Fire Safety & Legionella

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I was onsite last week at an aged care facility speaking to the Facility Manager, where I was providing some information on Water Risk Management Plans and Legionella in general.  Let’s call him Brian for the ease of telling this story.  Brian asked me about the water in his sprinkler system as he explained that the Fire Safety company had been out last month to do the annual safety check.

I explained to him that YES! the water would pose a risk because it meets the three main criteria for Legionella risk.

  1. Stagnation
  2. Temperature
  3. Aerosol

But what is the bigger risk?  Burning to death or contracting Legionella?  I also explained that it should ideally be a separate closed system and that if separate it shouldn’t pose a risk to the rest of the facilities water distribution system.  Generally, on the annual safety checks for the sprinkler systems, there is a Legionella check that should be done.

But what is the bigger risk?  Burning to death or contracting Legionella?

Brian from his office chair pointed to the fire sprinkler system and pointed out the tap and outlet to me and told me the fire safety company flushed the sprinkler system, what annoyed him the most is they just turned the tap on and water just shot out and covered one of the administration staff cars that was parked a few meters away in “Black S**t, that washed off eventually” in his words.

I informed Brian that wasn’t good, as that water, the chances of probability that it would contain Legionella (as that water hadn’t been changed since the last annual check) and could drift into the air-intake outlets for the air-conditioning system for the facility and pose a threat to all his clients.

I explained to Brian that to minimise the risk of Legionella from the flush of the sprinkler system, that the fire safety company should put a hose on the outlet and let it go to drain to minimise any aerosol.  Brian was thankful for the advice and made a note to ensure the fire safety company was informed of what would be required at the next annual fire safety check.

So the message of the story is when your annual safety inspection comes up your facilities sprinkler system, ask the fire safety company who is carrying out the work that are they aware of the risk of Legionella to clients and what steps are they taking to minimise that risk and if they can’t tell you, you can tell them they need to minimise the spray /aerosol and that they have to fit a hose to the outlet where they are going to flush the sprinkler system.

If you need advice on Legionella Risk management call Andrew or Jonathan on 0429 431 709 or go to our website www.compliancewaterservices.com.au and send us a message.

Why you need an Independent Audit for Cooling Tower Management

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Undertaking an audit of your cooling tower system can assist in highlighting areas which maybe lacking as part of the site risk management plan. These may even hint to weaknesses in the entire system. Perhaps you get repeat high microbiological results or issues with water chemistry such as scaling or excessive water loss.

 

With increased scrutiny and more perceived responsibility, you can be assured that standards remain high and there is a trustworthy paper trail which you could rely on if ever needed. Impartial audits ensure that there are no hidden motives at work. Imagine scrambling for paperwork during a retrospective site investigation and finding there are gaps or questionable information on the reports?

 

Errors which have been over looked can be caught by the independent auditor, if you are a building manager or a member of a body corporate and cannot easily understand the results, can you truly sign off reports with confidence, if you find it difficult for you to differentiate between consistency or anomalies? Would you know if your cooling tower meets its key performance indicators set out by the risk management plan?

 

An annual Cooling Tower Audit helps to estimate the effectiveness of the water treatment in use and is a system of continuous improvement which can help to eliminate foreseeable issues from occurring.

 

If you have concerns and questions about your current cooling tower regime and feel you would like an overview, please feel free to contact:- Andrew – 0429 431 709

 

Common Misconceptions About Legionella

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I recently collated the top 4 questions from customers this year and decided to write an article about them…

 

 

Samples where Legionella is detected means someone could catch Legionnaires Disease?

There are multiple species, some have not been found to be pathogenic whereas some are less so. Microbiological water sample results are often categorised by species such as L. pneumophila serotype 1, serotype 2 – 14, Legionella Species and Total Legionella Species.

Although the AS 3666 (the standard for cooling tower management) includes a safe level for Legionella detection and an appropriate response, there is no such “safe level” described in domestic water systems at present and as per Queensland Health request, all species and CFU numbers need to be reported.

 

Are cooling towers the most likely cause Legionnaires Disease?

Potable water sources can just as often be a source of Legionella, a lot of the time the media report outbreaks of cooling towers as they tend to affect multiple people in densely populated areas.

Believe it or not, there is a form of Legionnaires Disease which can be transmitted through potting-mixture and don’t forget to drain the garden hose after you use it!

 

Legionnaires Disease is only a problem for high-risk individuals such as elderly, smokers or immunocompromised?

Although those groups are of an increased risk it has been estimated that 25% of cases are of people under 50-years-old.

Like how the flu can affect some people severely, we cannot always predict how our bodies will react to infections.

Is it worth gambling with your health, even if you think you are otherwise healthy?

