Managing legionella in water systems and the risks posed by Legionnaires’ disease is a vital consideration when conducting water safety risk assessments in any environment. Fortunately, the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides ample information and supportive advice concerning this type of risk management. But we can also learn something from the USA’s ASHRAE 188-2015 – a volunt
The overwhelming majority of hotels will never experience an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease. However, the only true way for hotel managers and their staff to prevent such an outbreak is by understanding how it may happen, what the disease is, and how Legionella bacteria can be prevented from spreading in a hospitality environment.
UK citizens have recently been asking if it’s safe to visit Dubai following a number of cases of Legionnaires’ disease there. By early April this year, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) had received information pertaining to 50 cases of Legionnaires’ disease connected with people who had recently travelled to Dubai. Almost 50% of these cases (24 of them) were repo
Some industries and businesses are at greater risk from Legionnaires’ disease and legionella contamination than others. For some, there may be little or no risk at all, and in this case, nothing beyond a straight-forward legionella risk assessment and simple control scheme will be required. However, we cannot include hotels, spas, and similar businesses in that category. Indeed, the travel and h
Following a spate of significant outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease across the USA health advocates there are now pushing for the implementation of tighter water safety regulations. Health and safety regulations are put in place for good reason – to protect and preserve the health and wellbeing of people. This applies just as readily to minimising the risks associated with water contaminated w
Legionnaires’ disease can be traced back to 1976, to a convention of the American Legion (a veterans association similar to the British Legion) in Philadelphia in America. While the reason for the convention was supposed to be a celebration of the 200th anniversary of America’s position as an independent nation, it would be remembered for entirely different reasons.
The use of spa pools and hot tubs is growing rapidly as their popularity increases both in commercial and domestic environments. However, it’s important to remember that poorly managed spas can create significant risks to the health and safety of those people using and operating them.
In this post we look at the use of expert witnesses in cases involving man-made water systems, Legionella bacteria and Legionnaires’ disease. Expert witnesses aren’t used in all court cases, but they can be extremely useful in cases where an additional level of expert knowledge is required. In some instances, the evidence they give can help laypeople involved understand the facts of the case i
A fresh case of Legionnaires’ disease was diagnosed in Fresno County, USA at the end of 2016, reports state. The health officer for the American county had alerted local hospitals of an increase in cases of the disease that occurred three months ago. Nursing homes, another type of facility where the Legionella bacteria have a potentially-greater chance of developing to cause increased risk, were
News outlets are reporting a spate of Legionnaires’ disease cases that have appeared in Adelaide, Australia during the second week of January 2017. Four men have been diagnosed with the potentially-lethal disease, and all are now being treated in hospital. The youngest victim is said to be aged 37, while the oldest is 71.