionnaires' illness or when there has been a change in applicable law.
Identify and Assess Sources of Risk
It is your job to do a risk assessment. You may be capable of conducting the evaluation alone, but if not, you should seek assistance and guidance from inside your organisation or from other sources, such as consultancies.
You, or the person in charge of risk management, must be familiar with your water systems and the equipment connected with them, such as pumps, heat exchangers, showers, and their constituent parts.
Determine whether they provide a legionella risk and whether the water temperature in all or part of the system's components is between 20 and 45 degrees Celsius. Water is stored or recirculated as part of your system. Nutrition may be found in rust, sludge, scale, organic waste, and biofilms.
Bacteria are more likely to multiply in these conditions. Is it feasible to create water droplets, and if so, can they be dispersed over a broad area, as in showers and cooling tower aerosols? Any of your employees, residents or visitors are more susceptible to infection due to their age, illness, impaired immune systems, or the chance of being exposed to contaminated water droplets.
Following legionella risk assessments, we assess complex water systems alongside artificial water systems, hot water systems and cold water tanks. Our key personnel can safety executive the suitable precautions and health regulations regarding the potentially fatal Legionnaires disease.
We make sure to inform you of the antibiotic treatment regarding legionella control. We want to stop any increased risk of underlying health conditions and legionella risks.
It's our legal requirement to assess any complex systems and building water systems - our legionella risk assessing skills make sure to leave your property at low risk of developing legionella; any substances hazardous enough to let it form are promptly removed following the relevant legislation and Health and Safety executives.
Managing the Risk
As an employer or facility manager, you must choose someone trained to assist you in completing your health and safety duties and accept responsibility for eliminating any legionella risk.
A competent person, also known as a responsible person, has the necessary authority, competency, requisite abilities, system knowledge, and experience to perform the job. You, one or more of your workers, or someone from outside your firm might be the designated accountable person.
If there are numerous persons in charge of risk management, such as shifting work patterns, make sure that everyone understands what they are responsible for and how they fit into the system's overall risk management.
If you hire contractors to do water treatment or other work, the competent person is still responsible for ensuring that the treatment is completed to the appropriate standards.
Remember that before you choose a contractor, you should be confident that they can do the task to your specifications. Various external schemes may assist you with this, such as the Service Provider Code of Conduct. The British Standards Institute has published a standard for legionella risk assessment.
There as several strategies for legionella management and prevention, such as keeping the water systems or boilers at temperatures outside the organism's development zone. This is a critical control technique for legionella in buildings.
Legionella colonisation and growth are more susceptible in warm water systems. Minimising every likelihood of legionella is our speciality. It can be typically spread by breathing; therefore, it's important to have your business, home or workplace be thoroughly surveyed.
In accordance with Health and Safety legislation, all hospitals should comply with the required standards and training responsible for managing legionella.
This bacteria is a form of pneumonia that can be lethal; therefore, it's important to support those in social care and undertake every method to minimise the spread of these harmful substances.
According to the fourth edition, all water sources must be regularly checked and identified for any risks, as exposure to legionella can be potentially fatal.
Preventing or Controlling the Risk
You should first assess whether you can reduce the danger of legionella by examining the sort of water system you require, such as determining whether a wet cooling tower may be replaced with a dry air-cooled system. The goal is to design, manage, and operate your water systems in a way that prevents or appropriately controls legionella development and multiplication.
Create a plan of action, such as a documented control scheme, to assist you to manage the risk of legionella by adopting effective control measures, characterising your system, generating a schematic diagram, and determining who is accountable for completing the assessment and overseeing its execution.
You should ensure that water spray is properly handled, that water temperatures and conditions are not favourable to legionella and other microorganism development, and that water temperatures and conditions are not conducive to legionella and other microorganism growth.
You can guarantee that water does not stagnate anywhere in the system by keeping pipe lengths as short as feasible and eliminating unnecessary equipment. Keep the system and the water it contains clean, and treat the water to prevent or restrict the spread of legionella and other microbes.
Keep track of any control measures you use and any other activities you take. The Water Fittings & Materials Directory is a list of fittings, materials, and appliances that the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme has certified for use in the UK Water Supply System.
