Controlling Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in Healthcare Water Systems Nontuberculous mycobacteria, often abbreviated to NTM, are separate from mycobacteria tuberculosis, which as the name suggests, are responsible for causing tuberculosis in humans. Nontuberculous mycobacteria can still cause lung infections, however, and should be viewed as a significant risk factor in a manmade water system, espec
What is ACOP L8 and What Does It Say About Legionella?
/in Compliance, Guidance, Legionella /by Simon DoonerWhat is ACOP L8 & What Does It Say About Controlling Legionella? The Health and Safety Executive Approved Code of Practice L8 (ACOP L8) is a key document, offering essential direction and guidance to help business owners and those responsible for workplace safety manage the risks associated with legionella and Legionnaires’ disease. In this guide […]
Does a Lower Boiler Temperature Increase Legionella Risk?
/in Compliance, Guidance, Legionella, News /by Simon DoonerDoes a Lower Boiler Temperature Increase Legionella Risk? With the current cost of living crisis, many people have been carefully following the news about increasing gas and electricity prices since last year. Even though the UK Government has stepped in to help struggling consumers, energy prices are still far higher than they were two years […]
How to Write a Water Safety Plan
/in Compliance, Guidance, International, Legionella /by Simon DoonerHow to Write a Water Safety Plan As the importance of managing waterborne risks continues to rise across healthcare, commercial, and public settings, the use of Water Safety Plans (WSPs) has become more widespread. Originally developed by the World Health Organization, these plans take a proactive, structured approach to maintaining water system safety, ensuring that […]
Legionella Management: The Basics of Getting it Right
/in Compliance, Guidance, Legionella /by Simon DoonerLegionella Management: The Basics of Getting it Right Legionnaires’ disease is a serious lung infection similar to pneumonia, that can develop from inhaling very fine water droplets contaminated with Legionella bacteria. Fortunately, with proper management of manmade water systems, it is preventable. In the UK every business owner, landlord or duty holder is legally responsible […]
Controlling Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in Healthcare Water Systems
/in Compliance, Guidance, Legionella /by Simon DoonerControlling Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in Healthcare Water Systems Nontuberculous mycobacteria, often abbreviated to NTM, are separate from mycobacteria tuberculosis, which as the name suggests, are responsible for causing tuberculosis in humans. Nontuberculous mycobacteria can still cause lung infections, however, and should be viewed as a significant risk factor in a manmade water system, espec
What Temperature Kills Legionella in Water?
/in Compliance, Guidance, Legionella /by Simon DoonerWhat Temperature Kills Legionella Bacteria in Water? Legionella bacteria are present in many water sources. This includes natural sources, although they do not usually present any issues when in lakes or rivers as they are only there in small quantities. Most of the time, low concentrations of legionella bacteria do not cause any issues when […]
Is Legionella Bacteria Becoming Antibiotic Resistant?
/in Guidance, International, Legionella, News /by Simon DoonerIs Legionella Bacteria Becoming Antibiotic Resistant? In this article the water safety specialists at Legionella Control International look at the role of antibiotics in protecting humans against pathogenic organisms, paying particular attention to waterborne bacteria including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and legionella. The article begins by looking at research from the World Health Organisation ident
What is an Expert Witness?
/in Compliance, Guidance, International, Legionella /by Simon DoonerWhat is an Expert Witness You may have heard the term expert witness before but are unsure of the details or intention behind the term. They sometimes appear as characters in a television courtroom drama, which does suggest how the role plays out. However, we’ll provide details in this article that go beyond the drama […]
Building Services Design and Water Safety Engineering
/in Compliance, Guidance, Legionella /by Simon DoonerBuilding Services Design and Water Safety Engineering Incorporating good water safety into new building design is becoming increasingly relevant as we start to understand the longer term implications of poor water services design on workplace safety and building lifecycle costs. In this article, our specialist team examine current building services design and construction processes and […]
How to Test for Legionella in Cooling Towers
/in Guidance, International, Legionella, News /by Simon DoonerHow to Test for Legionella in Cooling Towers If you’ve read reports of Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks over the years, you’ve likely read about cooling towers as well. They’re among the most common culprits for outbreaks of the disease. Proper testing, cleaning and maintenance of these towers is therefore crucial in making sure outbreaks are prevented. […]