Today's news concerning drivers & Legionnaires' disease concluding that Legionnaires' cases could be avoided by adding screen wash. A few water fed pole operators have also been known to add screen wash or GlassGleam 3/4 to their tanks. A few hints & tips following these headlines -
Legionnaires' disease link to lack of windscreen wash (LONDON) — Failure to add windscreen wash to a vehicle's windscreen wiper water could account for around 20 percent of cases of Legionnaires' Disease, according to the Health Protection Agency. The disease - caused by the Legionella bacteria - is commonly associated with water systems such as air conditioning units, showers and fountains. When inhaled the bacteria can cause pneumonia. However, this is the first time a link has been made between the disease and windscreen fluid. Adding screen wash could mitigate the transmission of Legionella bacteria to drivers and passengers, the HPA said, in a report published in the European Journal of Epidemiology last week. An HPA spokesperson said: "This preliminary HPA study suggests a strong association between a lack of screen wash in wiper fluid and the incidence of Legionnaires' disease. "Further studies are now needed to determine whether the use of screen wash in wiper fluid could play a role in preventing this disease."
The HPA carried out the
study after finding that cases of the potentially fatal disease were five times more prevalent among professional drivers in England and Wales than expected. The agency contacted all survivors in England and Wales who had contracted Legionnaires' between July 2008 and March 2009. Willing participants were questioned on their driving habits, possible Legionella sources in vehicles and known risk factors. The study - which looked at 75 cases and 67 controls - also identified an increased risk of infection from driving through industrial areas, where there is likely to be a greater exposure to outside sources of Legionella. This was the most likely explanation for the higher percentage of cases among professional drivers, analysts said.
Driving or travelling as a passenger in a van, driving with a window open and driving for long periods of time also increased the risk of infection -- all factors which may be linked to driving through industrial areas. Also associated with an increased risk were driving an older vehicle and not using showers at home. However, the report's authors said the findings on windscreen wash were "the most intriguing", concluding that 20 percent of Legionnaires' cases could be avoided by adding screen wash. "This simple public health advice may be of worldwide relevance in reducing morbidity and mortality from Legionnaires? disease," the report stated. Between 400 and 550 cases of Legionnaires' Disease have been reported in England and Wales in the last two years, with around one third of those infected as a result of travel to another country.
CTA Worker Dies Of Legionnaires' Disease (Chicago): The DuPage County coroner's office confirms that Robert Pierce, 37, died on Sunday. The Plainfield resident had been in an induced coma since contracting the rare disease two weeks ago. Pierce had been working with another CTA electrician on an 'L' train car washing machine in a CTA rail yard near Midway Airport when a blast of stagnant water struck him in the nose, mouth and face. The next day Pierce became very ill with an extremely high fever. To keep its buses and trains passenger-ready, CTA vehicles pass through high-power washers, where health officials say the bacterium that causes Legionnaire's Disease could grow.
What the Federation of Window Cleaners say about the subject:
Safety in window cleaning using Waterfed Pole Systems: Legionella Bacteria can be found in low levels in most water sources, the presence of a few bacteria is in itself unlikely to cause a problem, it is when they begin to multiply that the risk increases. Legionella requires nutrients to multiply; these can be provided by sediment, scale, sludge and biofilms. These materials build up in the filters used to purify water, if not replaced at specified intervals filters may become a fertile breeding ground for legionella bacteria. Water temperature is a particularly important factor in the survival and multiplication of legionella, when the temperature of water rises above 20 degrees the bacteria begin to multiply, the optimum temperature being 37 degrees.
Contracting the Disease: The disease is normally contracted after the inhalation of the bacterium in small droplets (aerosols) or in droplet nuclei that are in the residue after the water has evaporated. Watered poles produce aerosols and it should be noted that aerosols are not restricted to the point of production. Under suitable wind conditions, viable bacteria can travel up to 500 metres. Legionella will not normally multiply in cold water systems or even hot water systems when the water is heated at point of use, or when the system is in regular use. However, legionella will multiply when the right conditions exist, these are:
• When sediment, scale, sludge and biofilms build up in filters.
• When water temperatures rise above 20 degrees (optimum temperature 37 degrees).
Measures that should be taken to control the risk of legionella are:
• Replacements of filters at recommended intervals.
• Following the manufactures servicing recommendations.
• Keeping the system stored in a cool place when not is regular use
• If system cannot be stored in a cool place, drain tank and filters whenever the system is to be left idle for more than three days during warm summer months.
The release of legionella is also subject to the Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002.
Used filters should be disposed of in accordance with local authority guidelines.