As part of your system, water is stored or recirculated. Risk sources can be detected by sight or by reviewing the property's schematic design, which depicts the arrangement of all water systems. All water systems should be reviewed for maintenance and testing. Any remedial works should follow work regulations in order to stop legionella from developing and multiplying.
Combi boilers are considered low-risk items of hardware in terms of legionella risk due to their direct cold water mains supply and little hot water storage. As part of your yearly gas safety inspection, the combi boiler should be maintained once a year.
We have the necessary expertise and necessary skills to implement competent remedial action for vulnerable people. We provide expert advice for any further action that may be needed; we always implement the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act. We survey commonly found natural water sources and ensure compliance with your every need when on the job.
Keeping Records
Keep track of any remarkable results, particularly those that are more vulnerable, as well as any risk management or elimination efforts if you have five or more personnel.
The person or persons in charge of conducting the risk assessment, managing and implementing the written scheme, the risk assessment's major findings, a written control scheme and details of its implementation, the state of the system's operation, i.e. in use/not in use, and the results of any monitoring inspection, test, or check performed, as well as the dates, should all be included in the records.
Other Duties
According to the Notification of Cooling Towers and Evaporative Condensers Regulations 1992, if you have a cooling tower or evaporative condenser on-site, you must notify your local authority in writing and provide details about where it is located.
You must notify them if/when such devices are no longer in use. A notification form is available from your local authority/environmental health department.
Coolers and condensers that don't rely only on evaporation are becoming increasingly rare. These systems may not need notice under the Notification of Cooling Towers and Evaporative Condensers Regulations 1992 due to their different working principles (NCTEC).
When such systems spray water directly onto the heat exchanger's surface, the system must be checked for NCTEC notification rules compliance. Furthermore, under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases, and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, you must report any instances of legionellosis in people who have worked on water systems (RIDDOR).
Specific Risk Systems
An evaporative cooling system may consist of a cooling tower, evaporative condenser, or other cooling devices, recirculating pipework, the heat exchanger, pumps, and other components such as supply tanks and pre-treatment equipment.
If you have a cooling tower or an evaporative condenser to prevent or control legionella infection, follow the steps specified in Legionnaires' disease: Legionella bacteria control in water systems. If this is not practicable, alternative, equally effective techniques for avoiding or reducing legionella risk must be used.
To supply hot and cold water services, several hot and cold water systems are available, ranging in size, scale, and complexity. All of these things can put you at risk for legionella infection. Temperature control is a common method for reducing legionella risk in hot and cold water systems. If at all possible, cold water systems should be kept below 20°C. Hot water should be kept at least at 60°C and provided for one minute to attain a temperature of 50°C (55°C in healthcare facilities).
Spa-pool systems are becoming more popular, and they come in a wide range of sizes and settings. Hot spas, hot tubs, whirlpool spas, and portable spas are some of the titles given to them.
As a known source of infectious illnesses, including the organism that causes legionnaires' disease, notably legionella pneumonia, such systems represent a reasonably foreseeable danger. Several outbreaks have been connected to spa-pool systems in recreation centres, hotels, vacation houses, cruise ships, and on display.
There are several other risk systems, such as humidifiers, air washers, emergency showers, eyewash sprays, indoor ornamental fountains, aqueous tunnel washers, and so on, that could potentially be a source for legionella bacteria growth in addition to evaporative cooling systems, hot and cold water systems, and spa pools.
A legionella risk exists if any of the following factors occur in a water system.
This is related to the presence of legionella bacteria in system water, where the water temperature may be between 20 and 45°C, a method of creating and/or spreading breathable droplets (aerosols), stores and/or re-circulates water likely to contain a source of food for the organism, such as contaminants from the surroundings or process, such as sludge, rust, scale, organic matter, or biofilms, and a method of creating and/or spreading breathable.
If you are concerned about legionnaires' disease in Southampton and the surrounding areas, contact our expert consultant today. We can help you with legionella management and legionella control throughout Southampton, Portsmouth, Hampshire and the surrounding areas.