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No lockdown for Legionella
Getting Back to Work
14 April 2020
John Herbert
Director
During the lockdown thousands of workplaces, restaurants,
offices, factories and buildings are empty, remember
that means the drainage systems may have dried out "U"
traps, plumbing systems may contain hot water heaters and
potable water piping may contain stagnating water, whirlpool
spa, or jacuzzi may contain stagnant water, and building
air conditioning cooling towers may contain stagnant condenser
water.
Therefore, risking the ciculation and dissemination of the
potentially fatal Legionella bacteria in your building.
We cannot list every possibile risk here, every building is different,
therefore its essential that the employer organises a risk
assessment for planning your start up.
Your plan needs to review and prepare an action plan to
mitigate risks to ensure that all the systems are cleansed
and checked BEFORE restarting, that means managers need
advance notice, before for the opening date, to
facilitate a safe start up procedure.
About the Author
John Herbert is a
veteran chief engineer with more than 30 years international engineering experience, educated in
the United Kingdom, he has worked in the United Kingdom and then across Asia for more than two
decades engaged by international and local companies. He is a Hong Kong Registered Energy
Assessor (REA), a BEAM Professional, and stationed in Hong Kong.