Legionella Remediation in a Hospital Environment
(Room 128 AB)
01 Nov 16
3:15 PM
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4:30 PM
Domestic water systems have been identified as one of the leading sources of Legionella infestations. Healthcare facilities, such as hospitals and extended cares, serve patients with compromised or weakened immune systems, making them more susceptible to pneumonia-type infections. This presentation will deal with the increasing requirements of monitoring for the Legionella bacteria in hospital domestic water systems and the varied methods of eradication if the bacteria is found. The various methods used by different agencies for indications of infestation and the advantages and disadvantages of the several eradication methods that are available, particularly chlorination and thermal eradication, will be compared. Attendees will also learn about proactive plumbing system designs to limit the chances of infestation. Clark Nexsen is currently designing corrective work for four VA hospitals to address identified or potential contamination problems in their domestic water piping systems. Using an ongoing design project, the presenters will show the steps used to identify the problem areas, including field investigations, and what design strategies are being utilized to correct the identified design problems that may have led to the infestation as well as the eradication methods being utilized to eliminate the bacteria from the systems. Various reference materials will be used in this presentation, including ASHRAE Standards 188 (2015) and 12 (2000), ASPE’s Plumbing Engineering Design Handbook, the OSHA Technical Manual, the CDC, Joint Commission, WHO, and VHA hospital directives, and standards produced by some U.S. states.