HEALTHCARE & HOSPITAL FACILITIES HOW SAFE IS YOUR
SHOWER MANAGEMENT STRATEGY?
In 2017, there has been a 35% increase of reported cases of Legionnaires’ Disease.
Showers are a primary risk area for facility managers in hospitals and therefore require effective mitigation, Water Environmental Treatment (W.E.T) explain why.
In England and Wales, 80 people have died from Legionnaires’ disease in the last five years, with many others being left seriously ill or with effects on long- term health. It only takes one Legionella bacteria to contract the disease, a serious lung infection which can be fatal.
In a single piece of biofilm, there can be thousands of Legionella bacteria. Biofilm forms when pioneering bacteria found naturally in the mains water supply attach to surfaces such as water tanks and water supply pipe work. These pioneers work together with other bacteria to create a complex microbiological environment. This sponge-like micro-porous material allows ingress of nutrients and other bacteria such as legionella, providing a rich environment for them to multiply.
As the biofilm mass grows, it will break off layers of material. These can have a sizable bacteriological population that travel through hot and cold pipework until lodging in a crevice or washing out of an outlet such as a tap or shower head. When legionella bacteria are released as an aerosol, this is when Legionnaires’ disease can be contracted.
There are simple measures that companies should be taking to prevent this situation and to stop the proliferation of Legionella and other harmful bacteria such as Pseudomonas Aeruginosa. These measures include Legionella risk assessments, asset inspections, disinfection of systems, and remedial works, all specialist services that can be carried out by water hygiene companies.
Where showers are installed, these have the means of creating and dispersing water droplets in an aerosol, which may be inhaled causing a foreseeable risk of exposure to Legionella. Healthcare guidance HTM 04-01 Part B states you should “dismantle, clean and descale removable parts, heads, inserts and hoses where fitted”. This must be carried out, “quarterly or as indicated by the rate of fouling or other risk factors, e.g. areas with high risk patients
...it is also important that water is not allowed to stagnate within a water system and so there should be a regime of regular flushing of outlets including showers.
22 | TOMORROW’S FM
Why are showers a high risk?
• Aerosol Generating - Showers atomise water, spreading contamination across sites and creating the risk of lung infections, such as Legionnaires’ Disease, when pathogens are breathed in.
• Roughened Internal Surfaces - Shower hose rubber materials are typically pitted, creating a perfect environment for pioneering bacteria to settle and evade disinfection procedures.
• Ideal Temperatures - Typical shower operating temperatures are in the optimum range (20C – 50C) for many bacteria to proliferate.
• Stagnation - Even with regular use, shower hoses sit stagnant for relatively long periods of time as they typically do not self-purge.
• Nutrient Rich Materials - Shower hose materials such as EPDM, even if WRAS approved, will release hydrocarbons used as a food source for harmful pathogens.
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