The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) information to assist disease recognition, investigation procedures to identify probable water sources, and control strategies. The primary focus of this document is on the control and prevention of contaminated water sources, not on case identification, an area of expertise primarily exercised by local health departments frequently in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. Appendices include details on conducting an employee awareness program, water sampling protocols and guidelines for acceptable levels of the organism in water, procedures for identifying new cases of the disease, and water treatment and control strategies for facilities where an outbreak has occurred. Included in the summary are:
Legionnaires’ disease - A guide for employers: This short and simple guide is written to help you, as an employer, understand the health risks associated with legionella. It explains in general terms how to control those risks. You should consult the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) and guidance Legionnaires’ disease: The control of legionella bacteria in water systems for the technical detail on how to manage and control the risks in your system (see Further Information section at the end of this leaflet).
Jeff Brown of the WaterFed Pole Training Academy contacted the HSE to find the truth on Legionnaires disease around four years a go:
Hi Jeff,
Your query concerning legionella bacteria and window cleaning has come through to me. You ask a number of questions in your message which may be better talking through over the phone. However, I am out of the office for two weeks beginning tomorrow so in case you don't pick this message up in time, here are some of my thoughts regarding your questions:
"Can pure water incubate the Legionnaires' Disease?"
The answer here is that legionella will not tend to multiply to dangerous levels in pure water because they need nutrients to grow and divide. However, most water will contain some impurities that will act as a nutrients source for legionella e.g., contamination in pipework - you'd have to go to some lengths to ensure that water is totally uncontaminated.
"What precautions must window cleaners take to prevent Legionnaires'
disease?"
As well as nutrients, legionella bacteria require temperatures to fall between 20C and 45C for them to grow and divide. Clearly in warm weather, like we've had lately, there is potential for stored water to reach these temperatures. Therefore the approach to take in order to control risks from legionella would be one that took into account both cleanliness of the system and water temperatures i.e., keep system (pipework, storage tanks, purification equipment) clean
if possible, take steps to keep stored water temperature below 20C.
I hope this has helped. I'll be in the office until about 4.30 today if you wish to discuss this matter further with me (see number below).
Regards, Paul
Dr Paul J McDermott
HID SI4 (Biological Agents Unit)
0151 951 3405
Ref: AREL-6RLDHP
On a personal level, I've found that capped pure water can & will stay useable without any chance of infection for over 4 years if stored in an airtight plastic drum in the shade.
Legionnaires' disease link to lack of windscreen wash (LONDON) — Failure to add windscreen wash to a vehicle's windscreen wiper water could account for around 20 percent of cases of Legionnaires' Disease, according to the Health Protection Agency. The disease - caused by the Legionella bacteria - is commonly associated with water systems such as air conditioning units, showers and fountains. When inhaled the bacteria can cause pneumonia. However, this is the first time a link has been made between the disease and windscreen fluid. Adding screen wash could mitigate the transmission of Legionella bacteria to drivers and passengers, the HPA said, in a report published in the European Journal of Epidemiology last week. An HPA spokesperson said: "This preliminary HPA study suggests a strong association between a lack of screen wash in wiper fluid and the incidence of Legionnaires' disease. "Further studies are now needed to determine whether the use of screen wash in wiper fluid could play a role in preventing this disease."The HPA carried out the
study after finding that cases of the potentially fatal disease were five times more prevalent among professional drivers in England and Wales than expected. The agency contacted all survivors in England and Wales who had contracted Legionnaires' between July 2008 and March 2009. Willing participants were questioned on their driving habits, possible Legionella sources in vehicles and known risk factors. The study - which looked at 75 cases and 67 controls - also identified an increased risk of infection from driving through industrial areas, where there is likely to be a greater exposure to outside sources of Legionella. This was the most likely explanation for the higher percentage of cases among professional drivers, analysts said.Driving or travelling as a passenger in a van, driving with a window open and driving for long periods of time also increased the risk of infection -- all factors which may be linked to driving through industrial areas. Also associated with an increased risk were driving an older vehicle and not using showers at home. However, the report's authors said the findings on windscreen wash were "the most intriguing", concluding that 20 percent of Legionnaires' cases could be avoided by adding screen wash. "This simple public health advice may be of worldwide relevance in reducing morbidity and mortality from Legionnaires? disease," the report stated. Between 400 and 550 cases of Legionnaires' Disease have been reported in England and Wales in the last two years, with around one third of those infected as a result of travel to another country.
