The role of Maintenance in preventing Legionella outbreaks

[shukla7789]

Legionella is a public health problem and is responsible for Legionnaires' Disease, a type of pneumonia that is contracted by inhaling droplets of contaminated water vapor (aerosols).

This bacterium is present in aquatic environments, for example, in domestic water systems, jacuzzis and swimming pools, or, in nature, in rivers and lakes. This bacterium occurs naturally in factory cooling towers, humidifiers, air conditioning, and water supply and distribution systems, but only reaches concentrations capable of creating danger if there are failures in equipment maintenance.


The main systems and equipment associated with the development of Legionella bacteria are:

Cooling systems
Hot and cold water building networks
Heated water systems for recreational or therapeutic use
Heated pools and jacuzzis
Thermal facilities
Equipment used in respiratory therapy (nebulizers and humidifiers for assisted ventilation systems)
In fact, the risks lie in the maintenance and operation of this group of systems, since for an outbreak of this bacteria to occur, there must be some failure in the maintenance of this equipment. For example, in the japan whatsapp number database of air conditioning, the lack of maintenance can contribute to air contamination, due to the accumulation of bacteria and harmful substances in the filters.

To minimize the proliferation of Legionella, preventive maintenance and operational control measures should be adopted. For example, in cooling systems – cooling towers, humidifiers and air conditioning systems – maintenance programs should be drawn up that are appropriate to the characteristics of the facilities.

These control and prevention measures, as well as maintenance, cleaning and disinfection of systems and equipment, are effective solutions to prevent the spread of Legionella.


Maintenance protocols should be based on a good understanding of the entire system and equipment, including regular inspection, a water control and treatment program, a cleaning and disinfection program for all facilities and, finally, the existence of a record for each of these operations. All maintenance and cleaning operations should be recorded in a document or on a maintenance management platform .


Another important aspect is monitoring the facilities. It is essential to monitor chlorine levels, water pH and temperature, and it is now possible to do this easily and in real time. This way, it is possible to predict when Legionella bacteria may start to contaminate.


Maintenance and contingency plans are sometimes not drawn up with the necessary rigor for this type of equipment, which can inevitably lead to Legionella outbreaks. However, there is already a law in force from 2018, which establishes the disease prevention and control regime and which points to stricter conduct in terms of the maintenance and operation of buildings and their equipment.


In fact, the important role of maintenance as a way of preventing the proliferation of Legionella bacteria in buildings, equipment and systems is well known.



The impact of confinement on the origin of Legionella outbreaks

During the pandemic, many factories and companies were forced to close their buildings for a period of time. Now that they have reopened and returned to normal, it is essential to implement a rigorous prevention and treatment plan for refrigeration ducts, air conditioning units and stagnant water. Otherwise, these devices will create conditions for the development of Legionella bacteria.


Before restarting operations, cleaning and maintenance procedures for equipment and systems must be implemented in order to prevent water quality problems, particularly problems with the proliferation and spread of Legionella bacteria in the facilities.


For example, stagnation of water for prolonged periods in the building distribution system promotes the decay of free residual chlorine, which can promote the growth of bacteria and can also promote chemical and physical changes in the water.


In the context of a pandemic, maintenance is often not carried out with the necessary frequency. The risk of Legionella outbreaks is therefore quite high, particularly through air conditioning, cooling towers, swimming pools, saunas and spas.


Some experts in the field predicted that these outbreaks would occur as a side effect of the pandemic. Hotels, gyms, factories and other buildings with water and refrigeration systems that were closed during the lockdown, with stagnant water in the pipes, become breeding grounds for Legionella if a rigorous preventive maintenance plan is not followed before they reopen.


In the event of a building being closed, all components of the above systems must be cleaned and maintained before reopening. Failure to comply with these maintenance and cleaning plans is not only detrimental to organizations, but also counterproductive to public health.