 

Is Legionella only a problem in stagnant water or old buildings?

Sometimes even with an effective maintenance program including flushing and cleaning, Legionella can persist and it’s worth noting the importance of monitoring sampling.

Poor plumbing structures such as dead-legs can contribute to the growth of bacteria but sometimes levels of water disinfectants can dissipate at distal locations.

During warmer months the water temperature can easily reach 30℃, at which point most bacterial growth will peak.

Age Factor & Legionella Within Health Facilities

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This article will briefly examine why age care and hospitals are of concern when looking at the control of Legionnaires’ Disease.

Legionella affects all water systems and potable water supplies.

Age care facilities are a high-risk group in terms of Legionella infections. Those of an increased age group tend to be predisposed to severe infections which can prove to be fatal. Historic data on patients that have presented with Legionellosis shows that the number of infections increase once over the age of 45.

Below is a graph taken from notifications of Legionnaires’ Disease, Australia’s notifiable diseases status, 2010: Annual report of the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.

Looking at the risk involved with hospitals and clinics, patients may have underlying illnesses making them susceptible to Legionnaires’ Disease. Large hospitals tend to have extensive water systems which have undergone retrofits leaving dead ends. When you think about it, there can be multiple sinks, toilets or showers which may not always be in use, that can stagnate leading to the growth of Legionella. There are inconsistencies in the temperatures of water as it makes its journey around the building. There may be warm water systems which reduce the risk of scalding but have an unfortunate prerequisite to Legionella as they sit in the temperature range of 35 – 42℃.

Queensland has recently implemented legislation which is creating some epidemiological information, showing how widespread Legionella presence is among public and private facilities:-

“For the period 1 February to 30 June 2017, 273 public and private facilities reported a total of:

  •  14,259 water samples collected and tested for Legionella; and
  •  753 Legionella detections reported to Queensland Health.”

These statistics translate into a 5.3% likelihood or 1 in 19 chance of a positive result from water testing.

These statistics could be greatly reduced by identifying problem areas on site and using a suitable control to reduce the likelihood of Legionella growth. One way to achieve this is through a site survey to examine all possibilities. Focus should be site wide without becoming fixated on only the most high risk causes.

In Australia, the age care sector is projected to be an expanding demographic and with it, increased demand on health services. Taking proactive steps to examine your individual Legionella risks on site provides protection to clients and your business.

As an experienced, Queensland based company contact Compliance Water Services if you are a licensee or an approved provider and you have concerns about your current situation.

We can be found at: www.compliancewaterservices.com.au

Sources

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/cda-cdi3601a12.htm

https://www.health.qld.gov.au/public-health/industry-environment/environment-land-water/water/risk-management/results-quarterly-reports

11 Legionella Risks Around the Home and Work

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Often Legionnaires Disease gets associated with cooling towers but there are other sources that are equally as hazardous and often overlooked.

Time from exposure to symptoms for Legionnaires’ Disease is typically between 2 and 10 days which can sometimes make it difficult to trace the source retrospectively.

Here are 11 potential sources of Legionella you should be aware of:


Hot Water Systems

Hot water storage should reach above 60℃ in order to kill Legionella bacteria. Often the bottom of the vessel can be under 60℃ but due to heat convection if temperatures range from 30℃ to 40℃ and heavy sludge has built up on the base of tank it creates ideal conditions for Legionella growth.

In some cases in order to increase energy efficiency, hot water systems are switched off or thermostats are intentionally turned down.

Warm water systems used in hospitals and aged care facilities reduce temperature and tend to be set around 42℃ and if feeding multiple outlets or an extensive system it’s advisable to have some form of systemic disinfection. The 2013 Legionella outbreak at Wesley hospital in Brisbane was a result of a warm water system and lead to a fatality.

Another consideration is solar hot water generation. They might need an electrical booster system because they may not consistently reach a temperature to eliminate Legionella.

On demand heaters are less affected as there is no tank and comes straight from town water.


Rainwater Tanks and Storage Tanks

The majority of rainwater is naturally relatively pure and free of chlorine and becomes excellent for bacteria growth. In summer Australian water temperatures can reach between 25 – 35℃. Often contamination from birds, leaf-litter, insects and rodents can find its way into the tank, accumulating sludge. Rainwater tanks can feed toilets and irrigation systems for gardens and are both capable of distributing aerosol. Also if feeding a pressure washer then further problems evolve.


Pools and Spa

Ongoing introduction of biological material, recirculated water and warm temperature (37℃) acts as an excellent breeding ground for bacteria. Bubbling and aerosol in close proximity to people makes it easy to inhale water vapour which means you don’t necessarily have to be in
the hot tub. Lots of pools and spas have extensive piping systems that creates large surface areas for bacteria to reproduce. Legionella may not be the only worry as Pseudomonas infections can be an issue on poorly maintained systems.