CTA Worker Dies Of Legionnaires' Disease (Chicago): The DuPage County coroner's office confirms that Robert Pierce, 37, died on Sunday. The Plainfield resident had been in an induced coma since contracting the rare disease two weeks ago. Pierce had been working with another CTA electrician on an 'L' train car washing machine in a CTA rail yard near Midway Airport when a blast of stagnant water struck him in the nose, mouth and face. The next day Pierce became very ill with an extremely high fever. To keep its buses and trains passenger-ready, CTA vehicles pass through high-power washers, where health officials say the bacterium that causes Legionnaire's Disease could grow.What the Federation of Window Cleaners say about the subject:
Safety in window cleaning using Waterfed Pole Systems: Legionella Bacteria can be found in low levels in most water sources, the presence of a few bacteria is in itself unlikely to cause a problem, it is when they begin to multiply that the risk increases. Legionella requires nutrients to multiply; these can be provided by sediment, scale, sludge and biofilms. These materials build up in the filters used to purify water, if not replaced at specified intervals filters may become a fertile breeding ground for legionella bacteria. Water temperature is a particularly important factor in the survival and multiplication of legionella, when the temperature of water rises above 20 degrees the bacteria begin to multiply, the optimum temperature being 37 degrees.Contracting the Disease: The disease is normally contracted after the inhalation of the bacterium in small droplets (aerosols) or in droplet nuclei that are in the residue after the water has evaporated. Watered poles produce aerosols and it should be noted that aerosols are not restricted to the point of production. Under suitable wind conditions, viable bacteria can travel up to 500 metres. Legionella will not normally multiply in cold water systems or even hot water systems when the water is heated at point of use, or when the system is in regular use. However, legionella will multiply when the right conditions exist, these are:
• When sediment, scale, sludge and biofilms build up in filters.
• When water temperatures rise above 20 degrees (optimum temperature 37 degrees).
Measures that should be taken to control the risk of legionella are:
• Replacements of filters at recommended intervals.
• Following the manufactures servicing recommendations.
• Keeping the system stored in a cool place when not is regular use
• If system cannot be stored in a cool place, drain tank and filters whenever the system is to be left idle for more than three days during warm summer months.
The release of legionella is also subject to the Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002.
Used filters should be disposed of in accordance with local authority guidelines.
The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) information to assist disease recognition, investigation procedures to identify probable water sources, and control strategies. The primary focus of this document is on the control and prevention of contaminated water sources, not on case identification, an area of expertise primarily exercised by local health departments frequently in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. Appendices include details on conducting an employee awareness program, water sampling protocols and guidelines for acceptable levels of the organism in water, procedures for identifying new cases of the disease, and water treatment and control strategies for facilities where an outbreak has occurred. Included in the summary are:- Introduction
- Disease Recognition
- Source Identification
- Investigation Protocol
- Investigational Guidelines
- Controls
- Bibliography
Legionnaires’ disease - A guide for employers: This short and simple guide is written to help you, as an employer, understand the health risks associated with legionella. It explains in general terms how to control those risks. You should consult the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) and guidance Legionnaires’ disease: The control of legionella bacteria in water systems for the technical detail on how to manage and control the risks in your system (see Further Information section at the end of this leaflet).Jeff Brown of the WaterFed Pole Training Academy contacted the HSE to find the truth on Legionnaires disease around four years a go:
Hi Jeff,
Your query concerning legionella bacteria and window cleaning has come through to me. You ask a number of questions in your message which may be better talking through over the phone. However, I am out of the office for two weeks beginning tomorrow so in case you don't pick this message up in time, here are some of my thoughts regarding your questions:
"Can pure water incubate the Legionnaires' Disease?"
The answer here is that legionella will not tend to multiply to dangerous levels in pure water because they need nutrients to grow and divide. However, most water will contain some impurities that will act as a nutrients source for legionella e.g., contamination in pipework - you'd have to go to some lengths to ensure that water is totally uncontaminated.
"What precautions must window cleaners take to prevent Legionnaires'
disease?"
As well as nutrients, legionella bacteria require temperatures to fall between 20C and 45C for them to grow and divide. Clearly in warm weather, like we've had lately, there is potential for stored water to reach these temperatures. Therefore the approach to take in order to control risks from legionella would be one that took into account both cleanliness of the system and water temperatures i.e., keep system (pipework, storage tanks, purification equipment) clean
if possible, take steps to keep stored water temperature below 20C.
I hope this has helped. I'll be in the office until about 4.30 today if you wish to discuss this matter further with me (see number below).
Regards, Paul
Dr Paul J McDermott
HID SI4 (Biological Agents Unit)
0151 951 3405
Ref: AREL-6RLDHP
On a personal level, I've found that capped pure water can & will stay useable without any chance of infection for over 4 years if stored in an airtight plastic drum in the shade.
No comments:
Post a Comment