In 1999 in Bovenkarspel, Netherlands, a legionellosis outbreak killed 32 people and lead to 206 severe infections. It followed a manufacturer showcasing their hot tubs during a horticultural show. The victims happened to be passing by whilst the machines ran their cycles which had been filled up using a little used fire hose which leads onto the next risk.


Hose attachments

Rubber can biodegrade into nutrients for bacteria. When you add this to a little used water outlet and the summer temperatures, legionella can grow within biofilm on the inside of the hose. It dislodges and exits when the tap is turned on which is usually attached to something that generates spray.

One simple rule with detachable hoses, is for bacteria to grow you need water. If you hang up the garden hose and leave it to drain this will prevent biofilm growth.


Soil & Potting Mix

Legionella Longbeachae is a naturally occurring environmental organism which is commonly found in soil. A few preventative measures should be used when handling potting mix: wear a particulate disposable mask, let it settle, don’t shake the bag before use, dampen dry potting mix to prevent dust release, keep at arm’s length, wash down leftovers and brush away damp remains. A big majority of people who garden are over 50 which makes them statistically more vulnerable.


Nearby car/truck/boat washing facilities

There has been two proven cases: one in Beachlands, Auckland which was a rainwater fed yacht wash and a car wash at Hoppers Crossing, Victoria. In both cases the aerosol affected nearby residents. Car washing facilities are becoming more and more common. As a way of saving money they use water saving to capture and recycle water on site which is then recirculated, stored and often becomes warm through the process. Ideally the recirculated water should have a disinfection system fitted to ensure bacteria do not thrive.

Industrial Processes

An example of this is when plastic injection moulding plants use recycled water to cool lines. They can involve high pressure water that creates huge amounts of spray. If rusting metal comes into comes into contact with water it can provide a vital growth medium for Legionella. Temperatures can be an issue too as hot machinery and warm storage areas can increase the risk of bacteria growth.  

Hotels, Holiday and Retirement Villages

Many hotels go through times of low vacancy which present the issue of vacant rooms or perhaps there is particular area in lower demand such as deluxe facilities over standard rooms. If these areas remain vacant for long enough water quality can deteriorate quickly.
Retirement Villages suffer from the same vacancy issues as hotels but also the majority, if not all of their residents are over 50 and are vulnerable to Legionnaires’ Disease.

Misting systems

Horticultural or flower shops and grocery stores can have misting systems fitted to the display counter to make products look crisp and fresh. If drawn from non-potable sources the likelihood of legionella bacteria increases. They often have extensive networks of pipes and plenty of potential for deadlegs.


The long forgotten office shower

Perhaps it was put in during the favourable cycle-to-work-scheme, now the popularity has faded it has become a store room and maybe even a deadleg that could contaminate the entire water distribution system. You should always remember that offices can be potential sources of Legionella.

Ice Machines and Chilled Water

Legionella has been detected in high concentrations in ice machines.

A explanation of this could be looking at the process involved: tap water passes through an activated carbon filter removing chlorine residual from water, ice makers become hot due to the rear compressor and thermal crossover can occur on the incoming water allowing Legionella to multiply and although freezing makes legionella bacteria dormant it doesn’t kill them.

Severely ill patients are often given ice to rehydrate due to difficulty in swallowing water. These individual are very susceptible to legionella. Microaspiration can occur which is breathing in small amounts of water vapour as a result of consuming ice.

Remember an ice machine should be cleaned systematically at least yearly if not more regularly. Be aware that every component needs to be thoroughly sterilised.


Decorative Water Fountains

Out in the sun a fountain doesn’t take long for algae to form in the water and leaf matter to build up. These conditions allow bacteria to grow but more concerning is that fountains tend to be placed closely to entrances and even sometimes in reception areas. Many have spray nozzles which may look decorative but also produce water droplets which could be breathed in or enter into an open window. Bromine is the most common disinfectant used to keep them in a clean condition and they should be cleaned out every three months to keep the pond free of debris.

This is not an exhaustive list of potential risks but it highlights how different situations can present the risk of Legionnaires’ Disease.

Chlorine Basics for Water Quality you need to know

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Changes in Legislation to the Public Health Act 2005

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The Public Health Act 2005 (Public Health Water Risk Management Amendment Act 2016) was recently amended to establish a legislative framework to:

  • Improve the management and control of health risks associated with the supply and use of water in hospitals and residential aged care facilities (in particular health risks associated with Legionella bacteria)
  • Provide for greater public transparency of water testing activities being undertaken by these facilities.

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